I am a 32 year old white female with a Positive ANA at 1:80 speckled, low c4 at 13, borderline low c3, false positive syphillis, enlarged spleen, extreme fatigue achiness, at times severe chest pains. My blood work however comes back good in every other way, good kidney functon etc. I have been to many doctors through the last 12 years and Lupus has always been a questionable diganosis. Any input?

Ask your physician to evaluate you for the antiphospholipid or Hughes Syndromeby checking the PTT, lupus anticoagulant, IgG, IgA and IgM anticardiolipin antibodies. You can also discuss with him if for your symtoms physicians ever considered blood clots or pulmonary hypertension as the etiology.

Your symptoms does not completely suggests of SLE. It will be better if you could do an ANA profile + anti dsDNA and antiRo serum tested.
ANA test is positive for more than 95% of SLE cases. ANA negative lupus is very rare , such patients have positive anti ds.DNA or anti Ro . If all the above are negative lupus can be ruled out. . But in many cases these tests get positive about one to two years after onset of symptoms. Hence testing has to be repeated, to confirmly rule out lupus.

DIAGNOSTIC CRITERIA FOR SLE
1.malar or discoid rash . Reddish raised patches over the cheeks.
2.photosensitivity. Exposure to uv light causes rash
3.oral and nasal ulcers
4.tenderness and swelling of two or more joints.
5.pleuritis of lung
Pericarditis of heart
6.urine protein of more than 0.5 g /dl
7.seizures or psychosis without other causes.
8.anemia.or decreased white blood cells.
9.anti.dsDNA, anti Sm, anti phospholipid
10. Abnormal ANA levels.
thank you

I have lupus for 17 years. I, too, have a false positive for syphillis, enlarged spleen, and so many other disorders, but most have been resolved by Prednisone. The reason I'm responding to your message is that I want to suggest you get tested for APLS......anti phospholipid antibody syndrome. Just to be safe. It's a disorder that can cause blood clots. I have it, but have never had a clotting event, so I take a baby aspirin everyday. If I should have a clotting event and survive; I'd be put on blood thinners. I only say this because of your false positive to syphillis. It's very important to know if you have APLS....for it is a very dangerous disorder. Today I learned about my enlarged spleen..and my platelet count is low, my white blood cells are low, I'm anemic (I've recently lost a great deal of weight which bothers my doctors.) In the past I have had thrombocytopenia, hemolytic anemia, autoimmune hepatitis, etc etc. I now have to have a cat scan for the enlarged spleen, but my educated guess is that I'm in a lupus flare. I'm concerned because this is new........the enlarged spleen; whenever anything is new I get scared, but if it's caused by lupus, I feel perfectly confident that Prednisone will come to my rescue as it did 17 years ago when I was on my death bed before they FINALLY diagnosed me.

stop taking very iced water and massage with hot water every evening and apply balm before sleeping for at least 2weeks.

Diagnosis of Lupus is difficult. There are criteria in addition to positive lab results which aid in the diagnosis. The link below will give you an idea of what you doctor is up against in order to arrive at a specific diagnosis when dealing with an autoimmune disorder. I think the patient history is the most important part of the process. Good luck.

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