It was the ANA test, aka the antinuclear antibody test. It cannot be used to diagnose any specific autoimmune diseases but, in my case (I’d been begging for this test while everyone told me nothing was wrong with me) it definitively showed Hashimoto’s, which I knew I had, but instead of psoriatic arthritis (my horrible red, blistering, flaking rashes on lower legs) it PROVED I had SLE!

I have to tell everyone that SLE may not show up but you may have it. There are more and more autoimmune issues today that are known about than 50+ years ago but….still, some doctors are stubborn to really LISTEN to their patient. I hope you can open his or her mind.

BTW, I would highly encourage you to find a doctor you can communicate with and who has empathy. We kiss a lot of frogs, first.

Love to you,
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