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Positive ANA with low Positive RNP, but doc says I’m fine?
I’ve been getting considerable joint pain mostly in my knees for about 6 years now (I’m 20 yrs now) and MRI only shows bone marrow edema. I get full body aches that last 2-3 days usually 2-3 times a month at random and I have chronic fatigue. I can barely stay awake for more than a few hrs at a time without needing a 3/4 hr nap. Quantity and quality of sleep has little to no effect on my energy levels. My thyroid levels are all fine, but I tested for a positive ANA and a positive RNP (1.5 U for a MB and threshold is 0.9). My doctor says i’m just hyper mobile and should consider going to PT (i agree) and doing a sleep study. All my vitamins are fine and no other tests have come back abnormal. I feel like there’s something going on more than just hypermobility?
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I’d give it a try before taking meds or worse!
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1 ReactionDid they give you more data from your ANA test? What level titer? What AC codes are associated with your result?
AC codes are related to the "pattern" reported on an ANA.
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1 ReactionIs the doctor who said you’re fine a rheumatologist? RNP plus a positive ANA can indicate an overlap syndrome, like Mixed Connective Tissue Disease which might explain the joint pain and fatigue, but there are usually other symptoms. Have you done other labs that show inflammation like CRP or ESR?
Being hypermobile itself can also significant - did they mention Ehlers Danlos Syndrome?
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/ehlers-danlos-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20362125
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1 Reaction@larak the lab results never said a titer specification or a pattern which I thought was really strange. It only said ANA Direct was positive?
@pm56 Yes, the doctor was a rheumatologist, but they ruled out EDS because I’m only 5 degrees hyper mobile in my knees and 15 in my elbows. I had considered MCTD, but I believe all my inflammation markers came back normal.
@bswpb I definitely will be starting some PT soon and hopefully that helps!
@lillygrace I would press for them to run it again for more info, if they don't already have the titer and pattern.
I'm not sure why they didn't order more labs immediately since this one was positive.
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1 Reaction@lillygrace all of my inflammatory markers were normal too and I had non specific symptoms initially other than fatigue and back pain … until one doctor finally ran a rheumatoid factor test that came back positive; normal is something like under 14 - mine was 80. Finally we had something to go on! In time my ANA turned positive and I’ve had positive RNP on and off. I think when it’s low, they don’t get overly excited, especially when symptoms don’t match.
Do you know if by any chance a RF (IgG, IgA, IgM) has been done?