Hi Lisa (@techi) -- that's a great question but I don't really know the answer. I did find a reference values for the ANA test and some information on interpretation of the test on the Mayo Clinic website:
https://www.mayomedicallaboratories.com/test-catalog/Clinical+and+Interpretive/9026

John

I have a question about Prednisone and dosage.... when I arrived at the ER with what they thought was Polymalgia Rheumatica (PMR) They gave me a high dosage shot of Prednisone 100mg I believe, then another 20 about 8 hrs later.... An hour or two after the last pill I stood up on my own 5 times.... I told this to my girlfriend who is an MD she suggested I consider an aggressive attack on this by going high dosage 80mg for three days.... 70 for three on down until I was on only 10mg.... withing 4 days of the regimen I recovered fully enough to stand unaided for the next month.... My question is this.... If I would have stayed at 20 a day instead of the increased dosage, would I be able to stand on my own now or would I have been stuck at not being to stand unaided???? Do or have people plateaued in recovery by staying at a minimum dosage??? Or does this just represent normal and I would have eventually been able to stand/lift my arms over my shoulders??? I have a sense the aggressive use of the steroid over a small period of time it was the right course and if I did not try that..... I would have been stuck at that place waiting for healing to come....

Hi @reagan1mc -- I was first diagnosed with PMR back in 2007 and could barely stand up and had to use a walker to get to my appointment with the rheumatologist. He diagnosed the PMR and put me on 20 mg prednisone. I filled the prescription that morning after the appointment and took the first 20 mg dose just before lunch. I had a second appointment that afternoon with the rheumatologist and much to my amazement no longer needed the walker to get around. It took me 3 years to taper off of prednisone, the last 6 months going between 1 mg to 1/2 mg back and forth until I finally was able to be off of the prednisone and still function OK. The PMR stayed in remission for 6 years and came back in 2016. I was put back on 20 mg prednisone and am not down to 2 mg a day hoping to be off of it in another month or two. I think everyone is a little different which is what my rheumatologist told me also. I don't think you are ever cured of polymyalgia rheumatica. The prednisone just controls the inflammation and hopefully it goes back into remission.

I do think it's important to keep being as active as possible without overdoing it. Your questions are ones a lot of us have had and I think there are a myriad of answers due to us all being affected a little differently by the disease. I'm have no medical training or experience but it's my understanding is that the goal is to start at the lowest dosage of the prednisone that controls the pain from the PMR and then tapering down the dosage on a schedule of some sort to see if you can function at a lower dosage until you can finally get off of the prednisone.

Have you met with a rheumatologist? It would be a good set of questions for a rheumatologist.

Hope you find some answers.

John

This is Sanai and I am in 3rd stage of auto immune liver disease, my Numbers are in 8.0 and Ive been on Ursodiol 500mg three time a day for 25 years now , I just went through a lot of testing the last two months and second option from Liver specialist Barnes Univ. Hospital as well as In Belvidere IL , the results are as follow : my numbers have gone down by 2 , for which ever reason ., everything is stable right now but still in third stage. My medication have not changed , and not ready for a transplant do for. I read I can not take turmeric due to my medication interference, but I Aldo suffer with the fibromyalgia, it’s better when I follow my diet with veg/fruit , very low sugar intake, low salt, and keeping my stress down.
As a suggestion, read your meds and any herbs combo before you start taking anything, you don’t want any Interference.
Please give me any feed back on your liver condition , where as I’m open for good suggestions.
Thanks

Hello John, I was just recently dx with autoimmune hepatitis? Type 1 no cirrhosis yet based on biopsy. On 50 mgs of pred and 100 mgs of imuran. Numbers are slowly dropping from hospital stay numbers which were very very elevated. Looking for the best way to use turmeric and diet to follow. What is your opinion? Drops, powder, pills for turmeric? What brand do you use? In addition, what diet do you feel has helped you with autoimmune hepatitis? I am doing gluten, wheat and dairy free diet at the moment. Eating wild salmon, quality chicken grass fed beef ...when i do eat meat. Use only almond milk. I am so confused. I get so many mixed reviews on what to eat. Maybe you can shed some light on what you have read or tried. Many thanks. Georgina

I am waiting to see my doctor. Have had blood tests. I have an enlarged liver. Fatty liver enlarged from the previous Ultrasound. I will update as results come in and see my doctor again.

Thanks, @johnbishop , I am glad that I am here. In January 6,2021. I was diagnosed with hepatitis B which the doctor said has been there for long because I am from Africa and my liver is in good condition. But I have not started treatment yet because I am waiting on my next appointment on April 6,2021 to see if the doctor is going to start the treatment. I feel lot of pains on my side and head, and the inflammations is too much. What can I do to reduce this inflammation? My husband is immune to it.