Question
I am a 34 year old mother of 2 girls, This past summer i got really tired and could not gat past it, i ended up seeing my GP she ran some blood and the results were a positive ANA titer of 1:40 speckled pattern, I repeated it the fllowing month and it was still positive 1:80 Homogenous pattern, By the time I got to the remetologist the fatigue had gone, then then hand pain started. Now I am getting really scared, the remetologist ruled out the whole lupus panel and thats it. The hand pain still continues, it comes and goes, I have had Raynauds for years. I am mostly afraid od scelederma? I recently went to see and imunologist and she ordered more blood work sed rate was a 2
and i was neg on the SCL antibodies. There is no inflamation and she really feeld confident that I won't develop anything serious But I am still scared?

Answer
Valerie,

I know this sounds weird but you are 34 years old. It is not unusual for a person of this age to start experiencing pain. Pain in one hand is not a sign of any serious disease. Over half of all Raynauds patients have an elevated ANA. This is most likely the explanation of the elevated ANA not another condition.

Take comfort that your doctors are saying that you are not showing signs of another condition. Worrying will only make you feel worse. You have to much living to do with your two girls to spend time worrying about something that may not be there and in which worrying will not help.

Rusty