My Bloodwork Results: Lupus & Hemolytic Anemia

In this video, I'll be sharing my bloodwork results with you specific to lupus and hemolytic anemia. I'll discuss my bloodwork results and share my experience with both conditions. I hope that by learning about my experience, you can get a better understanding of what you're dealing with and find the support you need to get through this tough time.

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My name is Samantha Boothe and I have been creating advocacy videos on YouTube since 2009. This channel was formerly known as Live Hope Lupus and was created in order to start a community for those living with chronic illnesses. In September 2019, I transitioned to a plant-based diet and I have found my body is responding well to it. Along with my lifestyle change, I am learning to alter my focus more on the positive. My current content will focus on my healing journey, what food I am eating, and everyday life. I will still be posting an occasional update about my health. I hope you all are ready to join me on this crazy journey of healing. We are all learning how to navigate this life together. If you have subscribed, thank you! I appreciate your support and look forward to talking with you all in the comments.

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DISCLAIMER: This content within this video is not medical advice. The purpose of these videos are for general education and to share my own experience. This content should not be used to self-diagnose or self-treat any health condition. Please consult a healthcare professional before attempting anything in this video.

#Lupus #HemolyticAnemia

[circleofleaves]

Mixed Connective Tissue Disease (MCTD) is often misdiagnosed or wrongly diagnosed by doctors, which is frustrating. MCTD is much more specific than the term/dx that gets too loosely thrown around. It's also not just an umbrella term; it's more specific than that. It is a combination of a positive U1-RNP antibody in the presence of an overlap of 3 specific autoimmune diseases, those being Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), Polymyositis (PM), and Systemic Sclerosis/Scleroderma (SSc). Often doctors will give a MCTD diagnosis when what they really mean is either: a) Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Disease (UCTD) where a patient has some elements of autoimmune connective tissue diseases (AI-CTDs) without really fitting the box for one in particular; or 2) a combination of two or more accurately diagnosed specific AI-CTDs. For example, while I have "a mix of AI-CTDs", I don't have MCTD. My AI-CTDs are Antisynthetase Syndrome (ASS) with Polymyositis (PM), and Relapsing Polychondritis (RP). I also have other autoimmune diseases that aren't connective tissue diseases (they're gastrointestinal, dermatological, and neurological), and a connective tissue disorder that is genetic, not autoimmune. I have 5 positive autoantibodies: PL-7, gastric parietal cell, anti-ganglioside GM1, cold agglutinins, ANA (in two patterns - speckled and mitotic spindle).

[LinDuhLou]

Hi Samantha. It feels like it takes 3 doctors to figure this out. No one will give me a definitive diagnosis.

[megabaneen]

Thanks so much for sharing your journey. Daily living can be challenging as we get older. it gets soo hard to wake up every day to live. Work out eat well take meds and supplements the schedule is quite exhausting. All your efforts and hard work are paying off - i am shouting hope you hear me?
YOU LOOK AMAZING SAM!!!

[Claudia-crpm]

Glad i found your channel. I am newly diagnosed but sick for 12 years.

[faithmomlife]

I had several bloodwork results flag included positive ANA, RNP and a bunch of the kidney numbers. But since my numbers aren’t super, super high she told me to come back in a year. I’m so sick I can’t imagine waiting a year to do anything. 😢

[JonniStephenson]

Hello and thank you. I go back to the doctor for lab work at the end of this month. I was diagnosed this year. You are showing proof that everything is going to work out. I have been a vegetarian for bout 5 years. I am just now adding fish to my diet. Try protein shakes. That’s what I used to assist with my protein. Keep sharing it helps those that are new. Thank you once again.

[juliafelicione]

AHHHH love to see such great looking numbers 🎉 i just had some labs done and i only got my cbc back so far but thank god its looking good 🎉 usually if somethings wrong my white count hits the floor so I’m happy 🥰

[marandagreene]

Samantha! ❤ thankful for still sharing with us. Your numbers look awesome. You look so happy and healthy. I will be moving over to more plant based. Hopefully lupus will be into Remission. Do you have any suggestions so vasculitis? Glad your doing well! Have you thought about babies?

[dianemower]

I've got my first rheumatologist appointment on Saturday, after showing i have anti ccp antibodies in my blood. I have been in chronic pain for 4 years and had numerous mri's on my spine and brain but nothing shows up, accept normal wear and tear for someone my age (59) I can hardly walk because my spine feels like its being crushed. Plus neck/shoulder/hands/stomach etc pains really get me down. I'm trying not hard not to hope to get a diagnosis because the disappointment I
experience hits really hard. Especially when they say nothing wrong and its past trumor trapped in my body 😢

[LivingDead]

Thanks for sharing. I don't have lupus, but you guys keep appearing in my feed, and it was nice to see how strong you are. I don't know what I have. I had to take iron for a while for being anemic, but my kind or whatever was where I didn't need a blood transfusion, but my red blood cells were smaller and not getting enough oxygen. I am not concerned about that, and it seems odd to me. My oxygen is fine. I'm a fatty diabetic though.

[rachelschultz]

I seen a rheumatologist two years ago and he diagnosed me with Lupus and has not ordered any labs since.

[TheFrugivorediet]

Thanks for sharing. The low globulin and elevated Bilirubin are more an indicator of liver damage or disease, not to do with a vegan diet, more likely a result of medication. Would like to see your lactate level too.

[carlaalmeida]

Thanks for sharing, Samantha! Hugs from Portugal.

[hannahyost]

Yeah, time to get my routine blood work done. My complements are always low :( trying to get them up.

[elizabethbaronebooks]

I'm impressed by your anti-dsDNA levels! Mine have always been crazy high. I have UCTD (basically a Venn diagram of Lupus, Sjogren's, and RA—mine leans more toward Lupus). No nephritis, thankfully, and my levels have improved dramatically since starting Benlysta. It's still positive but it's the lowest it's ever been for me. I used to watch your videos years ago when I first got sick, so I'm happy to see you're doing so well! Which immunosuppressant(s) are you currently taking? I just came off MTX after three years this time around and only take prednisone as needed, which is huge for me because for the longest time I needed MTX, Ben, AND pred.

[Renofirefly]

I had a positive ANA speckled titer 1:160. I was also diagnosed with Hereditary Hemochromatosis in February. My Ferritin is over 3, 000. My Ferritin is not going down after 3 months of phlebotomies. I also have cirrhosis due to iron overload. I suspect I might have lupus due to other symptoms. I just had blood work done. Idk why but doctors don't seem to take the ANA seriously "because it can mean a lot of things."

[pippippin]

I have ana postive but I have sjogrens and I was iron deficiency anaemia

[knikkisunshine]

I’m in the process of taking tests to see if I have Lupus and/or Sjodrens

[lilibian]

ME TOO GIRL! hemolytic anemia and lupus 🧛🏻‍♀️💜

[chrisrishermn]

My wife has many symptoms of Lupus. What do you think is necessary to tell the doctor? I hear they hardly ever diagnose Lupus.