If my ANA's are increased, what is the chance I have lupus or another autoimmune disease?

I'm going to get my blood checked right now, but I'm a little freaked out. Actually I'm a lot freaked out after wikipedia-ing it. lol

and can anyone give me some more info on auto-immune diseases
like how bad are they
cause wikipedia was not very kind-sounding.

Elevated ANA can mean a number of different issues. The usual culprit is A.I. (auto immune) but also may something less serious.
Depending on which auto immune you are asking about , the answer to your question "how bad are they?" can range in seriousness. I have been living with sjogren's syndrome, lupus, r/a, vasculitis, well let me just say, a number of different auto immune illnesses since I was 24 ( I am now 38). They have been a challange to live with, but the key word is, I have been LIVING with them. I prefer to look at it like this " I have my A.I. illnesses, THEY dont have ME!".
If you are dxed with an a.i. illness, the earlier they find it, usually the better the treatment is. There is a number of different tests that must be done to be 100% sure you have an a.i. illness. Make sure you go thru the tests to ensure proper diagnosis. Such as with sjogren's , the best test is the lip biopsy, where they take one small gland ( or a few) that is on the inside of your bottom lip and tests them for s.s.. Different tests for different A.i. illnesses.
I have an auto immune group if you would like more info, feel free to contact us at
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/can...

Good Luck and please let me know what you find out.( it may be a long process ) God bless you,Candy

There are many different things that can cause an elevated ANA level including scleroderma, rheumatoid arthritis, cirrhosis, leukemia, infectious mononucleosis, and malignancy. Also, certain medications can affect the results of the ana testing. Are you being tested specifically for lupus? Are there any other tests that are being performed?

There are a vast number of autoimmune disorders with myriad manifestations and symptoms. I was diagnosed with multiple scleroses about 15 months ago. I couldn't see anything but a fog bank in my right eye. It was really surreal and terrifying. It went away after a few weeks and has reoccurred 3 or 4 times since, generally if I'm under a lot of stress. Other than being hella tired and paranoid about any and every little thing, it really hasn't affected my life too much. Don't let a diagnosis consume you or alter your self perception. Incidentally, autoimmune diseases are only one of the reasons your md ordered an ANA for you. Don't freak out, medicine is not exact.