February 27, 2004
Diagnosis and Symptoms
Question from Manhattan, Kansas, USA:
I have recently begun to have a number of symptoms, such as poor circulation, fatigue, and numbness. The test results are consistent with an autoimmune disorder (high ANA, high MCV), although a discrete diagnosis, other than Raynauds, has yet to be made. My father was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes as an adult, at age 40. I am wondering whether I might have a genetic predisposition to an autoimmune disorder. Do I need to be vigilant about further testing to identify the causes of these aberrant test results?
Answer:
It is true that both type 1 diabetes and disorders like lupus are autoimmune diseases. However, I do not think there is a strong link. It is easy to monitor a fasting blood sugar intermittently with routine labs to make sure this is normal. I would not necessarily do anything more than that, unless you were symptomatic with frequent urination, frequent thirst, blurring of vision, and weight loss.
JTL
