Sorry - I may have multiple questions, as I just found this forum :-)
My vitiligo started a couple years ago and just keeps spreading. It was a small spot on my arms and has just sort of gone all over.
Around the time of the first spot, I had some hair loss and had some tests run and had positive ANA. The doc ran a test for celiac and lupus, all of which were negative and said that maybe it the vitiligo caused the positive ANA. Curious if anyone else has had any blood work that was off from vitiligo.
Replies
That's interesting. I was told "wait and see" with my ANA in so many words, too. I am going to look at that book. I have no eliminated gluten. I have been toying around with the idea though. I don't eat a lot of meat, so it would be an adjustment. I am going to get that book. I have a high stress job, too, so everything I go to the doctor from is always pinned on stress.
You know I was just reading your original post and you said that you had hair loss? Did you have a thyroid panel done? I know that hypothyroidism and hashimoto's can cause hair loss and also cause vitiligo.
High quality animal protein is essential for your thyroid to function properly, and is essential to the reversal of any autoimmune disease, really. Since you said you think your vitiligo spread after your vegan diet, it kinda seems like there may be a thyroid issue?
Here is another excellent book you may want to check out, it's called Autoimmune, The Cause and Cure http://www.amazon.com/Autoimmune-identifies-Fibromyalgia-Rheumatoid...
And also, http://www.ThePaleoMom.com has some really great info regarding the Paleo Autoimmune Protocol. It's a blog written by a scientist, so it's very reputable information. She backs up everything she says with science.
I don't eat red meat, but I decided that I am gonna have to make myself eat it if it's gonna help me get better. I can relate to how you feel about meat. I'm not a big fan.
Also, as far as stress goes, it can definitely aggravate vitiligo. Here is one of my favorite articles by Dr. Mark Hyman that mentions autoimmunity and stress:
http://drhyman.com/blog/2010/07/30/how-to-stop-attacking-yourself-9...
Also, people with vitiligo have been shown to have low glutathione levels, and one of the main things that can cause this is stress. Here is another really great article about that:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mark-hyman/glutathione-the-mother-...
I'm sorry, I hope I am not overwhelming you with all of this reading material. It's just that I have found that the more I read the more encouraged I feel about my ability to stop and/or reverse my vitiligo :).
You are not overwhelming me. I appreciate it. My Mom is the only one concerned, lol. My doctors, friend, etc. just say "Oh, it's not that bad." The only reason they say that is because I am fair-skinned so it's not obvious from a distance, but it's spread considerably and is all over my body, so clearly something is amiss! I went from a quarter sized spot on my forearm to my forearm, face, underarms, legs, and hands. It's everywhere and not stopping.
I am going to read this and truly appreciate your responding!
I have not had red meat in at least 15 or more years, I don't eat fish or pork. I do eat chicken a bit now, but went through years where I didn't eat that either.
My thyroid has come back normal. The only weird thing I had other than the positive ANA was that I had very high free iron - off the charts (serum iron), but low ferritin (bottom range of normal - 16). My doc commented how that was strange, but assumed I must have ate something high in iron (which I didn't). So, my iron was the only thing that was out whack.
Yes, I had a positive ANA when I first was diagnosed with vitiligo. I too was tested for lupus and celiac and then doctors acted like it was no big deal, but I was very worried. I asked why it might be elevated and they just shrugged and said sometimes for no reason at all-they did not tie it to the vitiligo. Personally I found the positive ANA to be very alarming and so I started doing some research. I went to the library and I came across an awesome book by Dr. Susan Blum called The Immune System Recovery Plan. In it she says that a positive ANA means that it's just a matter of time before you are diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, such as lupus...that the positive ANA is sort of an indicator or a "wait and see" sort of thing. She says the doctors don't tell you this, (which was correct in my case).
Also, another thing worth mentioning is that I consulted with dr. Wanakee Hill and she told me that celiac and vitiligo share the same gene, and that just because you test "negative" doesn't mean you don't have an issue with gluten, which I think is true in my case. Furthermore, a true celiac test would require putting a tube down your throat into your stomach...so you really don't know for sure. Have you tried eliminating gluten from your diet?