How bad/invasive is a PCR test?

[AnnListersBlister]

I've tried doing the lateral flow tests at home and the nose ones make me feel physically sick, throat ones make me gag. . I've booked a PCR test at a local centre and I'm afraid it'll be awful and/or I'll be sick.

Can anyone enlighten me?

The pcr us exactly the same. Swab your throat and then your nose.

They're really gentle and quick. Much easier than doing it yourself.

It's much easier when someone else is doing it tbh. I choke badly found LFTs myself, but am fine when having a nurse or whoever doing the test at a centre.

It’s exactly the same as a lateral flow test here, you do it yourself inside your car then place the swab in a tube and hand the completed test kit back to the staff through your car window.

I've never had anyone do a pcr for me! Our test centres are all 'self service'. Even the one I did in a&e had to be done myself!

Ask for an assisted one. That way you know it's done properly as if you do it yourself you might be too focussed on trying not to gag.

Thank you, feel a bit better now!

I find them very, very difficult to do at home and gag a lot, have vomited before, cannot get it far up my nose etc. I had to have a PCR recently and opted for an assisted one. Honestly, it was still awful, I still gagged loads, panicked at the nose bit, and it took her 3 swabs to get a decent sample, I ended up crying. Grown adult, usually fine with all things medical, I can self-inject medication, but these swabs floor me. I realised I never get a decent sample myself at home and now feel there’s very little point of ever doing them myself as clearly I can’t make myself take it properly. Find it very traumatic.

Hope you find it easier than me OP.

You do them yourself , so it's exactly the same as a lateral flow.

Honestly? I struggled. I asked the administrator and she said she got a few vomits daily. I did it from the car and pressed my head into the head rest. It's over very quickly, less than a min, if you can just let them get on with it.

I’ve had over 150 PCR tests administered by private testing company employees for my work, and a few via NHS for proximity testing. I’d say that technique varies wildly between individuals, but all - even the most thorough - have been easier than the self-administered tests. I have gagged on about 25 tests and I have the most sensitive gag reflex ever so I think you’ll find this much less horrifying than you think. I’ve found holding my breath seems to help, no idea why and it’s probably not related to anything scientific, just means I’m concentrating on something else. Good luck!

I've probably done 50 or more lateral flow tests and 3 pcrs. The pcr i did a week ago was the first one I've ever done without gagging!
All self administered.

I got there and if was all do it yourself! Which it didn't say when I booked it. I HOPE I did it right. I was relieved in a way but also thinking if someone experienced had have done it at least I'd know it was more likely done correctly.

So I was panicking for no reason really. It is the first time I've done the tonsils bit however and I did gag quite badly. Reading other people's experiences did assure me, even the bad ones as I know I'm not alone!

I would really struggle - I have a bad gag reflex too and hate anything up my nose eg have to wear a noseclip when swimming to keep the water out.

I wish we could use the ones they used in Japan during the Olympics where you suck on the swab and put it in a test-tube.

@berlinbabylon

I would really struggle - I have a bad gag reflex too and hate anything up my nose eg have to wear a noseclip when swimming to keep the water out.

I wish we could use the ones they used in Japan during the Olympics where you suck on the swab and put it in a test-tube.

Id love ones like that too!