Would you do a lateral flow for diarrhoea?

[jesusmaryjosephandtheweedonkey]

I started with a stomach bug on Wednesday night, it's now Saturday morning and I've still got diarrhoea 😩 a friend has messaged and said it could be a lesser symptom of covid.
I've not heard this before.
I know I'm just waffling but I can't believe how long this bug is going on for

No. I would ring my doctor or the pharmacist for advice. Not everything is Covid.

I would because why not do it?

No I wouldn’t do it for this. My son actually does have covid and he’s been doing LFT’s which have all come back negative (!), so for diarrhoea I wouldn’t even bother!!

If that's the only symptom you have, I wouldn't. I'd contact the doctor first.

It was my only symptom for the first 4-5 days of me having covid last year - went on for 3 weeks.

I have certainly heard of someone only having diarrhoea and testing positive. Ive had Covid twice and had gastric symptoms both times. Tbh why not?

I don't think it could hurt to do an LFT. No need to see the doctor for diarrhoea- your pharmacist can help

People are encouraged to do a lft twice a week anyway, why wouldn't you do one?

A lot of people are lateral flowing twice a week symptomless anyway as that’s what they’re intended for, so do one if you want. It only takes a minute. You’re not wasting anyone’s time and you could’ve done one on the time it took to post this

I do one if I sneeze or my big toes hurts these days. Do them regularly no reasons not to. So many cases are detected this way.

So you have a high temperature?

I had covid while pregnant in May, I was in hospital for gastro bug, but turned out to be covid, my only symptoms was diarrhoea and sickness

The Zoe app has asked me a couple of times to do a test purely on the grounds of gastric issues (vomiting or diarrhoea), despite me indicating that I thought it was related to my crohns. I assume this is so they can track how often main/only/first symptoms are gastric.

Just do a LFT - and speak to your GP or pharmacist about the diarrhoea.

A colleague of mine has just tested positive - no official symptoms but feeling generally poorly. If he hadn't been taking routine LFTs he would have soldiered on at work possibly infecting others.

Dp has just gone to pick some up.

Yes!
Definitely it presents as gastric also, I had gastric symptoms first and my dd vomited (neither had cough and interment slight temp).

The official symptoms are pretty redundant now unfortunately.

It is a possible symptom or covid, yes. We lateral flow test regularly at home anyway, as they are intended for and it's hardly a big concession, its free and is a few seconds of discomfort to ensure you aren't endangering others you might encounter who don't have the privilege of good health and a working immune system. It is about others surely.

As an aside OP if you've had these gastric symptoms for days I would recommend picking up some rehydration sachets, such as dioralyte from the supermarket or chemist. Dehydration will make you feel far worse than you need to.

Yes, why not? In the time it took you to write this post you could have done the test. It's so quick and easy.

Yes, we all do them twice a week routinely and would do one there and then at any sign of illness.

Don't take loperamide - you need to clear the virus if that's what it is.
Just rehydration.

Yes lots of people have had diarrhoea as a symptom. My daughters symptom was a headache. The list of symtoms needs updating as people are getting confused. LFT takes minutes so to be on the safe side I would say yes.

Has anyone had diarrhoea with Covid but negative results?

I've been horrifically ill now for three days sick diarrhoea, headache and high temperature but negative LFT and pcr.

One sip of water = 3 painful trips to the loo. I've never been so ill so I feel for you OP It's all really horrific.

Let us know your results

Just based on a friends experience, a lateral flow won’t necessarily pick up Covid if it’s gastric. Her son tested negative for a week before the virus got into his respiratory system and started showing up on tests.

If you have any symptoms that might be Covid, you need to do a PCR test, not LFT.

LFTs are only for if you have NO symptoms.
This message doesn’t seem to be getting out.

And yes, diarrhoea and/or vomiting can be the only symptom of Covid, although could obviously be something else.

Please do a PCR test.
And I hope you get some rest and feel better soon, whatever the cause 💐