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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Symptomatic; Negative LFTs; kids covid positive

27 replies

Onceuponadimebar · 10/02/2022 06:06

I've had symptoms all week of covid. Swollen glands & sore throat and feeling slightly ill. Lone parent, fully vaccinated. The children have both had positive lateral flow tests. I work from home and don't see anyone apart from the children.

I've been testing with LFTs almost every day. Am I off my rocker, starting to imagine symptoms or is there a rational explanation as to why my lateral flow tests are not positive?

OP posts:
Thehop · 10/02/2022 06:08

They aren’t very accurate, you need to order pcr tests if you have symptoms.

Hope you all feel better soon.

MrsJaxTellerPlease · 10/02/2022 06:12

You need a PCR test. I'm testing negative on LFTs but my second PCR was positive. I'm genuinely shocked that people still don't know that symptoms=PCR

LefttoherownDevizes · 10/02/2022 06:15

I have 3dcs, 2 are home with horrendous coughs, tenps, aches, shivers, sore throats etc.

All ltfs negative, 1xPCR positive the other negative. I am treating both as if they have it, just assume that one's viral load isn't enough to be picked up on tests. It's so bonkers

Original poster
Onceuponadimebar · 10/02/2022 06:16

@MrsJaxTellerPlease

You need a PCR test. I'm testing negative on LFTs but my second PCR was positive. I'm genuinely shocked that people still don't know that symptoms=PCR
I thought I heard that LFTs were more sensitive now and more accurate.
OP posts:
Onlyforcake · 10/02/2022 06:31

LFTs are more reliable than MN will tell you. But with symptoms I'm not sure why you didn't book a PCR. If you do test positive booking one in a day or two it will put you into isolation as you cease being infectious. It's right there on all of the advice online. Which you clearly have access to.

dementedpixie · 10/02/2022 06:38

If you have symptoms you are supposed to do a PCR. LFT have a shorter window for detecting covid and aren't to be used to rule out covid if you have symptoms as it can give a false negative result

Passthecake30 · 10/02/2022 06:38

Back in October I had all the symptoms alongside my DS. Horrendous cough and struggled to put one foot in front of the other. Negative LFTs and 2 negative PCRs. Very strange.

cloverleafy · 10/02/2022 06:40

It took several days for me to test positive (including 2 inconclusive PCR tests) when I was symptomatic and the rest of my family all had confirmed covid. No idea why and quite frustrating, but it just took linger for my viral load to be deterable for some reason.

Original poster
Onceuponadimebar · 10/02/2022 06:43

@Onlyforcake

LFTs are more reliable than MN will tell you. But with symptoms I'm not sure why you didn't book a PCR. If you do test positive booking one in a day or two it will put you into isolation as you cease being infectious. It's right there on all of the advice online. Which you clearly have access to.
Thanks, please don't be so patronising. I have 100% responsibility for managing two kids with disabilities. It's not like I'm going anywhere and going to infect anyone. The impact of me not getting a PCR is negligible.
OP posts:
Crunchymum · 10/02/2022 06:43

Have the symptoms to book a PCR changed?

The OP doesn't mention a cough or temperature or loss of smell and taste

(I know other symptoms are more prevalent with the current variant but if the government haven't updated the symptom list for accessing a PCR then technically the OP is correct to be using LFT's)

Whattochoosenow · 10/02/2022 06:47

Well it looks like isolating will be ending very soon anyway so 🤷‍♀️.

waitinginthecar · 10/02/2022 06:48

Lateral flow tests are for when you don't have symptoms.

WeAreTheHeroes · 10/02/2022 06:49

@Onlyforcake - the govt advice states that if you test positive on a PCR your isolation period starts from the date you first had symptoms. It won't mean the OP's isolation period starts from the date of the positive PCR. It's right there on all the advice online...

Original poster
Onceuponadimebar · 10/02/2022 06:50

@waitinginthecar

Lateral flow tests are for when you don't have symptoms.
Yes that was the previous position, but the government have lately told people that they can test with these instead of PCRs.. I presumed it was because of increased accuracy, but it seems it's based on likelihood of results being correct as figures are so high.
OP posts:
WeAreTheHeroes · 10/02/2022 06:51

Sorry, I didn't express that clearly - it's from the date of the positive test or when symptoms started if that was earlier.

Original poster
Onceuponadimebar · 10/02/2022 06:52

@WeAreTheHeroes

Sorry, I didn't express that clearly - it's from the date of the positive test or when symptoms started if that was earlier.
You were very clear, thanks!
OP posts:
LefttoherownDevizes · 10/02/2022 06:53

@Onceuponadimebar that's not strictly true. They've said if you get a positive on a ltf you don't then need a PCR, but if you get a negative but have symptoms you should do a PCR.

ViceLikeBlip · 10/02/2022 06:53

@MrsJaxTellerPlease

You need a PCR test. I'm testing negative on LFTs but my second PCR was positive. I'm genuinely shocked that people still don't know that symptoms=PCR
The govt website still only recognises fever, persistent cough and loss of tast/smell as "symptoms" though. I've been low level, non-descript "ill" all week (bit of a sore throat, bit of an ear ache, generally feel a bit wooly) but I'm testing negative on lft and I don't qualify for a pcr 🤷‍♀️
User1234567891011121314 · 10/02/2022 06:54

I hope you feel better soon! Some people have woken up a bit grumpy this morning! Get a PCR and be done with it.

WeAreTheHeroes · 10/02/2022 06:58

Who's grumpy?

ViceLikeBlip · 10/02/2022 06:58

Also, there's evidence that having a regular cold can prevent covid infection (at that time). So it's quite possible that you've just picked up another random cold which is giving you covid-type symptoms, but at the same time is also stopping you from catching actual covid?

I'm a teacher, and it seems totally random which kids (and staff!) are testing positive. We've some people totally asymptomatic and well, stuck at home isolating, and others clearly unwell but in school because they're negative. I don't know what's more likely- inaccurate testing, or just more than one virus.

SweetPotatoDumpling · 10/02/2022 07:07

I do think that we are forgetting how rotten a really bad cold or chest infection can make us feel.

I was totally convinced that I had Covid in November.... I'm a primary teacher, half the staff had it, I had kids dropping like flies! It seemed inevitable 🤦‍♀️ I was SO poorly! But no! LFTs were negative and PCR x 2 also negative 🤷‍♀️ Just a crappy, awful cold and a chest infection...antibiotics cleared up the infection, cold lingered for ages!

Feel better soon OP 🤞

Whattochoosenow · 10/02/2022 07:18

@SweetPotatoDumpling I think you’re right. People seem to think that every symptom now must be covid.
Does everyone remember when their kids were small and we all got everything going around? Well, I think it’s going to be like that for a couple of years because our immune systems haven’t been regularly challenged.

HelloKeith · 10/02/2022 07:19

6 of us in this house. Two symptomatic, positive LFT. Two symptomatic, negative LFT. One asymptomatic, negative LFT. One asymptomatic, positive LFT. All who were negative on LFT tested positive on PCT and turned positive on the LFT eventually - those day 5 and 6 tests were very positive! In fact we were all struggling to be negative by day 10, so it's not like the LFTs weren't working.

EatYourVegetables · 10/02/2022 07:21

It took us 4-5 days to get positive LTFs in your situation. Assume you have Covid.