Anyone had/ having the Covid Antibody test?

[RusticaRubra]

I just received an email from a private doctors practice offering me a Covid Antibody (have you had it and recovered) test. I thought it was a scam at first but then had a closer look and realised it was a place I went to a few years ago for some private Menopausal advice.

Back in Feb, a few weeks before we realised what was going on with Covid-19, I was really really ill. I was so tired I had to have 3 hour sleeps in the afternoons, then I came down with a cold, then got better and then came down with 2 nights of 40 degree temperature. We got to the point were I said that if I didn't sleep and wake up a bit better, I was going to A&E. Luckily I didn't. Then I was wiped out and had a hacking dry cough for 2-3 weeks, so bad I wet myself and had to change 3 times a day and then use sanitary protection. Sorry TMI. My DC came down with a lower dose and were off school for between 3 days and a week. 3 weeks after I thought I was over it I was at the doctors saying I wanted my chest checked as I couldn't breath and was worried I had pneumonia. This was end of Feb and the Doc checked my oxygen levels, said they were OK and I had obviously had a bronchial infection that would take up to 6 weeks to go. No one even mentioned Coronavirus to me!!!! About 2 weeks before I became ill, my DH was ill, but not as bad, and had a week off work after returning from a trip abroad.

Anyway, back to the task at hand. I'm loathe to pay for a test but I am thinking that this could be an opportunity to see if I have had it and in turn my DC and DH.

WWYD?

You need to,find out carefully which test. Do not have one which is not the PHE approved one.

DS 2 had an illness mud/late Feb, which if he had it now would certainly have led to,p a working diagnosis of Covid (the three main symptoms, plus anosmia, plus just seeming very ill). But most people who were tested back then came back negative, so it is also possible that there was another similar nasty cough/high temperature virus doing the rounds. But I still want to see if DS2 had it, simply because of the anosmia (an unusual symptom).

I am hoping that when the supply of tests is on general release, it will be possible for anyone who thinks theynhave had it to be tested. Obvs we'd have to wait a bit whilst front line staff who need to know are tested, and many tests will be done as proper (representative sample) surveillance projects. But I'm hoping that idc anyone can have one.

I think you will find this thread useful:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/coronavirus/3900355-i-have-gone-nuts-and-paid-someone-to-come-to-my-house-and-do-an-antibody-test-on-us

The one I have been offered is the Abbott test.

I really want to do one for sinilar reasons ut I cant afford £70. I hope they will come down in price.

I know. I am really not sure. I think I may have been too early for Coronavirus. It was a few weeks later that we started to identify super spreaders. I just don't know where I could have got it from. DH wasn't in Wuhan. I think he was in the US.

It's weird. Honestly, not being a drama llama but I do remember not being able to taste food which is a big deal for me as I am a massive foodie. I had one blood shot eye which was really weird too. If I had this now I would be avoided like the plague.

I've ordered an Abbot test and it's arriving tomorrow. Been unwell since right at the start of lockdown with all the symptoms and still have a lingering cough and get very tired so I'm interested to see if I have antibodies! It was £49 from treated.com (I checked them out first for legitimacy!). I'll send it straight back tomorrow and should get the results by Friday. Little worried about getting the blood out though 😆

We are desperate to have the antibody test.

DD went to London to visit her girlfriend at the very end of January. They have lots of friends who are Chinese and had just come back from China after the Christmas uni break. On 8 February all of us came down with this bizarre illness, we've never had anything like it before. It hit us so suddenly - I was on the sofa reading and felt like I'd been punched, DH was standing in the kitchen making a sandwich and almost collapsed. We all went on to have fevers, a cough so bad it broke DD's rib, weird spiky feeling in our eyes, terrible aching shins, a sore throat but only on one side (felt like broken glass), earache, complete loss of smell and taste etc. DH was by far the worst affected and even went to the GP - in 19 years he's never done that for anything. GP asked if he'd been to China (he hadn't) and said 'It looks like coronavirus but don't worry, if you've not been to China it won't be'. He gave him antibiotics for a chest infection even though he thought his chest didn't sound congested, just 'crackly'. The antibiotics didn't work and DH could barely breathe, especially at night when he was lying down. He was off work for 2 weeks and his chest is still not back to normal.

So yes, we'd definitely have it done. It'd be a huge relief as I'm in the vulnerable group and to know I've had it and relatively mildly would be a huge weight off.

I’ve booked one with “same day doctor” in London

They get the results back to you in 24 hours

OP it definitely could have been, especially since our DH had travelled. Don't forget, even if cases were thought to be low in the US at that time, he travelled on a plane with people who could have been travelling from anywhere. Fingers crossed you get the answer you are looking for!

I work in the NHS and am hoping to get offered the test at some point. I have not had obvious symptoms but have been highly exposed to the virus so am curious. I don't think I have had it though so don't want to pay.

I'm a bit wary of some of the online sites. Treated.com is one of the ones mentioned in a BBC Watchdog report. "The CQC found both providers demonstrated significant safety and organisational risk to patients, with widespread failure to provide safe care."

www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-39134061

That was wrt. prescribing. Ive also heard warnings about dodgy online sites. I mean, you have to be 100% sure they are giving you your test results from a proper test don't you? Anyone can set up a website...

I'd pay for a local test if available though

Yes, every time I breathed in it was like bubbling in my lungs like when you see someone smoke from a water pipe and all the liquid swirls around.

shudder