GP antibody test negative (but was convinced I had virus in March and asthma is still so much worse).

[YouAreTheEggManIAmTheWalrus]

I had an antibody test at my GP surgery on Thursday as I’m having a few health issues after a particularly bad virus in March. I had all of the Covid19 symptoms, which as an asthmatic were particularly focussed around my lungs and I was in a pretty bad way for many weeks on end. The GP at the time said it was suspected c19 and I was 99.99% certain that it was. (If it wasn’t then there was something identical circulating at the same time).

3 months on and I’m still needing 4 times my previous dose of asthma preventer daily and that’s not cutting it, which has never happened with any other chest infection and I’ve had many over the years. None like the one I had in March though and I was pretty certain I’d get a positive result. However I received a text message yesterday to say the test was negative; “this means you have not had coronavirus and should continue to follow current guidelines around hand washing, social distancing etc”. (Which I would have done regardless).

So my question is, has anyone else had a similar experience? I personally know of another who had exactly the same symptoms at the same time as me, same lingering issues with arthritic type joint pain and hugely increased need for asthma meds when everything was well controlled before, yet had a negative antibody test baffling the doctor. Also the nurse who took my blood said that a friend of hers was seriously ill in intensive care with the virus but it took 7 antibody tests to get a positive, the previous 6 were negative. (Unsure as to the reliability of this story however coming from a nurse in a surgery I’d expect it not to be fabrication).

It wouldn’t have made a difference to my behaviour if I’d received a positive result and I wouldn’t just assume I’m immune. I suppose I just wanted confirmation thats what it was and that’s what is causing my ongoing lung issues, as frankly its quite scary to be trucking along on one puff a day of preventer and no reliever for 35 years and now needing 4 puffs plus the blue through the day. I just want to know why, as it now remains a mystery.

Does anyone know the stats on false negatives? Any anecdotal evidence?

No idea on stats but my friend who is a gp said as well as covid there have been other nasty viruses going around that people have assumed us covid. You may have had that?

Yes it’s always a possibility. The thing that made me think it was Covid19 was the dry cough. Every chest infection I’ve ever had has been similar and very phlegmy however this felt so dry- dry lungs/cough/throat/mouth and unlike anything I’ve experienced before.

A good friend nearly died in intensive care in March, all the COVID symptoms but both tests he had came back negative. His wife was fairly ill too with COVID symptoms. The doctors told him they were in no doubt the whole family had had it. The explanation seemed to be that COVID caused pneumonia which is what made him v v ill but by the time the pneumonia got really bad and he was hospitalised and tested his body had actually fought off the COVID itself.

My understanding is that the tests he had were not for antibodies but for the live virus in his system which are meant to be v accurate (so it’s weird he tested negative). I also thought the antibody tests are less accurate but no doubt your gp would have advised.

You might have not developed antibodies because you used T-cells to fight the infection. There's growing evidence that younger people with long-tail COVID symptoms are more likely to have fought off the initial infection with T-cells, then their immune system went overboard with a cytokine storm, continuing to work at high alert despite the virus being gone from the body.

Yes, you may not have produced antibodies. You could try and do another test.

20-60% of people who have had covid do not generate enough lasting IgG to get a positive antibody test.

You can more or less trust positive swab and antibody tests as the tests are very specific.

You can’t trust negative tests as both sorts of test lack sensitivity, I.e. they miss a lot of positive cases.

I believe that it's possible to show negative for antibodies because your body didn't produce enough to show up, not because you didn't actually have coronavirus.

My partner is a nurse. Two colleagues on her ward who tested positive for COVID-19 back in March both recently had negative anti body tests.

It’s all very unknown at the moment I think.

Assume you have not had it in terms of protecting yourself from infection. Hope you feel better soon.

This thread has lots of evidence/discussion/experiences:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/coronavirus/3918865-Antibody-testing-thread-2

Obviously no one should assume they are immune, even with a positive antibody test. There’s currently no evidence to suggest anyone develops any long-term immunity.

Sorry to hear you are struggling.

Have you seen the asthma nurse? It might be that you need a change in medication to a different inhaler.

25% of the staff at our hospital who had a positive swab test have gone on to have a negative antibody test. It’s unclear if the test is crap or lots don’t keep the antibodies, but any which way you could well have had covid in March

Thank you all, very interesting to hear especially the T cell response and ongoing cytokine issue, that really makes sense. Very strange to test positive for the antigen but negative for antibodies, it almost seems a pointless exercise testing people when there are still so many unknowns.

@NeurotrashWarrior I’ve seen the asthma nurse twice and she’s as puzzled as I am. She re referred me back to the GP who requested the antibody test and I’m going back next week as I do need to discuss medication. Both the nurse and GP said they don’t want to put me on a stronger preventative as that puts me into immunosuppressive and “shielded” territory with not much further room for increasing it down the line. But it’s not nice constantly feeling breathless, I guess they’re hoping it will settle back down in time maybe?

Thank you for the link @Egghead68 I’ll have a read through that after work.

A few years ago I was hospitalized with a corona virus, not covid Sars, and that started with a dry cough and temp but it wasn't a new virus I just unlucky. There are loads of horrid viruses out there.

Does your preventer inhaler contain just steroid or does it include another drug too? If your inhaler is steroid only, I would definitely push to changed to one with a long acting reliever in too. That's not an immunosuppressive drug but probably would technically put you in the shielding category. (Are you taking four in the morning and four at night or four total in the day?)

I also got a lot of improvement in my asthma symptoms by changing steroids.

I have been the same, had 2 chest infections and cannot seem to shake it off. Finished last course of steroids and antibiotics 2 weeks ago and feel.juatbaa bad again now. No Covid symptoms though

I'm very similar although not had the result of my antibody test yet. Was v unwell at beginning of March, in bed for nearly a month, off work for 2, was extremely breathless and still have chest pain and breathlessness now although is improving. Am using double the amount of symbicort than usual, have had 3 courses of steroids and am now also on montelukast. Have never needed any additional treatment for my asthma in 10 years. I know people who had covid symptoms swabbed positive and have since had a negative antibody test (work in nhs) so I am thinking they are telling us very little right now.

A friend of mine tested positive for covid and was in hospital with it, but has since had a negative antibody test

@Egghead68

20-60% of people who have had covid do not generate enough lasting IgG to get a positive antibody test.

You can more or less trust positive swab and antibody tests as the tests are very specific.

You can’t trust negative tests as both sorts of test lack sensitivity, I.e. they miss a lot of positive cases.

This. The same is true of the swab tests for current infection. A positive test is almost always correct, but about 3/10 of negative tests are wrong.

Surely if you need the medication you need the medication?!

You're potentially more at risk of lung damage from any virus or bug if your breathing isn't great at the mo?

Or actually catching corona if it wasn't that?

I'm exactly the same as you after flu/covid/virus/who knows what at the begining of march.

My dr has stepped me up on to a fostair 200 4 puffs a day, but I haven't had oral steroids this year so it doesn't push me in to the sheilding group. It seems better than it was but not better, dr said if that happens he will step me up again.

Before this my asthma had been controled for a long time.

I had a negative antibody test after COVID and a friend did too, although her DH was positive. I'm not sure how accurate they are.

Similar here. I had an antibody test as part of a university study/trial. I was very ill in March with all covid symptoms - lasted for at least a month. However, my test last week came back negative. Disappointing! I think the information you were given stating that therefore you hadn’t had it was wrong though. The accompanying information with mine was quite clear that the tests aren’t definitive either way.

@NeurotrashWarrior

Surely if you need the medication you need the medication?!

You're potentially more at risk of lung damage from any virus or bug if your breathing isn't great at the mo?

Or actually catching corona if it wasn't that?

Or having a serious/fatal asthma attack if your asthma isn’t controlled.