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?

Yes, definitely, that's what I mean, was so surprised by that attitude it came out wonky!

I think asthma UK would have a different opinion on what your Gp has said.

The thing is that my asthma was kick started by a particularly bad virus, obviously not this one, and worsened with others there after. So it makes no sense to me to react differently here.

But it depends what you're on. The long acting bronchial dilators can be helpful and I know there's a plan where Fostair 100/6 can be used up to 8 (?) times a day so that's you're getting more of the 6 but the same of the steroid as if you're on the 200/6.

If any of that makes sense!

Asthma U.K. might be a good call to see if there's flexible approaches that might help.

Good call on asthma U.K. I know what you mean. I can’t imagine my GP or asthma nurse making that decision tbh.

And asthma U.K. so far have been clear about control being more important than the fact that any meds you are taking might put you in a higher risk group.

I had something similar sounding at the start of winter and it was very much a case of increase the number of puffs of the Seretide and have a couple of courses of Pred.

If your asthma isn’t well controlled I’d have thought shielding would be the current advice anyway.

My sister had a positive covid test months ago, recently had an antibody test that came back negative. She was chatting with the other doctors who she works with about it (casually) and they have a theory that some people's bodies have been strong enough to 'bat the virus away' before having to produce enough traceable antibodies to fight it. She did explain it in actual medical terms that I can't remember, but it makes sense. Her symptoms were extremely mild when she had it too, she essentially had a bit of a cold. Of course that is just a theory.

You won't have live virus in your system since March that explains why your asthma is now worse than it used to be.

Apparently the antibodies last for 2 months

The antibody tests are largely a case of something that was developed too soon in an unknown situation. An assumption was made that antibody testing would be reliable, in a way that it is for many other viruses. But as the antibody testing was developed and rolled out, investigating scientists were already discovering new information that means that antibody testing is not a reliable tool for finding all past infections. It will find some, but for people who had a milder case the antibody either recedes really quickly or never develops at all because the T-Cell response is enough to eradicate the virus. Eventually enough will be known to develop a proper diagnostic test for past cases but it may not be soon.

The good news is though, that the early indicators are that the Memory Cell B and T-Cells CD4( & often 8) retain changes that make mid-long-term immunity very likely.

Medschoolrat there could still be post-viral inflammation that is exacerbating the asthma.

www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/health-53248660

This story was on the news the other day. I think it needs verifying with more studies but it is really interesting. This study found that for every 1 person who had antibodies, 2 more tested negative for antibodies but had covid specific t cells, so had had the virus but fought it off with t cells. It could potentially explain why even confirmed cases get negative antibody tests?

(Am I wrong to?) suspect that most effective post-virus inflammation treatments have had to be developed without knowing what the specific virus was.

fwiw, I have a data set of people who tested positive for covid antigens (which I understand are prone to false negatives but not false positives) and whether they tested neg/positive in later antibody tests. About 20% test negative in this dataset, even like 6 weeks later. May not be reliable, I'm still checking data quality. I suspect the reliability could even come down to which brand of antibody test they used. No good learning the reliability statistic today because there will be better tests in near future.

Hmm all very interesting, especially to read how others have had similar experiences with newly exacerbated asthma, I’m really sorry others are struggling. I think a call to asthma uk is a good idea I shall do that, thank you.

My preventative is a combined, I was taking fostair 1 puff a day which suddenly stopped being effective when I increased it to 2 twice a day so I was switched onto AirFluSal 25/125 which I think is seretide? I take 4 puffs in total a day, 2 morning and night and was told this is as high as I can go on this dose as it wouldn’t be any more effective if increased. I was offered montelukast which I’ve had previously for exercise induced but it doesn’t really agree with me, I get heart palpitations and feel too jittery on it so I declined to take daily.

All your responses have confirmed what I suspected and I’m quite shocked that so many have had positive antigen and negative antibody. My knowledge didn’t extend to the T cell response issue and it’s something I will bring up with the GP when I talk to her as it makes the most sense.

It’s quite frustrating, I wish more research was be done before rolling out tests that are widely available and considered adequate by GP’s. Thank you so much all for taking the time to comment, its much appreciated.

Yes my story is virtually identical. Usually very well controlled asthma. I’ve only needed steroids once before over a year ago.

I got ill with ?Covid symptoms Mid March but recent antibody test was “undetected”. Since then I’ve had to have 4 courses of steroids, added on Montelukast, switched to Fostair, increased the Fostair, I’m still having asthma attacks and I’m not stable enough to work. It’s still very unpredictable too, they come on out of nowhere. I’ve had as much as the GP can offer so they’re doing a respiratory referral. I’ve never been like this before, it’s horrible. I’m hoping the respiratory docs will have some kind of solution. I would ask for a referral if I were you.