Reinfected

[Flippetyflipok]

I've just had a positive test. I was ill last April, and had ongoing long covid. Ironically only chatted to GP this week who said that no one has any idea re recovery.

Has anyone else had it twice? I'm hoping second time not so debilitating - I didn't have to go to hospital or anything but felt like crap for weeks.

[quote Flippetyflipok]@LawnFever don't be a twat. Antibody testing wasn't available except to those who donated plasma. My DH donated, so he was tested. I couldn't donate (they didn't want me) because of long covid - you had to have a month clear of symptoms.

I spoke to my GP on Tues just after my test and he said I'd done exactly the right thing and, as I posted earlier, said reinfection is a real possibility.[/quote]
Antibody testing was available In May very widely at a price of under £100.

If you have long covid you may never have got the virus out of your system in the first place, and this is a flare up rather than a reinfection.

Or you may have had another virus and have post viral syndrome.

@IceIceBebe

IF OP's GP says she has been reinfected, the keyboard scientists on here should probably not be saying otherwise.

There are actually MNers who are scientists.

I imagine it’s like flu in that you can keep getting it year after year? I thought that was pretty much a surety but no one wants to voice it because it isn’t a nice thought....

Siren is a massive national project monitoring infection and reinfection of healthcare staff by the way...

There are actually MNers who are scientists

I know, I'm one of them, which is why I know that her GP is best placed to answer the question, and not randomers online who haven't met her or know her history.
I imagine the actual scientists here would agree

I've read that it is not as bad the second time.

@MutantNinjaCovid
It wasn't freely available as part of NHS treatment.

My friend had an antibody test back in May/June time and was positive for antibodies, and she had tested posture for covid over Christmas . She was originally ill back in late February and thinks that’s when it was the first time round ( all classic covid symptoms). This time round she wasn’t as ill.
As it was nearly a year since the last time so not surprised she got it again - immunity etc and glad she wasn’t as ill as she was last year!
Her husband also had a anyibody test negative but did catch Covid (positive) from her this time!!

Current thinking is it's rare but possible to have it twice. I question if you actually got better though.

My cousin is in exactly the same position than you.

Covid diagnosed by GP from symptoms and then with a test in November. Apparently it’s getting less and less unusual

Oh gosh poor you OP. This is my worst fear. I'm still struggling with long covid since March.
Are you on the Body Politic Slack group for long haulers? Lots on there about reinfection. The majority of those who have experienced it seem to have been less ill the second time. Hopefully you'll be the same and will recover quickly.

I tested positive for antibodies in the summer but am anxious that they may not last long.

Hope the fact that you have had it before means it won’t be as bad this time x

@annevonkleve do you know of any studies on covid flare ups? Just wondering how we might disambiguate between reinfection and a flare-up.

It could be more common than we are aware for people to get it twice but be asymptomatic one of the times I guess. I don't think there are many sure cases of reinfection but I did read of a guy in the US who had it mildly the first time but had to be hospitalised the second time, they were just a few months apart.

You should change the title and your first post to "may" have been reinfected for all the reasons that have been set out and I'm not a twat for stating this.

@hollieberrie ah thanks, I forgot about Body Politic slack, that's a great suggestion.

Hope you are doing OK with long covid. Has your GP helped? Mine actually said "how long's a piece of string" about how long it might take to recover!

@IseeIsee should we get everyone who posted about being infected prior to mass testing being available to do the same?

I know someone who had it twice. No test first time but what's the chances of someone happening to be bed ridden with severe respiratory difficulties, a cough and fever in April with no underlying health problems and had been in contact with someone who had tested positive and it not be covid ...? Symptoms lasted weeks after. Recently got it again but luckily symptoms arent anywhere near as severe.

@Tal45, I agree with you.

When my cousin got tested the second time, it was only because his dwife had symptoms. He says he wouldn’t have got tested if it had been based on his symptoms. No cough, temperature etc... just feeling more tired and run down.
Their dd also tested positive but was asymptomatic

I bet its possible. But the second time you should stimulate a quick immune response and hopefully not feel as ill.

If you did not have a test in April you can’t assume you have been reinfected. There were plenty of other viruses around at that time

I'm sure I read somewhere (but don't even remember if an entirely reputable source!) that it's thought that the new strain came from someone who harboured the infection for a long period and it mutated within them? Think immunocompromise was mentioned?

That study sounds interesting biker and sounds like it'll be very useful data to have.

I’m another one who is almost certain I had it previously, for us it was March. All of us had coughs and high temps but there was no testing then. The temperatures went fairly quickly but the coughs came and went, and DH had strange right feeling in his chest for ages after.

A few weeks after the coughs, DH had one weirdly swollen red toe, which looks exactly like ‘Covid toe’ that I’ve read about (Google it if you’ve not seen it, it’s a very odd symptom!)

*tight feeling, that should say