Negative test but feel unwell.

[TLIMSISNW]

For the last few days I’ve had a tight chest. It’s hard to explain but it feels like I need to put effort into breathing. Yesterday I went for test and it was negative. Today my chest is still very tight and the top of my chest/throat feels sore. It’s hard to describe.

Today DH has a pounding headache.

We don’t have coughs, fevers or a change in our taste or smells. Can I still go to work tomorrow?

I only got a test yesterday so it should be accurate shouldn’t it? This tight chest is such a strange feeling and quite uncomfortable, I think today is worse than yesterday but that could be anxiety maybe?

I don’t want to waste tests by getting tests again, I don’t want to be off work and leave my team short-staffed if I can be in but I don’t want to risk infecting anyone if somehow I do have it. Surely I can’t though as I was tested yesterday?

What should I do? Please be kind, I’m flustered and emotional and really struggling today. I just want to do the right thing a d also, what on earth is wrong with me if not COVID? I absolutely hate going to the go as I feel they’ll think I’m lying and I was only there last month about a separate issue so I feel I contact them again so soon. I’m being silly aren’t I?

*gp not go.

It’s could be a chest infection, or a cold, or it could be Covid. I would stay off if work if you’re still feeling ill, get another test in a couple of days if symptoms persist. You can get false negatives so I would say act as though you have it and isolate - your DH too.

Bugs other than covid are available.

Are you able to work safely?

It could be many different viruses. If you don’t feel well enough to work, don’t go.

This is exactly how I've been feeling for about a week. I've taken two covid tests, both negative

The advice is stay at home until better after a negative test, but that is for school.

I would not go to work until symptoms are gone as even if you have just a cold,the people who catch that will have to isolate until tested etc....

I much prefer when the children are clearly ill or well than the in-between may be it is maybe it isn't. Much worse now with Covid around.

If you have a negative test and you’re not to unwell to work, you can go back.

It really sounds like you might benefit from a phone appointment with your GP. It doesn’t matter that you were there recently-you’re unwell now.

Thank you all.

I feel well enough to work and I want to work but I don’t want to do the wrong thing ethically or risk infecting anyone although I can’t have it so there’s not a risk, or very little risk surely?

I have a history of anxiety and I think maybe it’s flaring up and making this seem more complicated than it is.

I'm recovering from my 3rd chest infection since September (I'm asthmatic so prone to them, although this year has been the worst in years). Other bugs are still about!

(Caveat: Not a doctor, so can't diagnose and can't tell you whether or not to go to work.)

But the first thing that sprang to mind reading your post was anxiety. I get these symptoms with anxiety, have done for years. The headache too.

You will just have another virus! There are still loads of them around, with similar symptoms to covid. However, I wouldn't go to work if I were you, as you want to make people unwell with anything even remotely resembling covid, do you?

I've never understood why people feel the need to drag themselves into work when they're not well anyway. It's not fair on other people who you're then going to make unwell.

What kind of test did you have?
A PCR test administered by a health professional?
A self-administered test at home?
A lateral flow test?

The rapid lateral flow tests throw up a LOT of false negatives.
Self-administered tests can also be inaccurate because often people don't insert the swab far enough up their nose to be effective.

If you're unsure I'd get another test. It could be a false negative or it could be simply that you have another virus.