Lateral flow test - false positive?

[DuckyMcDuck]

I had a very weak positive line on a lateral flow test today but I don't have a fever, cough or loss of taste/smell. I do, however, have a runny nose and am sneezing ie cold symptoms.

I've been for a pcr test and am awaiting the results and I'm self-isolating in the meantime but wondered (hoping) if false positives are common and could be affected by having a cold?

Any cold/virus symptoms could be covid:snotty nose, diarrhoea, rash, earache, tummy upset, headache etc (I desperately wish everyone knew/accepted this and that we offered test for all possible symptoms)
Lateral flow rarely false positive (but lots of false negative)
Lateral flow positive plus runny nose = positive ( I would be really dubious of a negative pcr and still advise you to isolate)
DOI covid ward doctor

A parent and child in DCs school both had false positives.

Friend of mine had a positive LF, followed by a negative LF an hour later.
They got a PCR done to check and the results came back 48 hours later as negative.

I really don’t think he had the virus.

Well my pcr came back positive so now we know!

Stay well everyone

OP. Thanks for letting us know, as this thread will be interesting to many who are taking LFT. Hope you're ok.

Thanks.
Just wanted to add, I'm nowhere near the North West.

@DuckyMcDuck

Well my pcr came back positive so now we know!

Stay well everyone

Thanks for updating us. I hope you continue to have only mild symptoms and make a speedy recovery.

What I've been told regarding LFT is that it picks up any infection you might have,you need a pcr test to confirm covid if that's negative then it's a different infection.

At my husband's work one employee had a laterial flow test positive but he tested with a PCR and was negative. Then they had four people in the same office test negative on a lateral flow...unfort one developed symptoms and then all four tested postive with a PCR. I think his work is not going to use the tests anymore as they are not confident they work very well.

My 16 DS had Covid 12 days ago. I was due to go back to work yesterday (I’m a TA) so did my LFT yesterday morning and it came back positive. I’ve had no symptoms up until now.

I’ve done a home test (we have loads of snow here so can’t get to a drive through one) but I’ve assumed it will be positive.

Is anybody else testing consistently positive on lateral flow but negative on confirmative pcr? I have to lateral flow twice a week for work and they have been positive for the past 2 weeks (4 tests in total) but each pcr coming back negative. I’m getting so fed up with constant testing and worrying plus work getting fed up with on/off isolation waiting for pcr results. I can’t be the only one!

MissShcem yes!! This is happening to my son. He had two positive LF tests in March followed by a negative PCR. Then two LF tests in May followed a negative PCR again. He’s never had any symptoms or any reason to believe he’s had COVID, yet he’s never had a negative LF test, it’s so strange. No doctor seems to have an explanation for it. Not sure how this is going to work when we go away next week.

Yes MissSchem and Tina3000!

Over the past 19 days I have had three positive lateral flow tests each followed by a negative PCR test. Did you get any answers as to what was going on?!

It's an absolute pain & worrying each time because I usually only take a lateral flow test the morning I am due to go and see my elderly, frail parents so each time I have had to stop everything, book a test and self isolate until the negative PCR came back. My secondary school age child does a lateral flow test religiously twice a week and has always tested negative.

My instinct is to simply stop using the LFTs for now, but then how to I ensure I am safe to visit my parents?