I’m sure I’ve got Covid

[DefinitelyNotAHastyNameChange]

But according to LatFlow tests and PCR tests I don’t. I’m not certain I’m doing them properly though - I don’t have tonsils so it’s very difficult to swab the back of my throat and my nose is so blocked that I’m just getting snot on it.

I’ve been feeling like death for about 6 days now - feverish, constant cough, sore throat, loss of taste and smell, my tongue has gone furry and I have ulcers in and around my mouth, headache and loss of appetite. I’m double vacc’d but only had my second one 2 weeks ago.

But the tests are fine. I’ve still been taking dc to school on the days when I haven’t been waiting for tests results and they’re due back at school tomorrow. I have no one else to look after dc and as I’m feeling so rough and tests have been negative sending them to school has been a blessing. It’s been a bloody slog of a weekend, I’ve taken them out but tried to stay away from other people and not gone to busy places.

WWYD? Should I try and find somewhere that will do the PCR test for me? I’m convinced it’s coming back negative as I’m not swabbing it properly. I never get ill and I have pretty much every symptom so it seems pretty unlikely that I don’t have it.

Sounds like hand foot and mouth with the ulcers.
Have the kids had d&v?

When we had suspected covid i had
No runny nose completely dry which was very unusual
Chills overnight (exactly the same as after 1st vax)
Sore throat
Slight cough
Weak achy painful legs
Tiredness
Then pain above left ribs
Trouble breathing

Dp had
Sore throat
Slight cough but worse than kine
Headache
He was better in a few days

The kids had
Sore throat
Cough

It could be as you say different symptoms as youve been vaxxed.

@HSHorror

Sounds like hand foot and mouth with the ulcers. Have the kids had d&v?

When we had suspected covid i had
No runny nose completely dry which was very unusual
Chills overnight (exactly the same as after 1st vax)
Sore throat
Slight cough
Weak achy painful legs
Tiredness
Then pain above left ribs
Trouble breathing

Dp had
Sore throat
Slight cough but worse than kine
Headache
He was better in a few days

The kids had
Sore throat
Cough

It could be as you say different symptoms as youve been vaxxed.

Apparently the symptoms for the Delta Variant are different

Headache
Runny Nose
Sore Throat

Not neccesarily a fever, cough or loss of taste so its hard to say to be honest

The kids have been absolutely fine, not been ill at all. I hope it’s Hand, Foot and Mouth or anything really, other than Covid. I’d feel awful if it turns out o actually have it and I’ve still been allowing dc to go to school.

Wait, you say you're pretty certain you have COVID, and you feel 'like death', and you've still been taking your DC out?? Why???

Bless you op, things sound so tough for you atm! I hope you're ok ♥️
I'm no doctor, but surely if it was Covid and with you being so poorly your nose would be swimming with germs so that test result would be positive. I personally would get myself to the doctors because there's probably something else going on and you might need other swabs with them blisters etc! Just remember other illnesses were here before Covid.
Either way, your tests are negative, what more can you do. You can isolate if you want but you don't have to so you don't have to punish yourself by making life so difficult ♥️

andbreeeathe because the latflo tests that I’ve been doing daily and the 2 PCR tests that I’ve had have been negative

Thanks november90. I’ve been trying to get a GP appointment but as I’ve got Covid symptoms they’ve wanted me to do a PCR test first. I’ve done that now so hopefully they’ll see me today.

If you've had two negative PCR tests I highly doubt it's Covid. I haf Covid at the end of last year, I also wasn't sure I was doing the test very well - but it did come back positive.

I think the PCR tests come back inconclusive if you haven’t done them correctly

Two negative PCR tests means you don't have Covid. There ARE other respiratory viruses out there, some of which are very similar to Covid. Just because Covid is rife at the moment doesn't mean that that's what you've got OP.

That’s reassuring, thanks. I think we’ve just had the Covid symptoms drummed into so much over the last 18 months that I’ve got a bit obsessed with it

It sounds like you have a nasty virus whatever it is so avoiding other people seems entirely sensible in any case.

You have negative tests therefore you are negative.

Pcr are i think only 80% accurate so 20% will be told they are negative incorrectly....
It may ormay not be op.
It probably means that 1 person who was told neg at my school was not.

The professional push so hard up your nose it really hurts.

hshorror that’s what I’m worried about. When I had LCR tests done before I went on holiday last month they went right to the back of my throat - I wasn’t expecting it so it was ok but whenever I try and do it myself I know it’s coming and just gag. Equally when they did my nasal swab the nurse was pretty much elbow deep up my nose and I had to really blow my nose before I did it. My nose is completely bunged at the moment though so I hit snot before I hit the end of my nose.

@andbreeeathe

Wait, you say you're pretty certain you have COVID, and you feel 'like death', and you've still been taking your DC out?? Why???

Because she's tested negative! Many things make you feel terrible and share symptoms with Covid. I think people are forgetting there are other viruses out there.

@DefinitelyNotAHastyNameChange

hshorror that’s what I’m worried about. When I had LCR tests done before I went on holiday last month they went right to the back of my throat - I wasn’t expecting it so it was ok but whenever I try and do it myself I know it’s coming and just gag. Equally when they did my nasal swab the nurse was pretty much elbow deep up my nose and I had to really blow my nose before I did it. My nose is completely bunged at the moment though so I hit snot before I hit the end of my nose.

I don't think they need to be very thorough tbh.

I did my kids by briefly putting the swab up their noses (they refused to have it in their mouths) and they still came back positive.

If you've had two negative PCR then I'd go with that. You probably have a different virus.

PCR have a false negative rate of about 30%. I've also had a negative PCR but I've got all the top double vaccinated symptoms plus some loss of taste (I can taste sweet, salty etc but I can barely taste anything else) so I'm treating it as covid.

I had very mild covid & I doubt I ever do it far enough up my nose, I just automatically sneeze the minute the stick goes a small way up my nose 🤷🏼‍♀️😂 And I always end up touching my tongue & teeth.

My test came back positive, despite my dodgy test taking.

Please don’t listen & automatically believe the vast range of how accurate the PCR tests are, people pop up going it’s a 10-40% false negative rate 🙄 Right, OK. Can I see some actual, reviewed data on that please!

False positive PCRs are actually very low - UK studies show around 5% which is often because people test too early!

If you've got symptoms abs two negative PCRs it is not Covid.

Sorry wrong attachment

My dc both tested positive with just nasal swabs and ds barely tolerated having it up there.

There are all sorts of viruses back circulating, including the much missed norovirus. Hurrah(!) Half of DS's class have had a horrible cough/cold/sinus thing in the last 10 days and not a single child or parent has swabbed positively.

I've had three Covid-y but not Covid illnesses this year, courtesy of my son who goes to nursery. There are plenty of other illnesses out there! Great that you've tested, but it's highly unlikely to be Covid with a negative PCR.

This paper suggests false negatives can be as high as 50% and at least 10%.

journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0251661

DefinitelyNotAHastyNameChange My DP had Covid in March 2020 which then developed into Long Covid. He has intermittent good periods which last a few days/a week and then the fatigue hits again. But almost two weeks ago he got all the original Covid symptoms back and he has taken two PCR tests both of which came back negative. I have got doubts as to how effective these test results are as we definitely think DP has got Covid (again) after two Pfizer jabs.