Doing the test is vile so no wonder LFTs have such a high inaccuracy rate.

[worktrip]

Got handed a box of tests in town yesterday and have just attempted to do the test. I was gagging at the tonsil one and could no way get over 2cm into my nose let alone twist 10 times. I tried but seriously found it impossible/difficult.

Waiting the result (I feel fine) but really wondering does it get better or is there a trick to it?

I'll do it again in a few days as I was in close proximity to around 100 kids on a school trip (indoors) yesterday. Not looking forward to it. ☹️

@4PawsGood

Why would LFTs have a lower accuracy rate than PCRs? The method is identical.

I think it's to do with the analysis rather than the method

That’s my point. The low accuracy of LFTs is not because the administration of them is difficult.

@MotherOfGremlins

I'm glad you posted the advice about nostrils - I've been going about 2ft in

Yes I think that's one reason I found it so awful. I started sneezing after two twists, the swab flew out and I gave up!

I can do them without even an eye water or a cough these days. I'm doing LF tests 3x a week and a PCR monthly now also monthly anti body tests too - now they are something else and you need to get loads of blood out for the sample, really hoping that gets easier!!

Ah, now, I can do bleeding really easily!

So can I usually but it turns out extracting 5 mls yourself is quite an art!

@RuddyHellItsSoftCell the control line will appear when anything liquid is dropped on the test spot. It doesn't identify the difference between for example human cells and orange juice, it is only looking for the virus. It will show void if there is something found that could be the virus but may not be, and positive if it identified the virus, but otherwise any fluid will produce the control line. So that's no indicator of swabbing correctly.

I'm guessing you've never given birth then.

I wouldn't call them vile, no. A minor annoyance, but not vile.

I find it gets better the more it's done, at first I found it horrific. If you clench a fist when you do the throat one and put your thumb into the middle it helps with gag reflex when doing the throat; and for the nose it's just until you feel resistance, don't go too far in!

@DanielTigersMummy21

I'm guessing you've never given birth then.

I wouldn't call them vile, no. A minor annoyance, but not vile.

Do you give birth by shoving something up your nose?

For LFTs you only need nostril.

@MrsPelligrinoPetrichor

So can I usually but it turns out extracting 5 mls yourself is quite an art!

Mine was rather too enthusiastic and overflowed the teeny sample bottle in its cute little cardboard holder. Had to mop up all round it to reuse the box to post the test back.

I won't bother with the star jumps and warm water next time.

Omg

I also found the first 1 time awful, the next time slightly less awful, and the others totally do-able. And I’m a real pussy about this sort of thing.

Will definitely persevere, and yes I have given birth twice, and it was worse simply because it went on much longer. If I had to be poking swabs up my nose for 6 hours, I'd probably say that was worse

4PawsGood
Why would LFTs have a lower accuracy rate than PCRs? The method is identical.

The PCR extracts tiny tiny amounts of genetic material and then amplifies it up thousands upon thousands of times (like a photocopier) so you don’t need too much starting material.

The LFT measures free viral proteins in the sample and if they bind to what’s on the stick to produce the positive line. Nothing is being “photocopied”, it’s just what’s in there. So you need more starting material.

You could think of it as the difference between a police forensic team and a pregnancy test.

So your technique is poor in collecting the sample, it will have more of an effect on the LFT than the PCR.

Mine was rather too enthusiastic and overflowed the teeny sample bottle in its cute little cardboard holder. Had to mop up all round it to reuse the box to post the test back

Is that a finger prick one. Did one of those for something else. First time failed to get enough blood because it was stupid o’clock in the morning and the house was freezing because the heating hasn’t come on yet and I’d only half heartedly followed the other instructions. 2nd time second time I carefully followed them all. That was also a mistake. Blood everwhere.

Yes, finger prick one. It was like sticking a lancet into a water balloon.

It gets easier with practice. DH and DD don’t have strong gag reflex and can do throat no problem. DS and I cannot do throat so just do both nostrils rather than 1. It shouldn’t hurt though.