Can I go to the doctors for a cough ?

[Charley198]

I have a cough and a really tight chest, I have had it since Monday. I've done 2 negative LFTs and have no other covid symptoms. I'm going away on Monday and my nephew is currently on day 8 of isolation because a pcr test carried out on his classmate last week has still not been processed (Yr 6 so missed his last week at school based on this childs positive LFT, such a shame).
I'm worried if I go for a pcr I'll be isolating till I get results which I'm pretty certain will be negative, and I have so much to do before my hols.
Equally I don't want to not be seen as I do feel that I have a chest infection coming.
Would I get to see a Dr for this or would they enforce a negative pcr beforehand?
And am I being unreasonable by not going for a pcr?
Never sure when LFT is acceptable.

Yes. With a new cough you need a PCR.

Why on earth haven’t you done a pcr test with a new cough?

Honestly. It’s a over a year into the pandemic and people are still clueless.

Symptoms need a PCR, lateral flow tests are for use when you don’t have symptoms.

Also, LFT’s can be unreliable, my son has tested positive on a PCR but never had a positive LFT, even when taken on the same day. I understand your stressed about going on holiday, but surely spreading Covid by not isolating should be more of a concern.

Ffs. You should be isolating now rather than going out and about potentially exposing people to covid while you’re getting ready to go on holiday.

You are bonkers to expect your doctor to see you for a new cough with no pcr test. That’s the first thing they’ll tell you to do.

@PurpleDaisies out of curiosity how come LFTs are good for some scenarios and not for others? Eg. Can use it to go and sit in a football stadium with thousands of others, surely they're either a reliable form of a test or they're not?
Sorry for being clueless on this one.

LFT only work when no symptoms. Not sure how well they work even then. (The FDA in America has described them as being useless.)

I'm sorry you're unwell OP. You do need to test PCR, but why not also call your GP to see if you can have a telephone appointment.

Hope you feel better soon

LFT - no symptoms
PCR - symptoms

You have symptoms.

You have a cough.

Do not go to the doctors with a cough.

PCR test needed.

[quote Charley198]@PurpleDaisies out of curiosity how come LFTs are good for some scenarios and not for others? Eg. Can use it to go and sit in a football stadium with thousands of others, surely they're either a reliable form of a test or they're not?
Sorry for being clueless on this one.[/quote]
Do you live in the U.K.?

Have you been living under a rock?

If you have covid symptoms, you book a PCR test and your household isolates with you until you get a negative result.

LFT only work when no symptoms.

This is wrong. They will detect positive cases. They miss too many to be used to rule out covid if you have symptoms.

LFT only work when no symptoms.

Absolutely not true. I know loads of people who've had covid - many of them have had negative LFTs before their symptoms appeared, and then had positive LFT results when they've developed symptoms.

LFTs have about a 60% success rate I think.

So if you have a workplace for example, with a large number of symptomless employees, and get them all to do a test, you could get approx 60% of the positive symptomless people who won't attend as they had a positive LFT. It reduces the spread.

However, if you have symptoms and have covid, there's. 40% chance it won't be picked up on a LFT. You could go round spreading it. Hence the requirement to isolate and do a PCR test.

If you have a new cough since Monday, you really should've been isolating since Monday and down a PCR test on Monday!

My GP saw my kids with cough as soon as their negative PCR was through.

@PurpleDaisies

LFT only work when no symptoms.

This is wrong. They will detect positive cases. They miss too many to be used to rule out covid if you have symptoms.

Sorry, I meant they don't work for infection control purposes, when someone has symptoms. They're too unreliable.

It has been well over a year of this now, FFS don't go to the doctors with covid symptoms and not having taken a PCR.

Lateral flows are not highly reliable, they are useful ONLY for trying to detect general community transmission. I.e. if everyone in the general public who doesn't think they have covid does them, then they will locate new cases.

PCRs are highly accurate, they are used to give a certain yes/no when it seems likely you have covid. You have covid symptoms, you need to be isolating until you have a negative PCR!!!!!!

Your whole house should be isolating until you have a negative PCR test

You have covid symptoms

Holiday or no holiday

The dr wont see you, but if you get a telephone appointment, he may prescribe antibiotics to be collected by someone you dont live with and left on your doorstep

I'm worried if I go for a pcr I'll be isolating till I get results which I'm pretty certain will be negative, and I have so much to do before my hols.

You do know you should be isolating now? Going for a PCR test doesn’t start your isolation period. It frees you from having to continue for ten days from when your covid symptoms started.

You need a PCR and it's pretty unbelievable you don't know that. Do not go to the gp and risk others because you don't want to isolate!!

I honestly wouldn’t, unless you are coughing up blood or anything else. What are you hoping for/what do you think it is?
You’d need to be coughing at least three weeks, before a G.P would send you for other tests like X-rays etc. At least that’s my experience,( years before covid). They found a slight heart defect.
If you think it’s covid then get a test.

GP will ask you to take a PCR then they will begin other investigations

Im sure the fact that you’re going on holiday @Charley198 is clouding your judgement. Don’t be selfish- get a pcr test. Isolate until then.

I'm worried if I go for a pcr I'll be isolating till I get results which I'm pretty certain will be negative, and I have so much to do before my hols.

You have had symptoms since Monday and therefore should be isolating for 10 days from then. The only way to get out of that is a negative PCR. You isolate because you have symptoms, not because you’ve taken a PCR test!

If you had done the PCR earlier in the week you would have had the results by now. Your nephew’s school friend’s situation is very rare. I know it varies but even if you did the PCR today you’d likely have results tomorrow or Sunday. If you’ve had symptoms since Monday the chances of you not having had your results back by now would have been very small. Just do the test today.

Wanttocry is absolutely right. You should already be isolating. It's to stop covid, which you may already have test or no test.

If you can get to a walk in or drive through place that will be quicker than a postal one as you won't have to wait for test to arrive.

Well if you'd done a PCR test on Monday when you got a cough you'd have the results by now.
Either test or don't, you know you should and your excuse about a holiday is not an excuse and is frankly boring.
Stop creating threads on Mumsnet and spend your time on the gov website booking a test.