PCR test booked but can't cope with things down the back of my throat

[chocolateisavegetable]

Work have insisted that I have a PCR, but for reasons I don't want to go into, I can't cope with things being forced down the back of my throat. Has anyone been in the same situation - will the testing centre accept me doing both nostrils instead?

It's not really down your throat, it's a tickle of the tonsils.

Just do your nose

I'm the same and just did nostrils for LFT. When I had to do a PCR it was in the privacy of my own home. I was iust going to do nostrils but tried my throat a bit. It wasnt so bad doing it to myself. I couldnt have had someone do it to me. It wasnt much of a go but it must have been enough because it came back as a valid test.

At the centre I went to recently they have you the swabs and you did it yourself. So it isn’t like having something forced down your throat. If you can’t manage it, just do the nostrils.

Gave, silly autocorrect

Can you not get the one you do for yourself??
I’ve only ever done postal ones- do they always do it all for you??

I have a problem with that too and was very worried about doing one. It really doesn't go down your throat; I found it easier than I do brushing my teeth in that respect (causes flash backs sometimes).

I tried a LF one at home to practice (the swabs are the same) on my own to see how I'd react first. Maybe try the same? It was reassuring to know I wouldn't freak out in a public place and made everything easier.

Oh! Definitely do it yourself though! I didn't realise some did it for you. That would be fucking awful.

I doubt they'd notice or care if you just did nostrils though. It's the advice for children, so I don't see why it wouldn't work with adults.

On my last one, the natures asked me to tilt may head back while she swabbed the tonsils. Made a massive difference, I didn’t gag at all. (Previously I have coughed on the nurse’s face and made myself sick while doing it myself )

I had a PCR done and they were happy to just do my nose.

The natures? The nurse! Nature doesn’t talk to me (at least not yet)

Just do the nose, if it works for kids no reason it shouldn’t work for adults

I've done about 6 pcr tests now at 2 different centres and it's always been that you do it yourself. No one stands and watches.

After the first time of attempting to swab my children's throats I asked if I could just do the nose. They were quite funny with me. The next time I went I did not ask, I just did the nostrils. No one ever knew and my children were not traumatised.

If you are not going to do the throat then you do 10 turns round each nostril.

I can't do my nose as I have a deviated septum and need anaesthesia to get anything up there, so I hope I can just do my tonsils when the time comes.

Thank you all so much.

When I went for a PCR test, the lady said you can just do nostrils. So I did.

Our local centres insist you do it yourself?

Nostrils are fine if throat can't be done.. kids can just do the nostrils and so can adults if necessary! I can barely open my mouth wide enough due to tmj disorder which is worse lately. So I have no choice but to do nose only. If I attempt my tonsils, I can't do it without touching stuff in my mouth so better just to do nostrils.

Update for any others who might be worried about the same thing - they gave me the test kit and left me to it, so I did both nostrils. I don't know if it makes a difference, but I went to a drive-through centre, whereas a friend who went to the walk-in centre said a member of staff watched her like a hawk while she was doing it.

Glad it went ok OP. I prefer the drive through ones so I can take my time.