Had anyone continued to do LFT during a 10 day isolating for positive PCR?

[Tigerwhocameforsupper]

I’m on isolation day 7 and have done a LfT every day since my positive one last Monday.

Monday was very faint, got darker on Tuesday, very dark by Thursday. Then started getting fainter until today, day 7, when I’m now testing negative.

Has anyone else followed a similar pattern?

Reading these with interest - my 12 year old needs a negative LFT on day 13 prior to travel so the anecdotal evidence of them coming up negative (which is in contrast to the advice to not take them for 30 days post Covid, which is in contrast to the requirement to take one if aged 12-15 and travelling because there is no ‘recovery certificate’ available to that age group..) is reassuring!

So I tested last Monday for work purposes on a LFT I got the faintest positive... that faint that no one else could see it haha! By Wednesday it had got darker but still faint! I did aPCR which was negative.. still tested positive up until today which has now barely visible again.. waiting on another PCR that I did yesterday.. what are peoples thoughts on this? I've probably done about 10 positive LFTs... not symptoms other than slight stomach cramps mid week.. slight nausea and slight fatigue? Strange how this has happened, I'm trying to think of anything else can cause these positives??? Help

@mamatrow

So I tested last Monday for work purposes on a LFT I got the faintest positive... that faint that no one else could see it haha! By Wednesday it had got darker but still faint! I did aPCR which was negative.. still tested positive up until today which has now barely visible again.. waiting on another PCR that I did yesterday.. what are peoples thoughts on this? I've probably done about 10 positive LFTs... not symptoms other than slight stomach cramps mid week.. slight nausea and slight fatigue? Strange how this has happened, I'm trying to think of anything else can cause these positives??? Help

You’ve got covid and the PCR didn’t pick it up first time round. There isn’t really an alternative.

Well if that's the case hopefully the PCR that I'm waiting on shows it this time, I only did it yesterday via the postal service.

There has been a lot in the news about false negatives in the southwest so maybe I'm one of them? I feel fine though just a little bit off x

@mamatrow I agree with @Tigerwhocameforsupper. I'm in the same boat and it's very annoying to not know for sure - I am also awaiting a postal PCR that I posted on Friday and I'm tempted to book one at the walk in tomorrow as I haven't heard back and there is a limited time to confirm it's covid really (and I want it confirmed as it will be my second bout this year and I'm double jabbed and hoping to travel in the next 90 days so can't risk a residual positive later on).
I really don't think there can be any other explanation other than we have covid. What else could trigger repeated positives every day over the course of a week?

[quote zaffa]**@mamatrow* I agree with @Tigerwhocameforsupper*. I'm in the same boat and it's very annoying to not know for sure - I am also awaiting a postal PCR that I posted on Friday and I'm tempted to book one at the walk in tomorrow as I haven't heard back and there is a limited time to confirm it's covid really (and I want it confirmed as it will be my second bout this year and I'm double jabbed and hoping to travel in the next 90 days so can't risk a residual positive later on).
I really don't think there can be any other explanation other than we have covid. What else could trigger repeated positives every day over the course of a week? [/quote]
The only alternative is that a LFT can pick up alternative virus’ to COVID. But I haven’t seen any studies saying this is possible.

It's crazy isn't it! How are you feeling in yourself? Any symptoms?

@mamatrow

It's crazy isn't it! How are you feeling in yourself? Any symptoms?

So I have had a chesty cough that went away but had come back today - it wants to be productive but it's not 😂 I lost my sense of smell for half a day or so too, and a few headaches. Otherwise sore throat, headaches, sinus pain etc. Nothing compared to my first bout in Jan, where I was bedbound for a week and got pneumonia very quickly. How about you?

@Tigerwhocameforsupper apparently LFT tests can return a positive result for covid or SARS (as covid is technically SARS variant I think?) but no one had had sars for many years so I'm fairly confident it is not that.
I don't think they are picking up other viruses - there are a couple of things that are reminiscent of my first bout of covid - an off taste in my mouth, things smelling stronger than expected, being exceptionally tired, the tight chest. But it is so much milder this time (thanks Vaccines!!) and the lines are so strong, I will be amazed if I continue to get negative PCRs. Especially with news on how rare a false positive is.
However, at the end of august, I was going to an event and tested positive on a LFT and negative on a PCR. I then tested negative on subsequent LFT so figured that was a dodgy batch.
Now I wonder if it was an asymptomatic infection.....

You definitely sound like you have something then! I've been fine I just feel a little bit off... mid week I had some stomach cramps and nausea and was off my food, but that could of been from the stress of seeing so many positive LFTs and panicking. I keep saying to my Husband I feel like when you have had an illness but still feel weak like your energy is not quite back.
Hopefully I get my results ASAP!!

@mamatrow

You definitely sound like you have something then! I've been fine I just feel a little bit off... mid week I had some stomach cramps and nausea and was off my food, but that could of been from the stress of seeing so many positive LFTs and panicking. I keep saying to my Husband I feel like when you have had an illness but still feel weak like your energy is not quite back. Hopefully I get my results ASAP!!

Fingers crossed, it's better to know and be sure than to second guess all the time. I just can't see what else could be turning the LFT positive - are you doing the nose or nose and throat ones?

Mine have all been the nose ones.. testes from multiple packets too as I thought I may just have having dodgy tests.

So I've tested negative on a PCR for the second time.. no I have no faith in these tests!!

So have i!! It's crazy, my LFT are really strong too - I have no idea what is going on but I have another PcR booked today. I'm on day 8 though, so even if I did have covid it may no longer be showing.
I'm not in SW and I wasn't contacted as part of the issue, something is just not quite right here ....

Oh wow that is quite strong!! Mine were all faint but definitely visible! I'm new on here so it wouldn't let me attach a picture. I work in a school and they want me back so I have no option to go off the negative PCR now.. absolutely makes no sense at all though! Il test again today on a LFT and see.

@mamatro

So I've tested negative on a PCR for the second time.. no I have no faith in these tests!!

How strange!

Why are people doing LFTs when they are already isolating after a positive PCR? Aren't they costing taxpayers' money and creating yet more plastic waste?

This ^ Would you be doing the tests just out of curiosity if you had to pay for them?

Last summer dd was isolating due to being a close contact of a classmate and was testing every day.

Friday - Negative
Saturday - Faint Positive (went for pcr)
Sunday - Strong Positive (pcr positive)
Monday - Positive
Tuesday - Positive
Wednesday onwards - Negative

@Sweetpeasaremadeforbees

Why are people doing LFTs when they are already isolating after a positive PCR? Aren't they costing taxpayers' money and creating yet more plastic waste?

This ^ Would you be doing the tests just out of curiosity if you had to pay for them?

I AM in fact paying for them (as are all taxpayers) and yes, I would do them out of curiosity if I had to purchase them separately myself.

We've got a shedload of them from the various educational institutions my kids and dh attend/work at.

To be fair I probably would have done at least 2 more tests if I had to pay (depending on the cost) One in the middle to see I ever tested positive and one on day 10 or 11 to see if the virus was still showing. It helped me deal with having it.

@Comefromaway

We've got a shedload of them from the various educational institutions my kids and dh attend/work at.

Snap! The kids in my setting often refuse to take them home so we’ve got hundreds spare.

@kowari

Why are people doing LFTs when they are already isolating after a positive PCR? Aren't they costing taxpayers' money and creating yet more plastic waste?

I agree. It’s completely pointless to keep testing when you’re already isolating, or to do another test to see if the result is the same as the first one, or to test every day. What a waste.

Dd was wanting to know when her viral load was lower so she could maybe risk using the kitchen in her flat. Being confined to a tiny boxroom for 10 days with no cooking facilities other than a kettle is not fun.

Well my dilemma is whether I inform my potential close contacts, or wait for my results? Negative LFT on Saturday, with negative PCR. Negative LFT on Sunday morning. Positive LFT on Sunday lunchtime. New PCR done but no results. Fever of 39.2 and all the other symptoms.

So I've done another LFT to reassure myself the positive one wasn't a fluke, and I'm debating whether to contact my contacts, or wait for my PCR result.