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Original poster

Has anyone had 2 or more negative PCR’s and then a positive?

26 replies

Littlemiss74 · 27/10/2021 17:46

Dh & ds tested positive at the weekend with pcr’s. I went for one, had no symptoms & it came back negative. Later that day I felt unwell but with nausea not the 3 stated covid symptoms. So the.next evening I had another pcr, negative again. I’ve done lateral flows every day since Sunday, all showing positive. I don’t feel especially unwell, a bit tired maybe. Is it possible it can take several days for a pcr to show as positive even if lateral flows are?
Anyone with a similar experience?

OP posts:
frasersmummy · 27/10/2021 17:52

why keep testing .. someone in your house tested positive..you had a pcr it was negative... you carry on with life unless you get symptoms

Its almost like you want to get a positive result

Original poster
Littlemiss74 · 27/10/2021 17:54

No, my work have asked about the result

OP posts:
Original poster
Littlemiss74 · 27/10/2021 17:55

I have had 3 positive lateral flows so not sure its right to be carrying on with life as normal

OP posts:
noblegiraffe · 27/10/2021 17:55

She’s had positive lateral flows and is living in a household with covid cases. It seems extremely likely, particularly given recent events with the dodgy lab, that the PCRs are false negatives.

The advice would be to isolate and treat as covid.

Tigerwhocameforsupper · 27/10/2021 17:56

@Littlemiss74

I have had 3 positive lateral flows so not sure its right to be carrying on with life as normal
I would book another PCR and treat as positive with that many positive lateral flows.
noblegiraffe · 27/10/2021 17:56

Maybe take a postal PCR to get a result from a different lab?

Original poster
Littlemiss74 · 27/10/2021 17:58

Thank you @noblegiraffe, it’s just my work have changed things so that if you get a negative pcr you should continue to go in even if you have positive family member, which seems not right to me

OP posts:
Original poster
Littlemiss74 · 27/10/2021 18:01

Thanks @Tigerwhocameforsupper I’m just fed up doing them and getting negative!
@noblegiraffe yes maybe I should do that. I just don’t get why 2 would be negative with pos lat flow every day!

OP posts:
Tinysnickers · 27/10/2021 18:06

This is exactly what happened with the immense lab scandal.
Please believe the LF and isolate. If you have more than one positive the chances you don't have covid are infinitesimally small.
I did get a positive PCR from a postal test after 2x negative from test centres.

noblegiraffe · 27/10/2021 18:08

That’s difficult with work if they trust PCRs over LFTs+covid in the house. Can you work from home?

“ Ms Reynolds said the advice they had been given was that "PCR are the gold standard" and officially a negative PCR means you do not have Covid.
But she said: "The advice is also to think about your local situation, do an individual risk assessment... so what is the likelihood that even though the PCR is negative, that you may still have Covid?
"If thinking it through there is quite a chance you have Covid, even if the PCR is coming back negative, then regard it as Covid and self-isolate."

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-58841259

Test and trace would count nausea and tiredness as symptoms (worth knowing if you do eventually test positive as isolation starts from symptoms)

Original poster
Littlemiss74 · 27/10/2021 18:09

@Tinysnickers i thought all that had been resolved now & i went to a different test place each time. What made you test a 3rd time if you don’t mind me asking, did you also have pos lat flows? It’s just so confusing

OP posts:
Original poster
Littlemiss74 · 27/10/2021 18:10

Thank you so much @noblegiraffe that is really useful

OP posts:
Tinysnickers · 27/10/2021 18:15

I was certain I had it. I had positive LF for 9 days, I'd lost my taste and smell by the time I did the 3rd test. I wanted it on my records because my OH family are abroad and I didn't want to run into problems testing for travel to see them. Now I have a covid recovery certificate in the NHS app so I can prove I had it.

Original poster
Littlemiss74 · 27/10/2021 18:21

@Tinysnickers I see, that makes total sense. Did you have other symptoms during the 9 days & yet the pcr still said negative? Did you get the positive using a postal test? I agree with you, if I have got I would like it on my medical record as I have other health conditions but I’m assuming without a pos pcr it can’t be confirmed on my records..

OP posts:
LemonWeb · 27/10/2021 18:23

I had three PCRs in a week when one household member after another got Covid. I tested negative for the first two and positive the third time, when tbh I was quite certain I’d got it as I had symptoms.

Tinysnickers · 27/10/2021 18:43

In the beginning just a runny nose but by the 2nd pcr I had a cough and a temp and generally felt wiped out. Still coughing now and it's 10 days since my isolation finished. Grrrr. Positive was from a postal test. I'd seen on twitter that people with pos LF and neg PCR were getting a positive via post.
I am not convinced there isn't still something funny going on at the labs.
I've seen loads of people in the last few days with covid symptoms and/or positive lf but negatives on pcr. Also lots of void results. I did a pcr for the oxford study, would have been day 15 so expected a positive, but it was void. I must have done 50 tests and I've never had a void.

SilverGlitterBaubles · 27/10/2021 20:25

DH had Covid positive PCR, I developed symptoms and had two negative PCRs but positive LFTs and loss of taste and smell. I just gave up on the PCRs assumed I had Covid and isolated accordingly. Thankfully my employers were supportive of this.

Northernsoullover · 27/10/2021 20:30

If you're sick you're sick. It pisses me right off that people who are negative are expected to go into work. Didn't people phone in sick before covid? I'm sure they did. It's likely you have it anyway so if they start banging on about you coming in point out that you are actually ill.

frasersmummy · 28/10/2021 16:48

I'm.realky sorry..I.missed that your lft was positive.
I didn't read it properly

Original poster
Littlemiss74 · 28/10/2021 17:06

That’s ok @frasersmummy the whole thing is so confusing! I’ve now registered today’s positive lateral flow on the gov website & NhS app and it’s telling me to isolate until 7th Nov! Not sure if this is dependent on getting a positive pcr result, anyone know? I’ve ordered a home testing pcr kit so will see what that does - feeling really fed up today, dd 9 has had enough and has been upset. The whole thing is crap🙁

OP posts:
Yellowmellow2 · 28/10/2021 17:50

Same happened to me and I’ve found it so unsettling. Numerous positive LFs, two negative PCRs within 48 hours from the same test site. A Postal one was void. I was unwell, but not classic COVID symptoms - runny nose, aches and pains, sneezing, fatigue, dizzy, sore throat. I read a lot, and took advice which led me to believe I had COVID as false positive LFs are very rare and I must have had 6 or 7 in the end. I isolated and stayed off work for 10 days but feel so dissatisfied by the whole thing as I don’t really know if I’ve had it or not? My worry is that I haven’t had it, and I’ll get it and then what happens about work?

needtogetfit21 · 28/10/2021 21:46

My family all had pcr tests on Tuesday, my eldest son tested positive on LF whilst waiting for results. PCR came back negative for dh & I and positive for my sons.

Trace and protect called regarding my son (he's little) and I told him we had tested negative. He said they advise to test again in 2-5 days since I have symptoms.

So perhaps a timing issue?! Feels mad though that you have symptoms but need a pcr to 'prove' it

needtogetfit21 · 28/10/2021 21:47

I was suprised to hear him say test between 2-5 days as the text notifications etc all say you must test as you have been a close contact etc it sounds urgent and nowhere says to wait 2-5 days.

louisejxxx · 28/10/2021 21:56

We are currently in a similar situation with my dd who has had very very faint positives on LFTs (although I think I need to be stricter with time limits and chuck them in the bin after 30 mins as have just spent ages reading a thread where loads of people has faint lines start to appear after the 3 mins). We’re currently awaiting her 2nd PCR test as the 1st one was negative…she doesn’t have any “classic” symptoms - just a runny nose she’s had from a cold for about 3 weeks now. T&T have said to carry on as normal if 2nd PCR is negative which just doesn’t seem to sit right with me.

needtogetfit21 · 29/10/2021 08:00

So it's been 3 days since my preschool dc tested positive on pcr. My LFT still negative. I'm desperate to know if I've got it or not (I'm sneezing, achey upper sore back, generally feeling like pants) and it's making me anxious.

I've had 2 vaccines plus booster.

I was going to book a pcr but not sure if I should bother just now. We are self isolating due to dc anyway so no real rush

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