She should test again, right?

[DumplingsAndStew]

DD developed a continuous cough on Sunday, so we booked a PCR test for Monday, which came back negative early hours of Tuesday (yesterday).

Yet now, she's told me she can't smell or taste anything. I'm not sure she even knew this was a symptom. I tested her by giving her a big bag of newly purchased Lebkuchen to sniff, but she says she can't smell a thing, and could only taste one a tiny bit, but didn't eat it all as it 'tasted like nothing' (what a waste! )

She's not bunged up, just coughing and now the no smell or taste. And she has a headache. Because the sense thing has arisen since the negative test, does she test again? Wait a few days? Ignore it and assume she's negative?

She's off school anyway, as the cough is keeping her up at night, so isolation isn't a problem.

Has she done any lateral flow tests recently?

It might have been the pcr test was too early. I would be tempted to book another in a day or two and make sure she’s isolating. I’m not sure what the actual official advice is in that situation though,

She last did a lateral flow on the Sunday evening, just before we established the cough was coming to something. It was just a bit tickly feeling at that time. It was negative, but when the cough ramped up overnight I booked the PCR on the Monday morning.

My thinking was a couple of days then book another PCR if she's still symptomatic, but just wasn't sure if the new symptoms mean to test again.....

You might as well get her to do another lateral flow test now.

I'd get another one just to check: she may well have tested too soon last time. Many people do test too soon.

I should have said, the loss of smell and taste is a pretty strong indicator for covid. I’d assume she has it and the pcr missed it until you’re really sure that isn’t the case. Before letting her back to school I’d definitely want another negative pcr.

What’s the thinking in not doing another lateral flow test? Do you have some at home?

Yeah, I'd test her again, probably Friday.
Rubbish for half term!

Try to spend time separately and ventilate, hopefully you won't get it!

@PurpleDaisies

What’s the thinking in not doing another lateral flow test? Do you have some at home?

I guess my mind is still stuck on the former narrative we were fed of "Don't LFT with symptoms, it won't work properly". I'll get her to come and do one soon, if she can reach a half hour without drinking anything

Nearly 2 years in and people don't get the testing. Lateral flow tests are for people with no symptoms and pcr tests are for people with symptoms. She has symptoms so the pcr test is the one she needs. It's very clear on the nhs website.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/testing/how-to-do-a-test-at-home-or-at-a-test-site/how-to-do-a-rapid-lateral-flow-test/

@SpookyPumpkinPants

Yeah, I'd test her again, probably Friday. Rubbish for half term!

Try to spend time separately and ventilate, hopefully you won't get it!

Not half term here unfortunately (fortunately?) Our schools went back last Monday after two weeks off. She barely manages to attend school as it is, sadly

LFTs don’t work any differently with symptoms. It’s just that they’re not accurate enough to rule out having Covid if they’re negative. If you do have covid, you’ve got a decent chance of getting a positive result. Dh tested positive on one which was confirmed by PCR.

If it’s negative, don’t think that means she hasn’t got Covid, just that she hasn’t tested positive.

Aha, just found this page

www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/testing/test-results/negative-test-result/

Which says:

If you feel unwell

If you still feel unwell after a negative test, stay at home until you're feeling better....
If you get COVID-19 symptoms after the test, you need to get tested again

So def need to continue isolating, and will book another test appointment for tomorrow afternoon to give a bit more time.

[quote seb342]Nearly 2 years in and people don't get the testing. Lateral flow tests are for people with no symptoms and pcr tests are for people with symptoms. She has symptoms so the pcr test is the one she needs. It's very clear on the nhs website.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/testing/how-to-do-a-test-at-home-or-at-a-test-site/how-to-do-a-rapid-lateral-flow-test/[/quote]
She has already had a pcr which was negative and got new symptoms a day later.

There is no disadvantage to doing a lateral flow test now. They show positives when you’ve got Covid. When they show negatives, you might still have covid. The op might be able to get some evidence right now that the pcr missed the daughter’s covid.

As I said, it sounds like she needs another pcr test before going back to school.

@PurpleDaisies I agree with you about the lateral flows - i’ve tested positive on 4 this week following dh & ds getting positive pcr’s but i’ve done 2 pcr’s & both have come back negative. Could it be that it still too soon for a pcr to pick it up?

[quote Littlemiss74]@PurpleDaisies I agree with you about the lateral flows - i’ve tested positive on 4 this week following dh & ds getting positive pcr’s but i’ve done 2 pcr’s & both have come back negative. Could it be that it still too soon for a pcr to pick it up?[/quote]
Depends on the lab…

www.theguardian.com/world/2021/oct/27/covid-lab-returned-four-positive-results-from-2400-sheffield-tests

I have to confess I’ve become a bit suspicious since this happened.

Community prevalence of covid is high. If you’re getting a positive on a lft, especially multiple positives, you an pretty much assume you’ve got Covid.

[quote seb342]Nearly 2 years in and people don't get the testing. Lateral flow tests are for people with no symptoms and pcr tests are for people with symptoms. She has symptoms so the pcr test is the one she needs. It's very clear on the nhs website.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/testing/how-to-do-a-test-at-home-or-at-a-test-site/how-to-do-a-rapid-lateral-flow-test/[/quote]
While that’s what the NHS website says, it doesn’t mean that LFTs don’t work. They do work with symptoms and are a handy tool for checking quickly - but you shouldn’t rely on them if they’re negative and you have symptoms. Get a PCR OP even if a LFT is negative!

I’ve had a continuous cough, headache, sore throat and loss of smell and taste for 3 weeks now and I’ve done 2 PCRs and several LFTs which have all come back negative so there must be a different illness going around.

Whether it's what they are intended for policy-wise or not, LFTs definitely have no trouble picking up symptomatic covid.

Thanks @PurpleDaisies interesting reading which doesn’t now fill me with confidence about these tests. I’d just like to know for sure if I have it so it can go on my medical records. I might do a postal test and see what that comes back with..

Messaged her a while ago telling her not to eat or drink before bed, called her down for bed just now to be told she'd just had a slurp of Irn Bru (that'll help the insomnia!) so she's coming back down in a half hour to do an LFT before bed.

LFT negative. Am going to see how she is in the morning (or afternoon - teenagers!) to decide whether to book another PCR for tomorrow teatime, or Friday.

I would take her for another PCR.

I have found the LF tests to be unreliable.

I would do a pcr just to be sure. Idid lfts on my kids with sore throats and coughs which were both negative then their pcrs done the same day were positive.

Definitely worth doing another PCR. I tested positive with a PCR on Sunday, 24hrs after a negative LF. Then DH tested positive with a PCR on Tuesday, only hours after his daily LF, all of which were negative. The DC have been doing LFs daily, all negative. DD1 now has symptoms so is having a PCR to confirm. I no longer trust LFs at all.