Lateral flow tests always positive

[CaputApriDefero]

Mine are always positive. Faint, but clearly positive. And they have been since may. Despite never having a positive PCR. Why are they always positive?? They range from this barely there sort of line to a mid pink one. I've never had a blazing, darker than control line one. But this has been almost six months of positive lateral flows now. How the heck am
I meant to know if I'm contagious or not? Has this happened to anyone else?

If you only have one line, that's a negative test!

Have you had your eyes checked recently?

The OP has two lines - that’s how I read it, with one being faint.

OP - have you tried different LFTs?

Are you checking after the time limit?

I mean different kinds.

I think I can see a very faint second line but not sure

I really can't see a line.

I can see the line but it's very faint on that one, hence why I ask about the time limit. However OP says she gets mid-pink ones too. .

If that's what a positive test looks like then I'm worried I'm not looking at the tests closely enough. Are you saying there's 2 lines there?

Did you have covid back in May maybe

I check within 30
Or 15 mins depending on the test

They're either very faint like the one I shared above or like this. But there is ALWAYS a second line. For six months? Why?

Sorry, not all my images are attaching.

But you get the idea

This has been happening to me too. The only time I've ever had a negative LFT was when I agreed to do a trial of the new nose only type at a testing centre I went to for a follow up PCR. PCRs have always been negative, I've not had any symptoms or any known close contact with people with Covid. I've tried tests from all different boxes (although only the old style as these are the ones that have been sent to me after ordering online) and tried swabbing nostrils only in case results are being affected by food or drink (I always wait at least 30 minutes after eating or drinking before taking a test) and still the same. Like you, I've also never had a strong pink line but they are always clear.

@Optimisticrealist

This has been happening to me too. The only time I've ever had a negative LFT was when I agreed to do a trial of the new nose only type at a testing centre I went to for a follow up PCR. PCRs have always been negative, I've not had any symptoms or any known close contact with people with Covid. I've tried tests from all different boxes (although only the old style as these are the ones that have been sent to me after ordering online) and tried swabbing nostrils only in case results are being affected by food or drink (I always wait at least 30 minutes after eating or drinking before taking a test) and still the same. Like you, I've also never had a strong pink line but they are always clear.

Exactly this!! I've ordered a box of the nasal only ones to see if there's a difference, because I've tried swabbing throat only, nose only, different boxes, getting someone else to do it and it's always the same.

Are you taking them before eating or drinking? If your saliva and therefore the swab is too acid, it may affect the result.

@MereDintofPandiculation

Are you taking them before eating or drinking? If your saliva and therefore the swab is too acid, it may affect the result.

I usually take them first thing in the morning before having eaten or drunk a thing

Yes, I can see a second grey line. Whenever I’ve seen that it’s meant positive! (Confirmed pcrs)
Weird you have it constantly though.

@MereDintofPandiculation

Are you taking them before eating or drinking? If your saliva and therefore the swab is too acid, it may affect the result.

But I do swish my mouth out with water as soon as I wake up and I blow my nose.

That's not " clearly positive" at all. The guides state that even if there is a slight faint line on the T it's a negative. Both lines are clearly solid if it's positive. I have Covid atm. It's fucking horrible. My tests were all solid lines. PCR then confirmed positive. You're reading them wrong.

That's at odds with the government advice on their website

'The positive line may be weak. You should hold the test strip up to the light and examine closely to feel confident of the result.'

@Anotherlovelybitofsquirrel

That's not " clearly positive" at all. The guides state that even if there is a slight faint line on the T it's a negative. Both lines are clearly solid if it's positive. I have Covid atm. It's fucking horrible. My tests were all solid lines. PCR then confirmed positive. You're reading them wrong.

Am I indeed?

You'd better correct all the government and NHS advice then.

Positive result: 2 lines, one next to C and one next to T, even faint lines, shows the test is positive. You or your test provider must report this test result to the NHS.

From the government website.

I can't see a line on the one attached. What I would assume though is that you did have covid at the start and your LFTs are continuing to show positive. After covid, you're not then supposed to do LFTS for 3 months because they can still show positive. I know you haven't had a positive PCR but I'd assume your PCRs were false negatives rather than so many LFTs are false positives.

I would interpret that as negative. No line visible next to the T. Only next to the C and the run-out strip at the end of the test.

I know a couple of people this has happened to. No idea of the reason behind it though.

The first one did go on to get covid and when she did, her lines were very strongly positive. The second, as far as I know, has never even suspected they’ve had covid. I think you need to just carry on testing as you are but do a PCR for a stronger line or any symptoms.

We have had similar, though usually develop a second very faint line after 30 mins. So is it to do with leaving it too long? Hope you get to the bottom of it!

@Anotherlovelybitofsquirrel

That's not " clearly positive" at all. The guides state that even if there is a slight faint line on the T it's a negative. Both lines are clearly solid if it's positive. I have Covid atm. It's fucking horrible. My tests were all solid lines. PCR then confirmed positive. You're reading them wrong.

I've just read the usage instructions for both the Innova and the Flowflex tests. Both state that a faint "T" line means a positive.

@greenpalmsea

We have had similar, though usually develop a second very faint line after 30 mins. So is it to do with leaving it too long? Hope you get to the bottom of it!

They're always there right at the start and then either just the same or stronger by 15 mins. The strongest positives I get are about half the intensity of the control line. I have no idea why.