Our test results make no sense

[spiderlight]

DH started with symptoms on Monday and did an LFT, which was positive. We've all been isolating since. I developed symptoms on Tuesday and had a positive LFT. DS (14) had no symptoms and a negative LFT.

We did home PCR tests on Tuesday and our results came back this morning. DH and I (raging symptoms, positive LFTs) both have negative PCRs. DS (no symptoms, negative LFTs) has a positive PCR. I know kids are often asymptomatic, but these results are completely the opposite to what we were expecting. We're all going to isolate for the ten days anyway, as DH and I both still feel dreadful and I'm getting a high fever every evening, but technically, according to the app, as I don't have a temperature right now, I could go out and cough all over Sainsbury's if I wanted to! Can ordinary colds mess with LFT results?

You are more likely to have a false negative PCR than a false positive LFT. If you wanted to you could try PCR testing again as maybe you were testing too early

I think we probably should. I am deeply unconvinced by today's results. I know this might just be that awful cold that's going round, but it's a hell of a coincidence with a positive DS and positive LFTs. Would we then have to isolate from the date of the 2nd PCR, do you know?

Ive had this ongoing problem. Posted a thread a week or so ago. Im pretty sure my son has covid at this point. He is coughing, poorly and testung positive on a lft. Ive had two negative pcrs, now awaiting a third.

His school is full of it, and he was identified as a close contact so is currently off school. I posted a pcr yesterday tea time.

The false negative rate of pcr is actually quite high, its common belief its sone sort of gold standard test but even at its best, 20 per cent of people test negative when they do truly have covid. I thought it was a problem with flowflex tests but I think its more likely that the pcrs gave been false negative but we will see. Hope you all recover OP, and maybe another pcr might be a good shout if you want confirmation.

Here is a pic of our tests, son clearly albeit pale positive... Everyone else clear although Im feeling a bit poorly now to be honest.

It's a nightmare, isn't it? I hope your son gets better soon. I've ordered another two PCRs for DH and myself - no point DS doing another, as the school won't have him back anyway now that we've told them he has a positive PCR. Apparently a lot of his friends are off with a 'terrible cold' but haven't done PCRs because their LFTs are negative, so I suspect it's just ripping through them.

I think you need to do the right thing and isolate. It sounds like you are too ill to go out anyway. Our part of the country has been badly affected by the faulty testing a few weeks ago so it is not unprecedented for PCR tests to be wrong

I just dont know what to believe anymore! Update us OP on your results. I'll let you know when my son's come back. If its negative I'll be stumped!

We're definitely going to isolate for the full ten days, even if we feel better. I'll let you know what the new PCRs say.

@spiderlight what brand of lateral flow did you use out of interest?

Are you sure you’ve not accidentally mixed up the tests when sending them back?

Four of us did PCRs and I had to be extra careful not to muddle them up.

Although actually I misread your OP - ignore me!!!

My dd did have positive LFTs and two negative PCRs so I don’t know what to believe any more.

I'm confused too. DD had a positive LFT on Tuesday. Had PCR yesterday and still waiting for results. Did an LFT this morning out of curiosity and it's negative.

The thing is, the same thing happened to DD a month ago. She had a positive LFT then negative PCR and negative LFT.

I don't know what to think any more.

@Iggly - we were so careful. DH opened, did and packaged and sealed his before I opened mine, and I sealed mine before we opened DS's and supervised him doing it, so there's no way we could have mixed up the barcode stickers.

@Dauphinoise - where would it say the brand? They're the nose-and-throat ones that NHS Wales always sends out.

[quote spiderlight]@Iggly - we were so careful. DH opened, did and packaged and sealed his before I opened mine, and I sealed mine before we opened DS's and supervised him doing it, so there's no way we could have mixed up the barcode stickers.

@Dauphinoise - where would it say the brand? They're the nose-and-throat ones that NHS Wales always sends out.[/quote]
That’s fair enough.

Maybe do another PCR in a couple of days although it becomes a moot point!

Hope you get better soon

Just had 2nd PCR results back - positive. We must have tested too early the first time, although the fact that DS was positive on Tuesday suggests that he's our Typhoid Mary!