If you had a very faint positive on a LFT

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How did you test on a PCR?

Feel poorly with cold type symptoms, have done 2 lfts- one was negative, the other a faint positive. I’ve booked a PCR this morning but keep reading about people testing negative despite a faint lft positive.

It has happened to me twice in 6 weeks. Multiple positive LFs and negative PCRs. Both times I had cold-like symptoms. The LFs were faint but proper lines that could clearly be seen.

How did you go about things afterwards eg isolation? Did you just regard the lfts as false pos?

I tested negative, think it was a dodgy batch of tests.

I got a faint grey line positive on ltf at the time had a cold so was doing extra tests. (No classic covid symptoms so didn't think pcr needed) obvs went for a pcr after the ltf which came back negative
Work (nhs) happy to have me back in
I did continue doing daily lateral flows for a week after and never had anymore positives so I think it was a genuine false positive

Had I had any more positive lateral flows I would gave kept isolating and pcr testing though and would have made the case to work that I didn't feel it was safe to be in
As soon as you record a positive lateral flow you'll be texted to isolate anyway so it covers you for work etc

Test and Trace said to go by the negative PCRs so that is what I did. LFs only remained positive for a couple of days. There must be a reason why this is a problem for so many people on here, I'm surprised more hasn't been done to investigate possible reasons. I'm not in South West so it wasn't caused by the recently lab problems.

My husband had a very faint positive line,went for pcr same morning and tested positive .Mine and my sons were a very strong line which showed up almost straight away.

negative. It happened to dd twice. We took two PCRs over a few times and kept her home until the second PCR came back.

Thanks for replies, I’ve done a PCR so will see what the results are soon. So strange how many of you have had pos lft but neg pcr. Couldn’t really find any clear cut explanation online as to why this happens but certainly doesn’t seem uncommon so I won’t be surprised either way.

My son got a positive lft and negative pcr.
He was very unwell. By the time his results came back he'd already been home for 7 days and then went back to school after 8 (once he was well enough)

LFTs appear to be more reliable because they are remain positive for a longer period of time. PCRs don’t always come up positive if you test too early. I tested positive on second day of symptoms with LFT but didn’t do pcr until day four which was also positive. First lft was very faint but I took one the day of pcr and it was a very definite positive.
If you have symptoms then you should isolate.

BBC news link, backing up @Angrymum22 info

“LFTs pick up the most infectious people by detecting material from the surface proteins of the virus
PCRs detect genetic material of the virus which can be present in the body for several weeks after somebody is actually capable of passing it on”

My son's line was very faint, it took maybe 10 minutes to appear. He clearly had it though going by symptoms (my daughter and I had already tested positive) and his PCR was positive. He was already isolating because there was no way I could leave DD home alone to take him to school.. and then I caught it myself so none of us can leave anyway 😂.

The line for me and my daughter was instant and obvious, before the liquid got to the top!