Multiple positive LFTs but negative PCR?

[Ellie1311]

So my partner started to complain of a sore throat on Friday night and by Saturday said he felt achey. On Saturday night he had a faint positive lateral flow. We booked PCRs for us both for the Sunday as well as our two kids as they are full of cold so thought we’d all get checked to be safe. Sunday morning before we went for our PCRs he was positive on a lateral flow again - I did one from the same batch and it was negative. On Monday morning we had some LFTs through the post so a different batch - again he tested a faint positive and myself and the kids tested negative. We were so sure that his PCR would come through positive so I’m so shocked that it’s actually come back negative tonight along with ours.
Symptom wise he is still feeling slightly achey but he has no cold or headache symptoms at all and isn’t fatigued. We are double jabbed but not boosted as of yet.

I’ve attached picture of todays test …his is top and mine is at the bottom.

Do we take this positive PCR as definite? Or do you think it is wise to isolate and test on the laterals for another couple of days and then get another pcr?

I’ve never heard of this happening before - more like the other way around so

Yep it’s the fast flow nasal ones I’m testing positive on

We're in the same position here. DC had a sore throat and headache on Saturday and tested positive on 2 lateral flows on Sunday, and has since had 2 inconclusive PCRs with a 3rd booked for tomorrow morning. The rest of us have all been testing daily on lateral flows with negative results. DC thankfully hasn't felt too unwell but it would be good to know one way or another so we can plan accordingly. For now we are assuming the pcr will come back positive when we eventually get one that works!

If you touch your tongue or the inside of your cheek with the swab, you may get a negative where you should have got a positive.

Todays test…definitely getting darker …still testing negative on the green brand.
Just been for another PCR.
This is madness.

I’d definitely consider him positive
False positives do happen but they are very rare and I think the chances of lots in a row being wrong are exceedingly small.

I know people who most definitely had covid (all the rest of the family did as well) but one person in the family consistently PCRd negative

@Pickledlipstick

They are negative??

The top one is clearly not negative.

@Ellie1311

Todays test…definitely getting darker …still testing negative on the green brand. Just been for another PCR. This is madness.

My guess would be he invalidated the PCR when using the swab, leading to a false negative.

I’m thinking the same. Or maybe he didn’t have enough viral load on Sunday or something? But it’s now been 4 days since his first LFT positive and tests getting darker - I think we just have to be sensible even if this next one comes back negative?
He made sure he took his time with this pcr and was confident it didn’t touch his tongue etc. so we will see. I’m starting with a sore throat now. Arghhhh

@winefortea

We're in the same position here. DC had a sore throat and headache on Saturday and tested positive on 2 lateral flows on Sunday, and has since had 2 inconclusive PCRs with a 3rd booked for tomorrow morning. The rest of us have all been testing daily on lateral flows with negative results. DC thankfully hasn't felt too unwell but it would be good to know one way or another so we can plan accordingly. For now we are assuming the pcr will come back positive when we eventually get one that works!

Let me know how you get on…how on earth do you get an inconclusive result twice in a row?

So just an update…:his LFT was darker again yesterday , was so sure he’d be positive but just had his second negative PCR. None of it makes any sense but we’re going to take it as a negative and enjoy Christmas.

I had this a few weeks back, had several positive lft and negative pcr tests.
I called 119 and was told that the pcr test overrides the lft and they told me to stop testing on lft.
I isolated for the 10 days anyway as I felt dreadful, really bad cough and a cold of sorts but more like a stuffy nose, also lost my sense of smell completely but not taste.

My sister had this also, felt unwell, had positive LFTs each day for 10 days but 3 negative PCRs. Her children had positive covid tests at this time. She then felt better and got negative LFTs for a few weeks. She started to feel unwell about 4 weeks later, positive LFTs again so took a PCR which once again was negative. Very bizarre. And frustrating.

I'd say they're both negative, he probably just has a mild flu. X