Anybody getting repeated false positives with flowflex?

[Naem]

Three times (each time he took one with flowflex) in two months DN tested positive on a LFT, and rushed out and got a PCR immediately. Each time the PCR was negative. Most recently December 22nd. Friday did another one, was positive again - and then took one that he had left of an older brand (within minutes) and got negative. GP says there is nothing he can do, 191 doesn't want to know. Anybody else having this experience? Doesn't seem any point him doing an LFT test if it is always going to show positive and the PCR is then always going to show negative.

Not quite the same thing but I was negative on the old ones and positive on flow flex. My PCR was also positive though.

My DH does every time he tests.

Yes. I started a similar thread a while back. My son repeatedly tests positive with these, so basically useless for him. 4 negative pcrs, missed school, and no explanation. There surely must be some cross reactivity with either auto antibodies or a different type of coronavirus

I had this for 2 weeks and tested negative on a pcr it's faint but it's there it was flowflex also tested last night had same results on it then tested with another brand and negative

Yes, happened to my dd three separate times. Always when she’s got a cold/virus which confuses matters. We get multiple PCRs and negative every time. Negative on other brands of LFT.

I’ve reported to the MHRA via the yellow card site and suggest others do the same.

As I said on the previous thread, please please report this using the yellow card scheme, it should be reported as a 'device'.

Crosspost Iggly

I think ive got this too...

Did a test about a month ago which was positive (flowflex) got a pcr which was negative.

Today ive done another flowflex and its positive. Took another flowflex out of an opened box, and it was fainter, but still positive. But did one from a different brand that I got in scotland which was negative.

Not just dodgy tests though as dp did one too and its negative. So if its a dud, then its something thats reacting with me rather than just a bad test. All rather strange...

Pcr booked for tomorrow morning so we'll see...

@JaninaDuszejko

Crosspost Iggly

I reported thanks to your helpful post! It hadn’t occurred to me before.

@JaninaDszejko and @Iggly Thanks so much, have passed on to DN who will do so.

Yes, my DH gets this! Negative PCRs, no symptoms, everyone else negative, never knowingly had Covid. It must be something in him.

Very annoying as it makes the Flowflex ones useless for him, and they're often all you can get.

I had a (faint) positive on flowflex this morning, had 2 other types of lft test kicking about which were both negative. PCR booked tomorrow.

Not had an issue with flowflex up until now, so will just have to wait and see.

Yep same. It's soooo annoying. I'm going to try and find a different brand at local pharmacies.

Same here. I have not tried other brands, but it’s only on DS that I got a faint line (past the 15’ mark, but before the 30) which becomes properly visible closer to 30, none of us have ever had the same effect. As his class was all a popping up of new cases, we had to do the PCR anyway- and it was always negative.

Are these LFTs very faint? I think some people over-interpret the faintest of faint hints of lines - I think I did a few months ago when I may have it and then got a negative PCR.

My experience of LFTs is that when they are actually positive (3 times in my home), it's unmistakable, and the line is as clear as the control. And even when a subsequent test was done at day 6, the positive, even though much fainter, was still unmistakable. There was no holding it up to the light and squinting to try and discern if a line real.

Also, positives have all come up immediately... less than 15 seconds rather than 15 minutes!

@pleasegoawaycovid

I had this for 2 weeks and tested negative on a pcr it's faint but it's there it was flowflex also tested last night had same results on it then tested with another brand and negative

To me, that's a clearly negative LFT. I think I can possibly discern the faintest of faint test lines, but it's so incredibly faint I'm not convinced I'm not making it up and only doing so as I'm trying to find something. A positive LFT is unmistakable. When they mention about faint lines, they mean relative to the control, not so faint it needs spectral analysis.

Yep agreed. I can't see anything. It's negative.

grin I reported thanks to your helpful post! It hadn’t occurred to me before.

I work in the pharma industry so pretty familiar with the MHRA and their systems.

I'd disagree with the PP who said that a faintly positive LFT wasn't a positive, I can see a faint line and know that photos don't always replicate how clear a line actually is (I use to develop assays like this in a previous job). LFTs are qualitative (yes/no) and a faint line should still be a positive. If a subset of the population appear to be getting false positives then that needs addressing but they are all right to take a PCR and report to the yellow card system if this seems to keep happening.

I dont think this is a squinter, its an obvious albeit pale line. This is what my son gets everytime on a flowflex test, multiple negative pcrs, no symptoms.

I get this too, have been for 5 weeks!

To me, that's a clearly negative LFT. I think I can possibly discern the faintest of faint test lines, but it's so incredibly faint I'm not convinced I'm not making it up and only doing so as I'm trying to find something. A positive LFT is unmistakable. When they mention about faint lines, they mean relative to the control, not so faint it needs spectral analysis

Ours were clearly visible but faint positive lines. The instructions even say that faint lines are positive.

I had one in November.

My youngest (6) keeps getting positive LFTs every time he has a slight cold. He’s never had a positive PCR. We use the nasal LFTs.

Same thing is happening to my son. Faint positives every time on Flowflex but always negative on follow up PCRs and other lateral flows. This is since October. It happened to me briefly but stopped after a week.