PCR booked after nearly a week of persistent coughing and negative LFTs

[TheCloudsHavePassed]

Anyone want to place the odds? Been feeling rough since the 27th. Husband followed suit a day or so later. Horrendous cough , green mucus, sneezing, chills. Constant negative LFTs. Youngest (2) projectile vomiting today and eldest (4) asked to go to bed as he felt 'hot and cold at the same time' Finally got a PCR for tomorrow. All at home so no risk to others btw.

Surely it's wierd actually both me and dh testing negative on lft? Although our childminder has today notified us that she has a positive case (my kids last there on the 23rd)

We had incredibly similar in our house, and my husband still has the horrendous cough now in week2. Went for a PCR on Sat almost sure that 4 previous LFTs have been wrong, but no - it's just a horrendous flu going around apparently. Its possible other germs are just getting their time in as well.

Glad you are all at home and I hope you all start to feel better soon!

However with those symptoms you should have booked PCRs when they started.

Some people who have covid never test positive on LFTs, they are not reliable enough. This hasn't been said clearly enough obviously.

Take care.

Yeah we tried to get PCRs but none available we could get to

I had something very similar in mid-December. Several negative LFTs, but I isolated anyway after the first, just as a precaution, as I was able to work from home.

I think there are a few nasty non-Covid things going around at the moment.

I kind of hope it is COVID so this isn't...not sure if that makes sense. Were up shit creek with no childminder anyway so really looking forward to calling work tomorrow...

Sorry that should say I hope it is COVID so this is it..

I had this “super cold” 4 weeks ago. Horrendous !

I know it wasn’t covid because I have covid now and it is a walk in the park compared to that

Everyone in our house has had this grim 'not covid' over Christmas as well. It's a horrible virus, we've all had flu vaccine so I don't think it's that either.

I had flu A in 2019 and was really, really ill (as in hospitalised) so I don't feel as bad as that benchmark, but it's still shit.

Oh crikey. I don't want to be off twice. My boss will kill me.

I had the 'flu' type thing back in November (i had a flu jab in October as im pregnant) but it knocked me for six. I had sore throat, lost my voice, coughing & sneezing so done an LFT and it was negative. Two days later wasnt any better so done a PCR to be on the safe side with baby and that was negative. It took me at least 2 weeks to feel back to normal. At least 5 people i work with (i dont actually see 2 of them) have had it since November too.

The lady at the testing centre said there is a cold/flu thing going around and its making people more poorly than before due to peoples immune system being lower as everyone has been wearing masks & not mixing.

Hooe you feel better soon 😊

Much the same here. Felt "off" the week before christmas, no symptoms as such and negative LFTs. Then Boxing Day started to cough which has continued, now getting worse rather than better. Still negative LFT and so are rest of household (no one else any symptoms of anything!). Still waiting for PCR result but assuming it'll be negative as surely someone else (6 others close contact) would have picked it up if so virulent or at least got a positive LFT. Who knows!

Over about 8 days I did 5 LFTs as I had sniffles all negative. Then woke up with a burning chest and feeling grotty- 2 LFTs negative. PCR positive. Did another LFT after getting the positive result as I could not understand how they had all been negative. It was still negative even when I knew I was positive. No faith in them now.

I'm the same. Had covid back in 2021 and not 1 positive LF. Did plenty before and after my positive PCR 🤷‍♀️this time I'm feeling unwell and absolutely convinced its covid but LFs all negative so far.

I’ve had something in December that lasted about three weeks, left me gasping for breath unable to breathe, a constant cough and terrible fatigue topped with a headache. I’m not fully back to fitness now.

I’ve had Covid. This was far, far worse.

Many LFT and two negative PCRs later I accept it wasn’t Covid but is the illest I’ve been for years.

I've had a cough, sore throat, fatigue, breathlessness but negative pcr, so has husband, there are a lot of other viruses about

Sorry we've all had the non covid cold too. Fucking misery. Im still breathless and exhausted, kids have faired better but they are still not right. First time I've had a fever from an illness in donkeys years, not counting appendicitis and vaccine side effects. Negative LFT and PCR for us all though. Some wannabe covid super cold.

Nothing to add except me too .. shit when you have a few days off work over Christmas and New Year and you can’t enjoy it because you’re hacking guts up all night.

LFTs are for non symtomatic people and if you are highly infectious .If you have mild symtoms which is just cough ( can be bad ) , but no fever you might be negative on LFT .

A colleague at work has constant negative LFT , taken before each shift.

Work also ask for a PCR each week as well as
LFT all provided by them.

So to his surprise the PCR done at the start of week came back positive but all
His LFT were negative.

He'd been working all week and could have passed it to any amount of ppl
Because his result took so long to come back.

He barely has to isolate because he's almost done a week already.

He's had no symptoms whatsoever , just the PCR telling him he's positive.

So yes there can be wrong LFT results but a positive PCR

DH and I were taking daily LFTs when our youngest got a positive PCR. All our LFTs were negative, including one morning when we both got a headache around lunchtime. Booked for a PCR test the same day and both were positive. So it is possible.

Although I agree LFTs are for people with no symptoms, it still didn’t turn positive for us whilst we had no symptoms.

I had this in December.....and yet I had positive pcr .....is it the nasal only LFTs you have OP?

Me and DP have been ill this week. He's had vomiting, backache and headaches. Ive had a mega cold and covered in a rash. All negative LFTs and negative PCR too. We couldn't believe it wasn't covid tbh but must be some other bug. Typically I am better now for first day back at work today!

Let us know how you get on with your results @TheCloudsHavePassed

I'm feeling pretty awful at the moment with a terrible cough and cold. All negative lft's and a negative pcr. I'm kind of glad to read about others who have had it too...I thought I was just being a bit pathetic feeling so unwell from 'just' a cold!

LFTs aren’t “wrong” as such, they work as intended. They’re a fast and relatively cheap way to identify the most infectious people with Covid-19. This is the most important for those with no or minimal symptoms as they’d otherwise be spreading the virus without knowing. Some people will never be infectious enough for a LFT to detect it.

PCRs are more sensitive and can detect the least infectious people too. But they take much longer for results and also cost much more. We don’t have the capacity (or money) to PCR test everyone.

So the compromise is that people with symptoms get PCR.