Positive lateral flows yesterday, negative today?

[WaystarRoycoCEO]

Yesterday I tested positive - I did 3 tests (test for school and was just really surprised as no symptoms) and all of them were really quick strong positives.
I wasn’t going to test myself again today but ended up doing it anyway as I was doing the dc tests this eve and ended up with 2 negative tests….
Is that unusual so soon after strong positive tests? I’ve been sneezing and have a headache on and off today which is presumably symptoms so it would seem a bit strange to be testing negative already? I assumed I’d test positive for a few days at least!

I’ve heard of people being negative after 3 days and some 22 days

Never that quick though.

Before yesterday when did you last test? I tested positive for total of 5 days .... so yesterday may have been your last positive day....

The last test I did was when we went back to school so a week ago. So I guess it is possible that I’ve had it for a few days.

I guess I also imagined that you would get tests with progressively weaker lines rather than just going straight from quick dark line to nothing?!

Actually when I looked again at the 2nd test I think it does have a faint line - I thought I could see it at the start but then decided I couldn’t, but perhaps it is after all. Might try again tomorrow with a nose and throat one!

There’s really no point keeping on LFT testing now until you are on day 6 and 7 of isolation, so you can end isolation early. You should get a PCR test as you have symptoms now, which is what’s recommended.

You did 5 tests yesterday? Do you have any other interests? 😁😁

I understand that is exactly right, it can come and go quickly in respect of showing up. That is why people say a test is only valid in the moment you take it.

@Mindymomo I don’t think there’s any point getting a pcr as I had none of the main symptoms and they’ve gone now anyway, I feel fine. It may just have been in my head after getting a positive test!!

@Mindymomo well 3 one day and 2 the next to be precise! Like I say it was just because I was so surprised to have tested positive as I just had no idea at all! And then testing positive followed by a negative test so quickly almost makes me feel like I’m faking it and it’s wrong to be off work, which feels weird enough anyway seeing as I’m not ill!

Just isolate and test on day 6 and 7. You dont need to be testing constantly after a positive

I’d be careful using so many tests up! At my school I’d be asked why I needed a new box of tests so quickly and it’s not easy to get hold of any from other places.

Think the LFTs are hit and miss but you’ve definitely got /had covid.

I know, and I really didn’t mean to do so many - like I say it was just such a total shock getting a positive test!! I will leave it now as I guess it’s irrelevant what the test result is for a few more days.

I’ve had no trouble ordering more online though, it seems like the shortage was fairly short lived where I am anyway.

Disclaimer; I have no professional expertise here!

Maybe testing so much in quick succession meant there was less virus to pick up on each subsequent swab? I’m working off the knowledge that pregnancy tests are more accurate first thing in the morning because there’s been time for a build up of hormones in the urine.

Also were you swabbing just your nose or nose and throat? Anecdotally people are finding stronger positives when they swab their throat too even though a lot of the new tests are nose only.

As it goes I don’t think you need to test any more but unless someone corrects my theory above I’d be happy that there’s an explanation for it.

@Cornettoninja it was only a nose swab. So 3 really strong positives on Tuesday evening, then Wednesday evening 1 negative and 1 with the faintest hint of a line.

I’m afraid I couldn’t resist testing again this morning - I think my mind was working similar to yours - maybe it needs to build up again! And that test was a faint line although definitely more obvious than yesterdays faint line. No more tests until day 6 now!!

I think the poster above who said I’ve probably had it for a few days already is right, as I still don’t have any symptoms, hence why it’s going down again so quickly. Strange to think if I’d not done that test on Tuesday I probably would never have known!

I only tested positive for 24 hours & then never had another positive lft. Pcr and antibody test confirmed it. I still isolated for 10 days though.

Did you have any symptoms @WorstXmasEver?