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Original poster

Covid symptoms but not covid?!

36 replies

Ellie1311 · 09/02/2022 20:11

Has anyone got this awful cold/viral thing/flu going around that’s NOT covid? I literally have every covid symptom and I’ve been in bed /on the couch since Saturday. Zero energy, breathless if I do anything, hacking cough, sweats, shivery, sore throat, pounding headache and really congested. Totally lost my sense of smell but can still taste slightly. My LFT and pcr came back negative. I’ve isolated anyway as I’ve been too ill to do anything!

OP posts:
caddyshackGirl · 09/02/2022 20:18

Yep you've just described me right now. My throat is soooo sore. I've been drinking non stop so going to the loo constantly, barely slept in the last two days due to that

I got pinged so when I started to realise I had all the symptoms my heart sank so gobsmacked im negative

Whatisthiscold · 09/02/2022 20:47

Yes this has been me too but without the shivers/sweats. Was convinced it had to be covid but negative consistently. I'm now on day 4 of the worst of it after having a scratchy throat all last week. My nose has been so stuffy but also like a tap too, an on/off cough mostly caused by the not blowing my nose in time. Yesterday my smell and taste were only working after blowing my nose each time but back again today so they'd not actually gone just congested. I think tomorrow I'll be back to 95% normal. It had been like a super cold, I think from the masks etc the normal sniffles we're used to have had a field day once they get in!!

Theunamedcat · 09/02/2022 22:37

Is everyone taking a pcr? Or just lateral flows? Ds tested positive and negative and then positive again on lateral flow his pcr was positive

DamnYouAutoCarRental · 09/02/2022 22:49

Family of five, we all had this before Christmas, took several pcrs and LFTs between us, not a hint of a positive, despite having all the symptoms.

Just had covid, none of the traditional symptoms between us, apart from a cough at the tail end, all of us LFT positive.

Original poster
Ellie1311 · 09/02/2022 23:45

@Theunamedcat

Is everyone taking a pcr? Or just lateral flows? Ds tested positive and negative and then positive again on lateral flow his pcr was positive
I’ve done 4 LFTs since I started with this last Wednesday. All negative so far (done one every other day) Went for PCR weds which came back negative. Tbh I’m too ill to even go for another one. I’m past the day 5 mark anyway and I haven’t left the house since Saturday. And I probably won’t budge for another couple of days! This has knocked me for six!
OP posts:
Wnkingawalrus · 09/02/2022 23:52

What we have at the moment is far worse than the covid we all had a few weeks ago!

Kyliealwayshadthebestdisco · 10/02/2022 02:09

Sounds like COVID to me. False negatives are possible especially when circulating numbers are high.

Tufty383 · 10/02/2022 05:46

DS has had this since Saturday. Very poorly, negative LFT and negative PCR on Monday. I'm dreading catching it off him, its really nasty.

Londonnight · 10/02/2022 06:06

Yes, had this a few weeks ago, I felt really awful. Did lft, negative, went for a PCR that was also negative. I was really ill for about a week. The only thing I didn't have was a temperature.

bert3400 · 10/02/2022 06:11

Yes I had this before Christmas, convinced it was Covid but kept testing Negative, I am not in the UK and loads of friends here have had the same thing ....all negative. Was ill for a good 2 weeks and was so poorly it reduced me to tears and I'm 54 and a tough old bird

LefttoherownDevizes · 10/02/2022 06:23

Yes ! DS13 negative everything despite being really quite ill, DS16 negative LTF positive PCR again really quite unwell.

I think it is Covid in both just being double jabbed reduced the viral load and possibly the tests being less sensitive to the more recent variants.

My work is involved in Covid research, tempted to ask if they want to use the DCs as guinea pigs

lavender2022 · 10/02/2022 06:25

Yep, had this last week, with every single symptom you've described, and worse. Had diarrhoea, loss of appetite, even vomited once or twice. Don't know what the hell it was but I was genuinely shocked it wasn't covid. Sending you hugs. Don't worry, our immune systems are bloody amazing things! Get well soon. Thanks

drybird · 10/02/2022 06:33

I'm on my knees here with this virus, done several lft all negative. I feel like my head is in a vice being squished 😫 if I had the energy I'd go for a PCR test but I actually couldn't drive if I wanted to! H will give zero fucks and he's a non believer so I'll just keep cracking on..

waitinginthecar · 10/02/2022 06:39

Why are you using a lft when you are symptomatic?
The guidelines are very clear... lateral flow tests should be used when symptoms are not present.

Qwaffee · 10/02/2022 06:45

You need to take a PCR test. If you have symptoms the guidelines have not changed, symptoms = PCR.
LF detector tests should only be used for random weekly checks and testing to end isolation.
Hope you feel better soon

rattlemehearties · 10/02/2022 06:50

Negative PCR here too and feel dreadful, anecdotally from friends this is going round. Apparently not Covid

loudbatperson · 10/02/2022 07:10

Our eldest daughter (DD1) has symptomatic Covid Covid (positive PCR). Typical symptoms of cough, headache, temperature.

Our youngest became ill and we obviously thought Covid, however PCR negative. DD2 is mainly has extreme sore throat, headache and tiredness. No temp. We did try an LFT a couple of days after PCR, that was negative too.

In November DD2, DH and I all had Covid but DD1 didn't (no symptoms and did daily LFTs all negative.

I am assuming that either DD2 has caught another virus coincidentally, or DD2 has got Covid, however her fairly recent episode is giving her a strong enough immune response to keep viral load below testing levels.

It's quite odd though, that's for sure.

Woeismethischristmas · 10/02/2022 07:13

I am also feeling crap. Sore throat, cough. COVID is rife where I am too. Pcr and daily lft all negative.

Original poster
Ellie1311 · 10/02/2022 07:37

@waitinginthecar

Why are you using a lft when you are symptomatic? The guidelines are very clear... lateral flow tests should be used when symptoms are not present.
I know of several people with symptoms who’ve had faint lines on LFTs.
OP posts:
hopeishere · 10/02/2022 08:01

@waitinginthecar

Why are you using a lft when you are symptomatic? The guidelines are very clear... lateral flow tests should be used when symptoms are not present.
I really struggle to get my head round this. Why would the PCR show it if the LFT didn't? I've looked at the infection curve graph loads of times and I still don't get it.
YayaTata · 10/02/2022 08:05

I don't get these threads. Did none of you get ill before Covid? It's really not that shocking that you could have symptoms of Covid (which are the same symptoms as lots of other viral illnesses) and it not be Covid.

I've had some virus or another practically every year of my life at least once. These past two have been no different, I've still been ill with other things.

LefttoherownDevizes · 10/02/2022 08:33

@hopeishere because the PCR 'amplifies' the sample up to 30x compared to the lateral flow. And have seen some very questionable technique mixing the swab with the buffer solution

Theunamedcat · 10/02/2022 08:45

@YayaTata

I don't get these threads. Did none of you get ill before Covid? It's really not that shocking that you could have symptoms of Covid (which are the same symptoms as lots of other viral illnesses) and it not be Covid.

I've had some virus or another practically every year of my life at least once. These past two have been no different, I've still been ill with other things.

Yes but not like this I will get floored by a cold though hence being triple jabbed currently in bed with covid again 😅
Fleur405 · 10/02/2022 08:46

I had a non Covid bug just before Christmas. All the bugs that used to go around pre-Covid are still exist! If you’ve had a negative pcr then it seems more likely you have a non-Covid bug rather than a false negative.

ForTheLoveOfSleep · 10/02/2022 08:48

Its called the common cold.... Why is everyone so surprised that this still exists 😐