Covid symptoms but negative PCRs and LFTs

[Firesidefox]

I woke up on Friday with covidy symptoms: tight chest, breathlessness, splitting headache, chills, exhaustion, feeling really weird and spaced out.

These symptoms have continued til today, although they have improved. Friday was the worst day. I am still shattered and have awful headaches and feel my lungs are tight.

I took a PCR on three separate days (Fri/Sat/Sun) and all were negative. I wanted to see my very frail mum hence the concern to be sure. I have also done a LFT every day, nose and throat, since Friday - all negative.

Could it still be covid? I work in an office where loads of people have covid, and talked to a woman on Tuesday who tested positive two days later, ie the day before I woke up ill. I am triple vaxxed.

Or is it just a covid-like bug?

I'd be grateful for opinions!

How did you manage to get a pcr three days running?

It sounds like you don’t have covid. If it was, you’d expect at least one of those tests to have picked it up.

Unlikely to be Covid, although PCR tests can be wrong. There are a lot of cold/flu viruses around (in my area anyway) so it's probably one of those.

We had 3 neg LTF before the PCR picked up covid here - I knew it was so kept her off school thankfully. Heard a few cases similar to that near us. Also the symptoms are varied to the first lot - more D&V and sore throats and less coughing.

Errr it's negative then stop testing

Thanks all, reassuring and what I wanted to hear.

I know I was lucky to get PCR tests - I'm in London if that makes a difference?

You've literally described how I'm feeling at the moment. I've had 3 negative LFTs and a negative PCR. There's some horrid bugs about at the moment.

Sorry but even if not covid you should not be seeing your fragile mum. Covid is not the only thing that can make people who are vulnerable seriously ill. This is what is meant by taking personal responsibility, if you are sick with anything then you should be avoiding those who can become seriously ill.

I'd say 3 PCRs are unlikely to be wrong. I got a negative PCR on my first day of symptoms but the LFT the next day was positive.

There are loads of other viruses about
Hope you feel better op

Well plenty of colds and flu going around. Maybe not what you want to pass on to your mum either

There's a really horrible respiratory cold type thing going round at the moment, everyone I know who has had it (including me) have tested negative for covid (could just be evading tests but still). I don't think its overly relevant if it's covid as most of us who have had covid have been knocked for six by this and aren't leaving the house anyway! It started as a croaky throat and general cold symptoms for me before a build up on my chest making it hard to breathe- I was constantly having to breathe super deep to fill my lungs and still not quite right 2 weeks and a course of antibiotics down.

It could be flu OP.
I wouldn’t risk passing that on to anyone. My friend had a really horrible Covid like virus recently but tested negative on LFTs. I am not sure if she had a PCR or not. She has taken over two weeks to feel more normal.

Thanks all, I really appreciate your advice and shan't risk passing it on as it's not nice!

Stop testing! It's a nasty bug you don't want to give to your mum and a positive or negative test won't change that. PCR tests are expensive!