What's the longest time between developing symptoms and getting your first positive lateral flow test?

[ColdorCovid]

I've got cold-like symptoms at a time when COVID is absolutely rife so suspect it may be COVID. I got the first inkling of an infection on Monday (bit of a sore throat) which had turned into a streaming cold by Wednesday. However, I've tested negative on lateral flow tests everyday. Should I keep doing them or am I wasting tests at this point? What's the longest you've had between developing symptoms and testing positive on a lateral flow test?

There's another thread on this somewhere that I commented on, but I had a mild sore throat and on/off mildish ear and gland pain for a good week before I tested positive.

DD had Covid and 12 days afterwards DP tested positive, then I was about 5 days after DP.

I'm pretty sure my body was trying to fight it off but eventually lost the fight!

I definitely caught the start of my infection when I did test positive as my 1st LFT was fairly light, next day darker then on my day 7 really really dark.

If you have access to LFTs you could continue to test until you feel better. But only if you actively want to know you have it. There's no obligation to test or isolate now, so it depends how you feel about it and how your work feel about it.

4 days of cold symptoms before testing positive. Positive didn’t show until the cough appeared.

Four days after positive PCR for DH.

I had cold symptoms for 9 days before my positive but developed a new cough the day before so reasonably sure I had a cold then Covid as had a negative PCR the day before. This would also fit in with catching it off DS who tested positive 3 days earlier.

Same, mild cold symptoms then tested positive on day 4

My daughter is exactly the same.

She started getting a runny nose Monday, very slowly developed cold symptoms until Thursday morning when she was properly rotten, streaming nose, dreadful sore throat, headache, and now it’s dropped onto her chest and she’s got a horrible cough.

Consistently negative on LFT.

Problem for us is we are due to fly to the USA Wednesday so I’m praying she gets well before so she feels ok to travel. Otherwise she’ll have to be seen by a GP and I guess get written confirmation she’s too unwell for the insurance company.

I have a sore throat and heavy cold right now which started last night on top of a lighter cold last week. Negative LFTs which has surprised me. I watch with interest

I started coughing on Monday, only tested positive today (Saturday). I assumed I was in the clear by now but I started feeling much worse yesterday.

4 days for me despite same symptoms as 3 other family members who tested positive 4 days earlier. I’d like to think my immune system tried to fight it for those 4 days, but eventually my body couldn’t fight it any longer. I was also the last to get a negative LFT, which made sense.

We're going through this

DS2 became ill on Wednesday with something like a cold that also made him very tired, and tested positive this morning (testing before an event)

I have a cough which I put down to hay fever (lots of tree pollen here) and have tested negative. But will probably test again in 48 hours or so. And in the meantime won't be getting close to non-family esp indoors and if I have to go indoors somewhere I'll wear a mask

Over a week for me.

I started with a sore throat last Thursday - negative LFTs all weekend. DD started coughing on Sunday - also a negative LFT but we got her a PCR which came back positive on Tuesday. I started coughing on Monday - negative PCR the next day. DH had no symptoms but got a strong positive on an LFT on Thursday. I only finally got a barely visible positive on an LFT yesterday (Friday).

Tuesday (the day I took my PCR) was the day I felt most actually unwell.

My DH and I went to a wedding on the 26th March.. Half the guests tested +ve on the Thurs after.. My DH had temp and cold symptoms too so we tested on the Saturday.. Him +ve,
me -ve.. I had very very mild runny nose, sore throat etc but been -ve every test.. So negative for a week... But.. I had to rush to help my poorly parents on Thursday..(After a neg test)
My Dad tested +ve yesterday.. (thank goodness I didn't give it to him)..
I started feeling rougher this afternoon and going to test now...

First inkling on Monday, no positive LFT until Friday.

So I'm getting a trend here .. also recent friends/colleagues have shown a similar pattern .. feeling rough for three or four days with daily negative LFTs then finally positive test ..

I feel like absolute crap now but still testing negative .. 24 hours since symptoms

My symptoms started on the Friday but I didn't test positive on an LFT until the Tuesday. Took a PCR on the Monday and that was positive, despite that day's LFT being negative.

Symptoms started.Satueday, I didn't test positive until the following Friday. Despite spending Thursday 'proper ill' in bed.

Negative.. What is going on.. I've got a 5hr drive tomorrow and work on Monday...

I started feeling ill last Saturday morning (headache, v tired). I tested positive on Thursday. Still feel rotten with headache and sore throat.
Hope you all feel better soon.

Hope everyone is feeling better soon! 💐I started feeling sore throat on Wednesday evening..now I am so sick now...cough, sneezing, feeling aches & pains, and so cold!!! vaccinated and boosted and STILL testing negative! 🤷🏼‍♀️🤔 will test again tomorrow but following guidelines and stating isolated just to be sure!!

My symptoms started on Thursday evening. Just blocked nose. On Friday morning I had snotty nose and woolly head. No fever or headache. Lft negative. Today the same and lft negative. The thing is that we are flying to holiday on Wednesday. I don't need any tests luckily.

Six days including two negative PCRs in that time.

Felt beyond exhausted on Monday, same Tuesday, not so bad on Wednesday.
Sore throat and headache on Thursday - negative LFT, sore throat, headache and exhausted yesterday, negative LFT.
Today headache not so bad, coughing a lot, sneezing, exhausted and feint positive LFT.

A friend took four days, and another friend was negative throughout on LFT but positive on PCR.

Should we be trying to get PCRs