Is this a reinfection?

[UseHerName]

I tested positive on a pcr on 29th March - never positive on a lft. My later flow tests were negative all the way through but I isolated until 10 days as was quite sick. My cough has lingered but I feel a lot better.

I’ve just tested positive on a lft as I had the burning feeling back in my nose,was coughing a lot more and had a serious dose of the runs there at about 2am (which is very odd for me)

Is this the same infection? Reinfection? Do I need to isolate again? Does anyone know if there’s a pha advice line?

🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️

Appreciating of course that it’s nearly 3am Uk time!! 🤦‍♀️

Bumping up for the morning crowd…

Some people do test negative on LFT with symptoms following a positive PCR... I wonder whether the PCR the first time picked up a miniscule amount of virus which you 'fought off' - may have been infected with something else or had basically a strong immune reaction which gave symptoms.

If LFT is positive now then you definitely have it now.

Could be reinfection, could be the first one? Who knows

For what it's worth I felt I has 'fought it off'a few times (fever and aches for 48 hours after positive contact), but boy-o'-boy, do I know that I have it now? Frigging awful

I doubt it. DH and I tested positive on 12 March and I tested positive for three full weeks after. I had symptoms all the way through. In fact over a month after first feeling unwell (we were ill for a week before we tested positive), we're still having occasional symptoms, including the nose/sinus pain your describe.

Lots of people we know seem to be experiencing the same - this strain of covid seems to have quite a nasty sting in its tail.

Hope you feel better soon OP

Oh I didn't see the timeframe. I'd go as far as to say impossible. Even if it was another variant (unlikely as omicron is comfortably dominant) your antibodies would've been through the roof. Probably just detected traces eith PCR long before it has incubated

I'd say it's likely the same - plenty of people have symptoms that go up and down, and the pcr is sensitive enough to detect it early on.

So do I isolate again?! 🤯 im so confused! I already isolated for 10 days from 29th and then was out and about until today… do I report the positive lateral flow?

It'll be the same infection, you're just not over it yet. I tested positive a month ago, thought I'd almost recovered last Friday, then seemed back to square one on Monday with the same symptoms as when I first tested positives. It's just lingering, and while "mild" I'd like it to piss of now so I can start living my life again.

Yes Lynettescavo! I hear you!!

@UseHerName

So do I isolate again?! 🤯 im so confused! I already isolated for 10 days from 29th and then was out and about until today… do I report the positive lateral flow?

No, you don't need to isolate or report the lft as it's almost definitely the same infection.

Thanks all - so frustrating as I thought I was better and now I feel like I did again on 29th!

DH had similar. Was very ill for a month, got better for a week but then started up with symptoms again. He slowly seems to be coming out of it again now but it's been very frustrating and exhausting for him. I think it just takes a while to fully leave. With him, he's immune suppressed as well so makes it all even more complicated.

Glad to hear he’s feeling better now pinkandviolet

Thank you @UseHerName we appreciate the kind thoughts