It finally got me (maybe). I have questions.

[OneSmallBox]

Despite working in the NHS throughout, including a stint on Covid ICU, I’ve not had so much as a cold in the last 3 years and now I think it’s finally caught me. I say ‘think’ as LFTs are totally negative so I’m very confused. H and DD are both the same with similar symptoms and pattern to me. Neither of them have had any sign of it before either.
here’s what’s happened.

Friday evening. Knackered and cold. Slept for 13 hours and possibly high temp over night as felt very peculiar.
saturday. Entirely normal.
sunday. Started coughing. Sore throat. Felt a bit crap.
monday. Felt worse. Like a nasty cold brewing. Headache, eyes hurt. Coughing
Tuesday. Coughing but marginally better. Taste and smell slightly off.
wednesday. Better most of the day then about 800 times worse in the evening and over night. Totally bunged up but nose streaming. Sneezing constantly. Headache back. Nauseous.
thursday (right now). Feel dreadful. Knackered, bunged up, headache, face pain, sore throat back. Nausea. Dizzy.

feels different from normal cold or flu pattern because of all the ups and downs. No temp at all. Still coughing. Taste and smell still off but not completely gone. Coffee tastes foul.

but why are LFTs negative?

luckily my job at the mo i can work from home so in between crashes and naps I can get on (to a point).
im assuming it is but I’d quite like some proof for my memoirs.

also how bloody long is this going to go on for? I’m bored with it and feel shite and don’t like it.

Sorry that was long and boring but I’m feeling miserably sorry for myself

Are your tests all in date?

We got a batch of fresh tests, not had covid but we all tested neg with old tests. New ones all came up positive

I'm shocked at how quickly it's taken hold of us and how sick we all feel

What strain is circulating these days, have not had boosters yet either

It's horrible isn't it - all those 'it's just a cold' people are either very lucky or lying. That does sound like Covid but could easily be another virus. Are your husband and daughter positive? And did you swab your throat as well as nose?

The LFTs have never been sold as being 100% foolproof, so I guess it's just one of those things. You might test positive in a few days, or it might not be Covid after all.

LFTs are a new batch - NHS ones. Nose and throat. All of us are negative. All triple vaxed and I’ve not had an autumn booster yet (was booked for next flipping week). It’s just annoying as I’d like some proof. Maybe it’s not but it’s not like any cold I’ve had before and in 28 years I’ve never know H not go to work or to spend all day asleep. We’re a strapping healthy bunch usually.

In the latest video from Zoe, they say it's difficult to tell whether you've got a cold or Covid, but sneezing is less common for Covid:

(current symptoms are covered from 2:10)

It was my sneezing which made me think I should do a test!!

It was constant for almost an hour. I knew it wasn't just a cold/flu

Felt different, but I rarely get ill anyway

I currently know loads of people with really severe cold/ flu symptoms who are convinced they must have Covid but who are producing numerous negative Covid tests.

There seems to be a particularly nasty strain of cold/ flu doing the rounds in my area. I find it hard to believe that all these people are producing false negative Covid tests.

It's shit isn't it. I tested positive on Saturday and feel dreadful this morning. Very up and down every day. Hope you feel better soon!

It could be a cold/flu type thing that isn't COVID, but I've seen quite a few people on MN and in real life saying they tested negative for quite a few days even when they had symptoms but positive a few days in. It think if you have something unpleasant, you take steps not to pass it on to others where possible, whether COVID or not.

It really is utterly miserable. My DH has a lot of health issues and having both evaded it for 2.5 years I felt like I'd got flu on Friday 30/9, he had symptoms soon after. Following day he wasn't able to weight bear, tested positive, hospital since then and really isn't mobile at all now (he was with a stick or frame before this) They are talking about him returning home to be nursed in bed. He came out of isolation and still can't have visitors as the ward they transferred him to has Covid on it.

I seem to go up and down, lost smell/taste on day 5 and have had persistent upset tum for most of the time, extremely tired and symptoms come and go very weirdly.

Sympathy to all with this, it is not funny and I don't wish to be alarmist but it does not feel "mild" either.

LFTs are worse than useless. They give false negatives and lull people into a false sense of security, making them think it’s safe to mix because they don’t have Covid. I had Covid recently and didn’t test positive until day 6 of illness.

I've had similar as has everyone at work, all negative on lft and one person had a pcr (as due to travel to be safe) was negative. Other diseases are available!

I've literally just posted on another thread that the last three times I've had it, it took around a week (or more) to get a positive test! I don't know wether the tests have changed or it's new strains taking longer to achieve a positive test result. I've had covid seven times and each time I tested positive for it previously, it turned positive before the control line went pink.

Hope you feel better soon OP 💐

Can I join the gang. Unusually tired and grumpy last Thursday, same Fri/sat. Sunday started feeling properly Ill, Monday headache cough achey tired, Tues weds worse. In and out of sleep last night, cough is horrific.

3 negative LFTs. I’m immune suppressed so seeing nurse this arvo to see if I need anything to head off chest infection.

Took me a day or two of feeling really rotten before I finally got a positive LFT. I’m Day 11 now and it’s STILL bloody positive so be careful what you wish for.

I’m doing those old style LFTs where you’re supposed to put it down throat and in one nostril. But I just thought I’ll try doing it in both nostrils instead of throat and I’ve been getting instant and very strong positives. Indeed, I’m enjoying doing little experiments like barely putting the stick in my nostril and/or not leaving it in the solution for as long as it says, and it’s amazing how those LFTs are still picking up the virus despite my best efforts.

Sounds very similar to how I’ve felt with covid. All the ups and downs are horrible. I’ve also been sneezing lots. Remember LFTs miss about 30 percent of cases. This is why anyone who had symptoms used to have to do a PCR test. LFTs are useful in the absence of PCRs but give lots of false negatives. It took a good few days if symptoms before I tested positive. I hope you feel better soon. I’m also a week in and still have a strong positive.

I had a temperature from last Sat 8th until Wed last week. Tested negative on 5 days from Sunday to Thursday. Scratchy throat, dry cough, runny nose, headache, fatigue.
Felt better so have worked (from home) Thu/Fri and been out today.
Now feeling horrible nausea and temperature is back. Going to test again. I guess I could have had a different virus and now have covid but I'd feel awful if I'd been out whilst positive.

How are you feeling now OP? Day 12 I think for me and still feel like crap. I feel really out of it today with weak legs and still as exhausted as at the start.