False Negative COVID test?

[happily single]

I know there have been stories (especially near me) of labs giving false positive results (telling people they had covid when they didn’t). Have there been any reports of people testing negative but having COVID?
please feel free to offer any insight into what I am relaying below.


I ask because I have been sick for two weeks now and tested negative, but am not sure I trust the results. It started with a fever of 101, extreme sore throat, headache, exhaustion and a dry cough. My temperature went down to 99.9 where it stayed for a full 7 days. No medicine reduced the fever or helped with any of the symptoms. I was tested for COVID and strep which were both negative.

After 8 days the doctor in Urgent Care put me on Prednisone “to help with the inflammation in the throat” Via a telemedicine visit since my test results were pending they wouldn’t see me in person. . The Prednisone didn’t help.

Today I saw my PCP in person and she thinks it’s allergies and prescribed a cough pill. I have zero postnatal drip, no sneezing, no watery eyes. I do have seasonal allergies, but they have always cleared within 2-3 days max. I asked for another strep test today, but my doctor told me strep ONLY lasts 3 days no matter whether you treat it with antibiotics or not. She also said 99.9 is not a fever, it has to be above 100.4. I am training in women’s health and track my temperature daily and have for about 6 months. I know my “normal” range and it’s never above 98.1

My employer isn’t letting me return to work until I am 100% symptom free. I am wondering if I should go to a rapid result testing center, but I hear those results are known to be 60% inaccurate (not sure if I believe this)

Geez, I really don’t know what to believe, all I know is I feel terrible

 

[TLSnell1981]

We've recently had crud circulating with symptoms similar to yours that isn't COVID. If you are still concerned you can opt for another test. I personally wouldn't trust a rapid test.

 

[ReneeA]

I've seen lots and lots of false negatives (I work in a hospital) but no false positives. Typically, we are seeing people with lesser symptoms test negative, but then as their symptoms increase, they then test positive. There are different brands with varying degrees of accuracy. The Rosch has a high degree of accuracy, however, they take longer to result and are difficult to come by in some areas.

 

[JenBush]

I have also heard of people testing negative early on and then later testing positive. I would get tested again if I were you.

 

[TLSnell1981]

OP how many days of symptoms before your test? Did I understand it was seven?

 

[JM23457]

I have no doubt there are false negative test results. In May I had mild/moderate Covid symptoms & got tested, & was surprised to be negative. I later also tested negative for antibodies, so I probably didn't have it, but it's unlike me to be sick like that (I work with children and am good at not catching their many illnesses), especially since I was working from home at that time, & it wasn't flu season or anything.

I've read accounts of doctors saying many patients of theirs, who they were sure had severe Covid, tested negative.

So who really knows? No one.

 

[Moliphino]

One person I know who tested negative (had some symptoms, not very severe) was advised to still quarantine because it could have been a false negative. They then did a second test a few days later that was also negative.

 

[happily single]

OP how many days of symptoms before your test? Did I understand it was seven?

Two days. I began feeling ill at noon on Tuesday. I was tested Thursday at noon

 

[Walt4ever]

Did you get a full respiratory panel done? You could easily have a different strain. Sars1, Mers, and other strains are all still out there and all share the same symptoms as 19 since they are all coronaviruses (19 isn't as "novel" as the media touts, which is why it is also called Sars2). My brother had the 2005 strain (NL63) in March which sent him to the hospital for a few days. If it makes you feel better to put a name on whatever the yuck is (no judging, it DOES feel good to know the name), you might ask for it. The full panel is a blood test so you don't have to have the back of your skull touched again.

 

[Carol_]

If you don’t test for a wide panel, you can’t know what it is. Usually, docs will start with the most likely or most dangerous things. These days that’s Covid-19.
Also, all reliable tests have a non-zero false negative rate (as well as a false positive rate).
I recently saw someone who ended up having swine flu = the pandemic of a bygone era at this point.

 

[JoeA]

Last month my wife checked many of the boxes for Covid symptoms and her Dr wanted her to test.

The PA who did the test told her that the test reports false negative about 30% of the time. She basically had no faith in the testing process.

Cant say how accurate that is, only what she was told at the test site.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

I've been having mild symptoms for four weeks. After one week of having a mild sore/red throat, aches, low-grade fever, dizziness and fatigue, my doctor ordered a Covid test. I was negative. The doctor said since my symptoms were relatively mild, I likely had some other type of viral infection and to wait another week or two. After three weeks of unresolved symptoms, I was tested for mono, which was also negative. Another week went by the doctor ordered a full blood panel and a test for CMV (a virus similar to mono). All blood work is normal and I don't have CMV. It's still a mystery as to why I've been having these symptoms for four weeks.

I did some reading on Covid testing. The accuracy of testing seems to relate to how long after exposure you get tested. It seems like 5-7 days after exposure provides the most accuracy, but there's still a 20% false negative rate. So with the optimal timing, the test is still only 80% reliable. If you're positive but get tested too early, the test won't always pick it up. It's the same if you test too late. You could still be having lingering symptoms but the viral load has become too low for the test to detect.

I'm still having mild symptoms, but I don't feel terrible. I feel better knowing my CBC and metabolic panels are all normal. All I can do now is wait it out.

 

[happily single]

Did you get a full respiratory panel done? You could easily have a different strain. Sars1, Mers, and other strains are all still out there and all share the same symptoms as 19 since they are all coronaviruses (19 isn't as "novel" as the media touts, which is why it is also called Sars2). My brother had the 2005 strain (NL63) in March which sent him to the hospital for a few days. If it makes you feel better to put a name on whatever the yuck is (no judging, it DOES feel good to know the name), you might ask for it. The full panel is a blood test so you don't have to have the back of your skull touched again.

Thanks for this information. I Did not have a full panel, just the q-tip to the brain, which I’m not to keen to repeat

 

[happily single]

I've been having mild symptoms for four weeks. After one week of having a mild sore/red throat, aches, low-grade fever, dizziness and fatigue, my doctor ordered a Covid test. I was negative. The doctor said since my symptoms were relatively mild, I likely had some other type of viral infection and to wait another week or two. After three weeks of unresolved symptoms, I was tested for mono, which was also negative. Another week went by the doctor ordered a full blood panel and a test for CMV (a virus similar to mono). All blood work is normal and I don't have CMV. It's still a mystery as to why I've been having these symptoms for four weeks.

I did some reading on Covid testing. The accuracy of testing seems to relate to how long after exposure you get tested. It seems like 5-7 days after exposure provides the most accuracy, but there's still a 20% false negative rate. So with the optimal timing, the test is still only 80% reliable. If you're positive but get tested too early, the test won't always pick it up. It's the same if you test too late. You could still be having lingering symptoms but the viral load has become too low for the test to detect.

I'm still having mild symptoms, but I don't feel terrible. I feel better knowing my CBC and metabolic panels are all normal. All I can do now is wait it out.

Thanks for sharing. Hoping you feel 100% soon

 

[AP1209]

Maybe get the antibody test?

 

[AKLover]

I know there have been stories (especially near me) of labs giving false positive results (telling people they had covid when they didn’t). Have there been any reports of people testing negative but having COVID?
please feel free to offer any insight into what I am relaying below.

I currently have Covid. I tested negative at first, 2 days after my negative test I tested again and was positive that time.

My doctor said timing is critical on covid tests and you have to get the timing just right or it will read negative.

I’ll be taking another test in a about a week or so to see if I can get a negative so I can go back to work. A coworker of mine who tested positive a week before me has yet been able to get a negative to go back to work, so I am worried that I will keep showing positive as well. Coworker also had a much more mild case and far less symptoms than I have had.

Also worth noting, I have been sick for 3 weeks now. And I have never once had a fever over 99.9. It stayed 99.7-99.9 for over 10 days, my normal range is 98.6. My pcp said they haven’t seen a covid patient with a fever in weeks. Just wanted to add that bc I noticed you said the same thing about your temp.

 

[kimblebee]

I haven’t heard of any cases of false negatives or false positives here. My daughter had a test yesterday morning and got her negative result this afternoon. It was a very slim chance but she’s a hypochondriac so we felt it was better to test just in case.

 

[mjkacmom]

I currently have Covid. I tested negative at first, 2 days after my negative test I tested again and was positive that time.

My doctor said timing is critical on covid tests and you have to get the timing just right or it will read negative.

I’ll be taking another test in a about a week or so to see if I can get a negative so I can go back to work. A coworker of mine who tested positive a week before me has yet been able to get a negative to go back to work, so I am worried that I will keep showing positive as well. Coworker also had a much more mild case and far less symptoms than I have had.

Also worth noting, I have been sick for 3 weeks now. And I have never once had a fever over 99.9. It stayed 99.7-99.9 for over 10 days, my normal range is 98.6. My pcp said they haven’t seen a covid patient with a fever in weeks. Just wanted to add that bc I noticed you said the same thing about your temp.

My daughter’s boyfriend tested positive with no symptoms. He got a call from the cdc and was told he could test positive for up to 6 weeks but is considered not contagious 10 days after testing or 4 days fever free (but he never had a fever). Did they call you?

 

[happily single]

I currently have Covid. I tested negative at first, 2 days after my negative test I tested again and was positive that time.

My doctor said timing is critical on covid tests and you have to get the timing just right or it will read negative.

I’ll be taking another test in a about a week or so to see if I can get a negative so I can go back to work. A coworker of mine who tested positive a week before me has yet been able to get a negative to go back to work, so I am worried that I will keep showing positive as well. Coworker also had a much more mild case and far less symptoms than I have had.

Also worth noting, I have been sick for 3 weeks now. And I have never once had a fever over 99.9. It stayed 99.7-99.9 for over 10 days, my normal range is 98.6. My pcp said they haven’t seen a covid patient with a fever in weeks. Just wanted to add that bc I noticed you said the same thing about your temp.

Thanks for sharing. I’m also on week three. I saw an ENT this week who told me to get another Covid test because he has seen/heard of false negative.

 

[happily single]

My daughter’s boyfriend tested positive with no symptoms. He got a call from the cdc and was told he could test positive for up to 6 weeks but is considered not contagious 10 days after testing or 4 days fever free (but he never had a fever). Did they call you?

No, but I tested negative