Feeling ill before testing positive

I haven’t but my daughter and several other people I know felt rough, had 3 days of negative LFT then a positive

Yes, happened to my DD too. Negative PCR followed by a positive.

If anyone has symptoms it should be a PCR test not a LFT
Although in my experience LFTs are pretty good at picking up positives regardless

I'm no medic, but can imagine your body fighting the infection and making you feel rotten, until it loses the battle and you fall sick!

2 DGC were never unwell. Got tested as DGD had symptoms but she was negative all way through. DD1 and DSil were testing every day after DGS was positive so became positive the day they felt unwell - heavy cold like symptoms. On day 12 after parents were affected DGC tested positive - they had never been out and seen anyone and she cried for 2 hours as we never saw then over Christmas and they were supposed to be coming on New Year's Day. She is only 4 and was very brave. No symptoms though.

I understood the LFT is for people showing no symptoms and the PCR test for people who do have symptoms. Once you have covid symptoms the LFT is not reliable.

DH tested negative twice. It wasn’t until I tested positive that on the third test a barely visible line showed on his kit. He thought his was a cold. In my case I felt grotty for a few days, no covid symptoms until a few days in when I lost my sense of taste and smell. The coughing came about a week later.

I felt as if I was getting a cold and had a sore throat and tested negative. The following day I felt worse and tested positive.

Yes my friend was negative for days whilst having a ‘bad cold’ but then changed to positive about 4/5 days later

I've just joined this, my first online anything ......... thought I'd enter the conversation as a tester.
I've been feeling rubbish since the week before Christmas.
Non stop coughing. Had a LFT every day, always negative and had a PCR which was also negative. Had 2 lots of antibiotics "just in case".
I honestly feel that its been coronavirus even with all the negative results.
One slight benefit (to my liver a least) is that i haven't been able to touch a drop of alcohol. Wine tastes like poison.
I'm saving a fortune! (wink).

I understand it is better to try to swab the throat as well as nostrils for a more accurate LFT reading, although you do run the risk of swallowing the tiny swab if you do ?

Agree with chestnut

I’ve heard of loads of people having this scenario. One chap I know had the same symptoms as his parents. They both had positive PCR’s while his was negative so he carried on as normal, with neg LF’s for work, then a week later, a PCR came back positive.

If you have symptoms and get a positive lft, it's pretty certain you have Covid. However symptoms and negative lft, you may have Covid - then need PCR. In Ireland now, younger people who get positive lft can report on health website and case gets added to stats. Also get asked for close contacts.
Lft does not become less reliable with symptoms, just less sensitive than PCR.

Ah yes.
That makes sense, thanks.

My recent experience in relation to OP:
Last Thursday I came to visit daughter expecting 3rd baby imminently. She told me on arrival that GD had just had PCR as mild cold symptoms, but lft was negative. I decided to take my chance, especially since fully vaccinated with booster.
However, next morning, PCR result came back positive and I had to be listed as close contact. In Ireland, close contacts get sent lft kits to test themselves over next week.
On Saturday I had slight pre-cold symptoms (scratchy throat) and around lunchtime did lft. It reacted with faint positive. Sunday morning more definite runny nose and sneezing and did another test - more definite positive. I assumed I had Covid and reported my results on official site.
Since then I've had worse cold symptoms but gradually improving now.
So in my case I started developing symptoms and got weak positive lft only 48 hours after exposure to Covid

My short incubation time may have been related to very close contact with positive case - my 3 year old GD- before I knew she had it.
Other members of her family had Covid just before Christmas, and though she was negative then, we thought she may have had it.

To all people on here who say you must take a pcr if you have symptoms ive been told twice that you cannot have a pcr more than once a month. What if you have symproms more often. Ive had a chest infection/cold/terrible cough had numerous lft tests and one pcr, all negative. My symptoms have kasted a month but i could have had covid and got better by the time im ready for another pcr.

The symptoms of Omicron are not the “classic” Covid ones and the government has never updated the list, even though scientists have been urging it to be done for over 18 months.
Many people just have a runny nose and think they have a cold.
joinzoe.com/learn/omicron-symptoms

Beverley It really makes me cross, that the NHS hasn’t updated its 3 symptoms, continuous cough, fever & loss of taste/smell.
The Zoe study showed over a year ago that other symptoms are common.

Last Saturday (15th) I thought I might have a cold, LFT negative.
Next day, cold symptoms worse. LFT again negative, but as a result of logging this on the Zoe app, I got a PCR, which was positive. I had none of the 3 NHS symptoms.
I then had the worst cold of my life & stayed in bed for a week.
Now, on Day 11, I have zero energy & am just relieved I don’t have to go to work or look after small children.

And yes, I’ve had 3 vaccines.

They are also saying eye infections and feeling dizzy can be symptoms. I guess the eye infections might come if you have cold symptoms and rub your eyes. Are cold symptoms always present ?

My symptoms were definitely just like a typical cold- no cough, no loss of taste smell. I had a slight fever by 3rd day. It's now got to the stage some of my previous colds have done - very snotty nose - can keep blowing out lots of greenish grunge?. Slight loss of appetite.
I've heard Omicron described as being like flu, but what I have is not nearly as bad.

My DD was quite stressed and felt overwhelmed for 2 days before covid symptoms developed.
Completely out of character for her as she's normally very capable

on xmas day i visited family, 3 of us came down with 'covid' symptoms 3 days after the meet,the other 2 tested positive, i didn't yet had the same symptoms. I tested negative with lft i was going to get a pcr test then my symptoms lifted! very strange condition.