Should / Can I get tested?
4So… two weeks ago today I had a fever of 100, a slight cough, shortness of breath, and soreness. The fever and cough went away overnight and did not return.
Fast forward two weeks and I still have shortness of breath (on a scale of 1-10, it’s about a 4), and soreness.
Since what I had two weeks ago was mild and shortlived, I felt like I didn’t need to get tested. I didn’t want to use up one of the valuable tests in case it was just a fluke thing. I’d feel like crap if someone else whom was worse off could have used that test.
Note… I have stayed in my house for all but two moments. Both times I social distanced, and wore a face mask.
Now that I still have shortness of breath and soreness, should I… or even can I… get tested for this scary virus?
I will be contacting my doctor in the afternoon about something else, and will be bringing this up… but I’d figure if there was anyone knowledgeable enough to help me out in the mean time.
- 12 comments, 26 replies
- Comment
Call your primary care physician and ask what they think.
Everyone is different. And every community is different as to the minimum required to test for a potential history of having it. Don’t let the press fool you. Serology (blood tests) tests are not nearly as accurate as the manufacturers claim them to be in someone who is not really really sick.
The newer nasal swab tests are pretty accurate. (much better than the first run) But do require you to still have an active infection.
Personal belief - more have had it than we know. Any thing else is just what’s in my head. Nothing else that is factual.
Yes, I’m a nurse.
PRANKS! CRANKS! SHANKS! wait…
@mediocrebot Um… what?
I’ve researched the hell out of this because I too believe I had it. My doctor did use the ten second breath hold to give them an idea of the severity of the problem, along with asking numerous other questions. I think it was tied more to my age and symptoms than a generic test. I don’t think it would have held up asking a 70 year old do the same with a similar result, just as doing a stress test would be completely different for two people with drastically different physical abilities. They really still don’t know how to handle this virus. It will be at least months until they truly know the in’s and out’s of it with reasonable certainty. The testing part, at least where I live, they will only do if you are basically ready to get admitted because you can no longer breathe. Unless you are an older, highly at risk adult that is showing most of the other known symptoms.
Also, @hems79 I can say that if you do have it everything I’ve read says it can linger for weeks in your body and pepper you with a moving target of minor symptoms to drive you crazy. When it gets into your air tract and lungs it damages the cillia which keeps out the undesirable crud. Until those heal over time, it will let that stuff in and keep your lungs irritated. That might be cause of your persistent cough.
Please remember with all of this, I’m only a internet, Web-MD, research everything too much type of non Dr. so take this all as you will. And good luck to you.
@ohcoasterfreak Interesting info about the chronic cough. Thanks for mentioning that. I can’t get rid of my cough and it is about 6 or 7 weeks later. My PCP concluded I likely had had it but they weren’t paying attention here then, no testing available until nearly a month later…
@Kidsandliz I heard that a test was coming that will be able to tell you if you had it. It is supposed to find the covid-19 antibodies. I will try to be first in line because I want to know if the hell I went through was actually it.
@ohcoasterfreak Yeah I want to know too. I also want to know because if I have had it then it is safe to go out and apply for one of the jobs with public contact that my oncologist told me I couldn’t work at right now.
@ohcoasterfreak Well if we can actually find out we have had it we should then donate plasma since they are finding plasma (well some component of that plasma anyway) is helping some who are really sick with this. Of course there needs to be an actual clinical trial, but to do that they will need a ton of plasma from survivors. And if they have enough plasma from survivors and can isolate what is helping, they could then hopefully produce it in quantities as a treatment without relying on a ton of plasma donations.
Actually if this plasma thing pans out this will mean that all those myeloma (cancer of the platelets) patients might be protected as many of them get plasma infusions on a regular basis. That would be really cool for them.
I THINK I have it every time I got out in public, but when I get home I’m back to being fine.
It was really easyand quick to diagnose myself with social hypochondria.
I’m not saying anything about what other people are going through and they don’t have IT. I’ll be so glad for the day when we have to clarify what “IT” is…
Spring pollens are up. I’ve heard a “hold your breath for 10 seconds” is another anecdotal, easy to understand “test” to add to the other information you’re giving your doctor.
I don’t know the availability of tests in your area. Where I am, they are doctor referrals, and drive-through sample collection. Although that’s to keep it out of the hospitals and for the public show aspects (which is sad, gaslighting America to think there’s enough tests to go around like picking one up from McDonald’s).
Talk with your doctor. If they test you and you are in the “mild” infection population (that fever) and are post-symptomatic, then they are going to be interested in your case. Again, your doctor will know how to proceed. If you need a test, you’ll get an Rx and the appointment to get one. Might not be right away, but you’ll be on the schedule if your doctor thinks you’re a candidate.
I’m sure every doctor in the country is getting e-visits from patients that all think they have COVID-19. So you’re not alone in asking your doctor.
If you get tested, they might be trying new tests for people that have already had it, especially if it was mild (80% are) to look for antibodies and to watch for re-infection. There’s a lot we don’t know yet about those pathways.
@mike808 The “Hold your breath for ten seconds” thing is a hoax.
https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2020/mar/13/viral-image/dont-hold-your-breath-isnt-credible-way-test-coron/
@Limewater @mike808 really? I heard it on the news here in the Lou over the weekend
@mike808 @tinamarie1974 I can’t speak for the quality of your local news broadcasts.
But yeah. Here’s another mainstream news story with a relevant quote from an expert.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2020/03/22/coronavirus-fact-check-your-holding-breath-test-covid-19/2891572001/
@Limewater @mike808 @tinamarie1974 I held my breath while reading this.
@Limewater @therealjrn @tinamarie1974
There is a reason I clearly noted the information was anecdotal and that it was part of the overall constellation of symptoms, and not a singular conclusive test.
Also, nobody here should be taking medical advice from deal-a-day website anonymous user forums. I thought the Tide Pod thing cleared those people out with an express pass to claim their Darwin Award. Hopefully before procreating.
@mike808 @therealjrn @tinamarie1974 I have not seen anything reputable that lists inability to hold one’s breath for ten seconds to be a symptom of Covid-19. I have seen reputable sources say that it is not a symptom, and posted a relevant quote above.
Hey, I just found a “Self-Checker” on the CDC website. That might be fun for @hems79
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/index.html
@hems79 @Limewater @therealjrn @tinamarie1974
I never said this anecdotal “test” was a symptom of COVID-19 - I said it was information that could be useful telling a doctor about - along with the other experiences one might be having.
And shortness of breath is a symptom of COVID-19. It is also a symptom of allergies and COPD, among probably many other diseases and syndromes.
The self-checker is useful and more reliable than Fox News, anecdotal stories, and Facebook. Thx.
@mike808
That anecdote arose from a hoax that was getting passed around as legitimate information.
It is misinformation and not helpful.
Don’t get defensive about it, just stop spreading it.
@hems79 @Limewater @mike808 @therealjrn yeah and please do not think I am saying because it is on the news it must be hard facts. I am just surprised they would discuss it if there was no truth behind the statement. (Maybe I am naive) I am not a doctor and I do not play one on TV…only a nurse in the bedroom!
What they did explain was, this test will not tell you of you have it, but would tell you if you have decreased respiratory abilities, which should be addressed (lung tissue scaring).
Anyway, lets all just try to stay healthy!!
@Limewater @mike808 @tinamarie1974 Exactly. The only thing the 10 second test proves is that you can hold your breath for 10 seconds.
@mike808 <iframe width=“560” height=“315” src=“” frameborder=“0” allow=“accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture” allowfullscreen></iframe>
The call your doctor and ask someone else said sounds like a very good idea. Around here they won’t test unless you actually have a 100.4 fever or higher at the time of the test so the better part of prudence is not to have a morning test so you don’t get denied at the test site and don’t postpone asking if you qualify for testing to the point that you longer have a fever but are still sick.
I called mine once there were finally local tests (end of March) but they wouldn’t test as the fever had gone away along with most of the symptoms (it was early Feb when I got first sick and no tests to speak of then but did have exposure to someone who lives in my building and had come back from an area in CA that was a hot spot, he then went back to CA so no idea if he ever got sick). He did conclude that I likely had a middle of the road case of it.
I was one of the people who started with a frontal headache, dry cough and major nausea (about 1/2 the folks who test positive start with major nausea - I lost 8 pounds with that, initially thought I had really nasty food poisoning). Then came the fever, cough got a whole lot worse, then some irregular heart beat junk (which I have never had before) was added in (they now say that can be part of this too) along with being mildly short of breath for about 4 or so days. At the time I was sick the MD told me to come back in 10 days if I was still sick (no testing here back then). Well 10 days later I was finally starting to get better so didn’t go back in.
Then I discussed this (still can’t completely get rid of the cough) on a telehealth apt last week and they concluded I had had it, too late to test since I didn’t have a fever anymore blah blah blah…
Hope you feel better sooner rather than later.
@Kidsandliz Where I live I had a fever of 101.9 and since I could still breathe and speak more than two words along with being under 50 I didn’t qualify for a test. Until they have widespread testing they are being very tight with it, at least here anyway. I too still have a persistent cough, and what I researched could explain it. I posted it below.
@Kidsandliz I had almost the same experience as you. For me, I never had a horrible non stop cough just a middle of the road constant cough. But if you pepper in the chills and a painful tight chest that felt like it would explode for about two days everything else followed along just like what happened to you. Good luck and health to you going forward.
@ohcoasterfreak Oh yeah forgot about the chills. Hope things are fine with you now.
@ohcoasterfreak There about 4 or 5 people in my apt building with identical symptoms to yours and what were mine (some before me and some after me), plus a handful of other people I know with the same symptoms. Either we all have had this or we all have had something else that is going around that hasn’t been identified due to all hands on deck focused on the pandemic.
I can say for sure it wasn’t Flu A as I was tested for that, so was my friend who had something similar prior to when I had it. No idea if the person I was around who had been in CA in a hot spot, came home for 5 days, screwed someone else who got sick but didn’t seek help until she had pneumonia (again prior to testing locally) and I was around here had it or not (as no local testing back then). No one that I know has been tested either because we missed the boat (no test then), didn’t qualify (no temp high enough at the time), or in one case (someone in my building) doesn’t want to know (she’s an idiot).
Adding one last thing… I’ve been working from home for the past three weeks, and went through an unbelievable amount of stress a few weeks back. It was unbearable and I had an honest to God panic attack. I don’t know if that could have brought on all of those symptoms.
A quick call to your primary care doctor will tell you whether or not you can even be tested. If you’re in Michigan for instance, very few people who are not being admitted to the hospital will get tested*. A positive test for someone with tolerable symptoms out in the community will not lead to any kind of medical treatment. You’ll just wait at home for 2 weeks and then get some instructions on how to know when it’s safe to interact with people again.
Please let us know what your doc says!
*Source: I take calls from doctors and nurses seeking COVID-19 tests for their patients.
@melonscoop Yes I’m in hot spot Detroit area Michigan and that’s what I’m hearing. Basically no one gets tested here until they’re ready for ICU.
Saw articles today that thousands of our local Michigan hospital workers tested positive. That can’t be good. 1500 Beaumont employees off with symptoms (no info on # tested), 734 tested positive at Henry Ford, 600+ positive tests at Detroit Hospital.
https://www.bridgemi.com/michigan-health-watch/beaumont-has-1500-workers-coronavirus-symptoms-including-500-nurses
@katbyter @melonscoop
Yeah I live in mi and I was gonna say the same thing. A positive test isn’t gonna make a difference on how they treat you (quarantine at home) unless it’s it’s life threatening.
My adult son who lives with us took an Advil for hand pain on Sunday at 10PM went to bed and called me at 11:15PM with 102°F fever and chills. No other symptoms but the fever remained high while on Tylenol later. The doctor (in PA) said they won’t test because he only has one symptom but to treat as if he is positive which means our household has to self isolate for 2 weeks. The fever was up to 103.5° last night but thankfully dropped lower with the next dose of meds.
@callow Alternate Tylenol (Acetominophen) and Advil (Ibuprofen) for fevers. Tylenol is more effective at reducing fevers by itself, Advil is more of an anti-inflammatory pain relief.
If the kid is coughing at night and can’t sleep, Delsym will help (be careful with dosage - more is not better) for longer than the normal DMs, (12hr vs 4hr).
@hems79 we have some medical people here but myself as a layman you sound ok.
Do you smoke? Have you had asthma? Live with a smoker? How old are you?
@therealjrn
I have asthma under control.
40 yrs old
@hems79 Are you using a rescue inhaler or do you have a nebulizer machine?
I’m a COPD guy, of which the treatment protocol is similar to asthma. I’ve been using my inhaler more often but I’m attributing that to springtime pollens or molds or something.
I thought I had it too, I really had my normal nasty sinus infection from working in the yard without a mask. Knock yourself out at night with tylenol if you have to but get your sleep. Lack of sleep makes asthma worse at least for me anyway.
@cranky1950 I’ve been living on claritinD for the last month and a half because my steroid just isn’t doing it. I hate this time of year worse than fall.