Your CoVid-19 test queries and observations - the Megathread

Airyfairy12

mystic wrote: »

Dublin
Went to GP on Friday 13th March to get a letter for work as I have several of the underlying conditions. Employer insisted I needed a letter.
During the consultation the GP examined me. Temperature was high (I didn't know), Oxygen saturation was 95%, lungs were awful and BP was high. He decided I needed to be referred for a test. He rang the HSE line and got through after approximately 30 minutes. Left the surgery with a mask on.
1pm, got a call from a Public Health doctor who agreed I should be referred. She went through the self isolation process and said a mobile tester would contact me that night or Saturday morning.
8.44pm. Missed call from a private number.....4 rings.
11.30pm. Missed call from a private number again...2 rings this time. Phone was beside me.
Symptoms: stabbing pain and tightness in lungs, cough and fluctuating temperature.
No contact about testing since 13th March. Very anxious and stressful time. Symptoms have eased.
They changed the referral process the following Monday.
Still in self isolation.

This scares me so much. Why are systems in place if theyre not actually going to help anyone?

Yet its unsurprising. The health system in this country is incredibly incompetent. Always has been.

mystic

Airyfairy12 wrote: »

This scares me so much. Why are systems in place if theyre not actually going to help anyone?

Yet its unsurprising. The health system in this country is incredibly incompetent. Always has been.

Please don't get scared. I've been in touch with GP by email and phone. He advised to ring 999 if my breathing got worse.

My concern is somebody waiting this long may actually give up self isolation and return to work and may be positive and possibly infect others.

Deirdre5

michellie wrote: »

I was phoned today at 3.20 and asked to go for test at 4.20, I got texts a few minutes later confirming mine and my daughters appointments. There are 2 drive through centres here.

thanks. do you know what we're supposed to do if we don't drive?

Deirdre5

mystic wrote: »

Please don't get scared. I've been in touch with GP by email and phone. He advised to ring 999 if my breathing got worse.

My concern is somebody waiting this long may actually give up self isolation and return to work and may be positive and possibly infect others.

that's what I'm wondering also. my sick cert only covers up to a certain time. i have to go back with her without a test otherwise i won't get paid/won't have a job

michellie

Deirdre5 wrote: »

thanks. do you know what we're supposed to do if we don't drive?

They send someone out to your house to test you-they come in an ambulance.

gingerhousewife

My brother was tested last Saturday at noon in Limerick. Told he would have results in 36 hours. Over a week now, and no sign of the results. Anyone have a similar experience?

Another brother was tested on Thursday morning and when they told him 36 hours he said "ok...". He hasn't heard anything either.

Airyfairy12

gingerhousewife wrote: »

My brother was tested last Saturday at noon in Limerick. Told he would have results in 36 hours. Over a week now, and no sign of the results. Anyone have a similar experience?

Another brother was tested on Thursday morning and when they told him 36 hours he said "ok...". He hasn't heard anything either.

Can they ring back to ask?

wat24

Does anyone know what time the test centres are working till?

Sexual Chocolate

wat24 wrote: »

Does anyone know what time the test centres are working till?

I read that there were operating 0800-2000 each day but it could be wrong.

gingerhousewife

Airyfairy12 wrote: »

Can they ring back to ask?

Not sure, he has only been in contact with the GP who referred him. She reckons if it was positive he would have heard back

Vodkat

Airyfairy12 wrote: »

Can I just ask what kind of sore throat did you have? Was it like swollen glands in your neck or something else?

Its not me that's awaiting the test it's a family member. They described the sore throat like one that you get where it's painful to swallow. Hope this helps.

Airyfairy12

Vodkat wrote: »

Its not me that's awaiting the test it's a family member. They described the sore throat like one that you get where it's painful to swallow. Hope this helps.

Thanks that is really helpful.

ShaShaBear

Waiting since Wednesday in Monaghan.

Currently almost 13 weeks pregnant and am not allowed to attend the hospital for any appointments until there is a confirmed negative, so definitely will need a test if I want any care during this pregnancy.

tippingpoint

Does anyone have any idea what the current waiting time is for a test in Mayo?

lawrencesummers

Sleeper12 wrote: »

If you had the virus but had recovered by the time you are tested the test would still show positive results for the virus. You would still have traces of it unless you meant getting tested weeks after recovery.

Had a trip to hospital yesterday, wife’s symptoms worsened, examined and told she is well enough to go home.

Told that test would be carried out today after being requested last Wednesday.
Doctor said that the test results cannot be taken as definitive. Because of the symptoms we are to assume wife is infected, he said it’s pretty guaranteed that she has it, but test could still be a negative. He said 75% of negatives are wrong

At home, isolating. Waiting on a call / text for a test safe in the knowledge that it’s pointless and facing a return to hospital if conditions worsen in the coming days.

Chalk McHugh

Rang last Wed. Woman operator said doctor would ring me back later. Told her i had new phone number and gave to her.

No word so i rang today to be told the doctor was trying to ring me last Wednesday. He must been using my old number. Ridiculous. I told woman last week specifically i had new number since last doctor visit.

Anyway she said he'll ring me today sometime. That could be me waiting another week or so. Might be 7-10 days or more since i first rang due to that cock up. Feeling better now. Still bad headaches though.

eastie17

Waiting since Monday 16th, very mild symptoms which are now gone since Wednesday. Doc referred for test, nothing since.
I would imagine they are doing some sort of triaging of cases but as the thing is moving so fast and the rules to response changing i wouldnt be surprised if those of us who were put down for tests early never get tested.
As I've been self isolating since getting back from a business trip to Germany on the 12th (seems like a life time ago now),and will continue to do so until this Thursday at a minimum, I really only want to be tested to say if I had it or not.
Knowing who has had it will be just as important as knowing who had in the weeks ahead

kingstevii

lawrencesummers wrote: »

Had a trip to hospital yesterday, wife’s symptoms worsened, examined and told she is well enough to go home.

Told that test would be carried out today after being requested last Wednesday.
Doctor said that the test results cannot be taken as definitive. Because of the symptoms we are to assume wife is infected, he said it’s pretty guaranteed that she has it, but test could still be a negative. He said 75% of negatives are wrong

At home, isolating. Waiting on a call / text for a test safe in the knowledge that it’s pointless and facing a return to hospital if conditions worsen in the coming days.

75% of negatives are wrong? Really? So 3 out of 4 negatives are positives? Id be asking for a source for that one...

lawrencesummers

lawrencesummers wrote: »

Had a trip to hospital yesterday, wife’s symptoms worsened, examined and told she is well enough to go home.

Told that test would be carried out today after being requested last Wednesday.
Doctor said that the test results cannot be taken as definitive. Because of the symptoms we are to assume wife is infected, he said it’s pretty guaranteed that she has it, but test could still be a negative. He said 75% of negatives are wrong

At home, isolating. Waiting on a call / text for a test safe in the knowledge that it’s pointless and facing a return to hospital if conditions worsen in the coming days.

WTF 75% are wrong ??? seriously what's the point so?

magic17

The whole thing just seems strange. Maybe it's a lack of test kits. Surely they should be testing 24/7. If this thing is as serious as they make out then they should be doing everything in their power to get the correct number of cases as soon as possible so that we know exactly what kind of numbers we're dealing with. They are reporting ~100 cases a day recently but anyone reading this thread will know those figures must be at least 5 days behind.

lawrencesummers

kingstevii wrote: »

75% of negatives are wrong? Really? So 3 out of 4 negatives are positives? Id be asking for a source for that one...

Source?
Did you not read what I said?
It was pretty clear. Actually perfectly clear.

lawrencesummers

rusty cole wrote: »

WTF 75% are wrong ??? seriously what's the point so?

The virus can have run its course and be after leaving damage, infection etc.

The tests are limited, not just in number but in nature.

Sexual Chocolate

magic17 wrote: »

The whole thing just seems strange. Maybe it's a lack of test kits. Surely they should be testing 24/7. If this thing is as serious as they make out then they should be doing everything in their power to get the correct number of cases as soon as possible so that we know exactly what kind of numbers we're dealing with. They are reporting ~100 cases a day recently but anyone reading this thread will know those figures must be at least 5 days behind.

I think there running lower on test kits than there letting on. Aer lingus A330s are to start cargo flights between here and China in the coming days to bring in medical supplies.

never_mind

lawrencesummers wrote: »

Source?
Did you not read what I said?
It was pretty clear. Actually perfectly clear.

I think the Doctor in question should be providing a source... sounds a bit mad tbh.

Snipp

The health literacy of the general public and the majority of the people posting in this thread is incredibly low. You are all contributing to the back up.

zinfandel

Airyfairy12 wrote: »

Thanks that is really helpful.

I have had a scratchy/ irritated throat for at least 8 days, I can see that it is inflamed, its the type of throat that if you talk you have to keep clearing it but not overly painful to swallow. I am sipping a variety of warm liquids all day.
I have no other symptoms and staying in, so not asking for a test.

never_mind

Snipp wrote: »

The health literacy of the general public and the majority of the people posting in this thread is incredibly low. You are all contributing to the back up.

How would you expect for the general public to be literate in this unprecedented and MAD situation we find ourselves in?

lawrencesummers

never_mind wrote: »

I think the Doctor in question should be providing a source... sounds a bit mad tbh.

Next time Im speaking to an ER doctor and he says something il ask him for a source because essentially I don’t trust his years of training, his difficult to attain qualifications and his plentiful experience. Yea right.

That’s what he said.
Do what you want with it but it makes sense to me.


I’m sure in 12 months time there will be faster, more accurate tests but at the moment it’s pretty obvious they are limited.

sonic2000

Can anyone offer suggestions? I have been having serious doubts about myself. I have suffered with Asthma since I was young. However, it comes and goes. Since the appearance of the CoronaVirus, I have found my asthma has returned and that my breathing has become laboured and quite heavy. But also I get pains often in my chest/abdomen areas.
I rang my GP last Monday and explained to the receptionist about my symptoms who assured me my GP would make contact. Friday came and i still hadn't heard so a friend rang again for me and I have been prescribed 2 inhalers.
I haven't improved at all and I would like to be tested. Should I ring my GP again or can I skip this step.
He didn't seem to appreciate that I hadn't attended his practice since 2014.

Snipp

never_mind wrote: »

How would you expect for the general public to be literate in this unprecedented and MAD situation we find ourselves in?

By following HSE guidelines.