All symptoms but no antibodies

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amother

Tue, Sep 22 2020, 5:07 pm

Wondering if anyone else had a similar story or has a bit more knowledge about antibodies and how they work.

At about beginning of March this year, I pretty much had almost the entire list of symptoms including: Chills, extreme fatigue, enourmous headache, the worst diarrhea ever and difficulty breathing that lasted for another month after all symptoms disappeared.

I never had a positive Covid test because at the time it was still very hard to get hold of a test.

I went for 2 separate antibody tests, one about 6 weeks after symtoms started and another one about 10 weeks post. On both tests the results came back negative for antibodies.

This is so confusing!
Is this common ? Does that mean that I did not have covid ?? If I had it, am I back to square 1 because I don't have antibodies ? Banging head

youngishbear

Tue, Sep 22 2020, 5:12 pm

The antibody tests are really not useful on an individual level.

A - too many false positives and false negatives

B - there may be forms of immunity these tests can't detect, such as T-cell activity, which provide some protection

C - positive antibody results may give a false sense of confidence, even though reinfection is a definite possibility

D - antibodies may fade faster than expected, with the similar consequence of false confidence

A doctor told me that even people who test positive for antibodies need to continue behaving as if they don't have any immunity, at least until we understand more about this virus.

Last edited by youngishbear on Tue, Sep 22 2020, 5:13 pm; edited 1 time in total

thunderstorm

Tue, Sep 22 2020, 5:12 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Wondering if anyone else has a similar story like this one or has a bit more knowledge about antibodies.

At about beginning of March this year, I pretty much had the entire list of symptoms including: Chills, extreme fatigue, enourmous headache, the worst diarrhea ever and difficulty breathing that lasted for another month after all symptoms disappeared.

I never had a positive Covid test because at the time it was still very hard to get hold of a test.

I went for 2 separate antibody tests, one about 6 weeks after and another one about 10 weeks post. On both of them the results came back negative for antibodies.

This is so confusing!
Is this common ? Does that mean that I did not have covid ?? If I had it, am I back to square 1 because I don't have antibodies ? Banging head

My mother had this. And she had confirmed double pneumonia and was on oxygen and still had two negative antibody tests even though the doctors said she had ALL the symptoms including the classic loss of smell and taste and she had fever for 11 days and then her oxygen levels dropped . She was on oxygen for another week and on medication. She wears a mask everywhere and is working remotely as per advice of her doctor and Rav. She is over 60.

banana123

Tue, Sep 22 2020, 5:17 pm

Your symptoms could've been symptoms of anything. So you might not have had COVID-19.

Or, you might have had it and just not developed immunity. Or, the tests aren't identifying your immunity. No one can know.

But, this is one example of why no one should assume immunity based on thinking that they had COVID-19, because "they had all the symptoms." You may have had it. You may not have. You may be immune but the tests aren't showing it. You may not be immune at all.

amother

Mauve

Tue, Sep 22 2020, 5:21 pm

Yup my husband had this, too.

leah.bp

Tue, Sep 22 2020, 5:23 pm

heard might depend on the blood type

amother

Fuchsia

Tue, Sep 22 2020, 5:25 pm

My FIL had all the symptoms very bad and a POSITIVE covid test and he has no antibodies. He tested for antibodies twice. My in laws are being super careful because they're petrified he'll get it again

amother

Scarlet

Tue, Sep 22 2020, 5:45 pm

My family had a lot of these symptoms to varying degrees in late January and early February...before we were even thinking about COVID. We just wrote it off as random winter virus....but it had a pretty noticeable cough (moreso than the typical viruses that seem to go around during cold/flu season) and just other weirdness, especially for me, with breathing...but nothing that stopped me entirely. It did take longer than a typical bad cold/virus to get through (maybe 3 days mildly sick, and another 4 days to feel not exhausted and an entire week to not be coughing a ton...which is a long run for me. )

Anyways, I didn't get tested for COVID because it wasn't a "thing" yet. My dr at my physical in mid May said it's very possible I had it that early, and ordered antibodies test...but by then it was mid May and I tested negative for antibodies.

So, dunno...but I guess it doesn't really matter if immunity may not be long lasting.

ra_mom

Tue, Sep 22 2020, 6:24 pm

Yes. My relative with O+ blood. She stays away from crowds, wears a mask around others and needs to be very careful.

amother

Pewter

Tue, Sep 22 2020, 6:30 pm

Yes. My dh.

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