Anyone do the antibody testing yet?

[PsyRN]

From what I’ve read there are several kinds of antibody tests, and most are are about as accurate as a coin toss. A couple promising ones are in the pike but not really available yet without more trials. And all antibody tests will vary between sensitivity and specificity and it’s usually a trade off. The more specific, the less sensitive = more false negatives. But the more sensitive = more false positives because more things trigger it.
long story short: take your results with a grain of salt.

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[jimbom]

Based on what the medical community is currently saying they think it wasn't in this country till January right now. Wouldn't be surprised though if testing starts to prove otherwise. My mom had something middle December that was just too similar to Covid-19

My mom died around Thanksgiving from a flu then pneumonia that also was very similar. Also has us wondering.

 

[eaglerugby04]

My mom died around Thanksgiving from a flu then pneumonia that also was very similar. Also has us wondering.

Sorry to hear that. This is some scary stuff going on. The situation with my mom was they kept giving her antibiotics and steroids and just sending her off, nothing seemed to work. Two months later and the doctors would have been looking at her condition way differntly.

 

[5JeepsAz]

My mom died around Thanksgiving from a flu then pneumonia that also was very similar. Also has us wondering.

Very sorry to hear of this news. Agree this was here earlier.

 

[Hootbro]

My mom died around Thanksgiving from a flu then pneumonia that also was very similar. Also has us wondering.

I think it was here way earlier also. Me and my wife who get our Flu shots like clockwork still came down with something the last week of November that had very similar if not exact symptoms of the current COVID crap. It was also probably the first time in 10+ years I had seen her sick with any cold/flu like symptoms.

 

[ArthurHolo]

A friend of mine did the antibody testing just for 'fun'. She wasn't sick and had no symptoms but the result was positive.

 

[WXman]

Saw yesterday that 77 NFL players got positive results, and then later found out they were ALL false positives.

So, after months of this circus, it has become clear that between the political gain and exploitation of this virus and the erroneous nature of testing for it, there is no trustworthy source of info to be had. You can't trust anything you hear, and getting tested is a complete waste of time.

 

[SwampNut]

That's a bit of BS of course, since while tests screw up, symptoms don't. So an asymptomatic positive can be questioned. I'm assuming you're not suggesting that a positive test, with symptoms, like I had, is fake?

Also, this thread is about the blood test for antibodies which is far more accurate than the active test with a nose swab. I assume you realize there's a difference.

 

[jimbom]

I don't understand the mindset that looks for and embraces any tiny anomoly to justify a completely irrational conspiracy theory.

 

[SwampNut]

I don't understand the mindset that looks for and embraces any tiny anomoly to justify a completely irrational conspiracy theory.

Dude, there were nutballs literally screaming at minimum wage teens at the local stores over the whole mask thing. So yeah, we don't know for sure how much they will help. We know for sure they won't hurt. We also have known for 100-ish years that they do help. Would you want your surgeon working without one? So just wear the damn thing. The whole fight was over some little anomalies in testing and changes in protocols as we learned new information.

I'm glad I started wearing one in early March, before it was cool. Because that's when I had it, and I hate the thought I might have injured and/or killed others.

 

[jimbom]

Dude, there were nutballs literally screaming at minimum wage teens at the local stores over the whole mask thing. So yeah, we don't know for sure how much they will help. We know for sure they won't hurt. We also have known for 100-ish years that they do help. Would you want your surgeon working without one? So just wear the damn thing. The whole fight was over some little anomalies in testing and changes in protocols as we learned new information.

I'm glad I started wearing one in early March, before it was cool. Because that's when I had it, and I hate the thought I might have injured and/or killed others.

I'm glad you're OK. Any lasting effects? My UPS guy got it real bad - almost hospital bad, but is back and fortunately doesn't have any severe after-effects.

I was disappointed in our Governor for not mandating masks state-wide, but fortunately the cities and counties did. It's encouraging that we've come down from being the worst in the world to where we are now. As far as I can tell, that has to be due in a large part because most are reasonable and wear the mask when out. I'm bracing for the effects that schools opening will have. My boy is doing high school from home and I'm good with that (so is he.)

 

[WXman]

That's a bit of BS of course, since while tests screw up, symptoms don't. So an asymptomatic positive can be questioned. I'm assuming you're not suggesting that a positive test, with symptoms, like I had, is fake?

Also, this thread is about the blood test for antibodies which is far more accurate than the active test with a nose swab. I assume you realize there's a difference.

OBVIOUSLY somebody with symptoms is sick. Ray Charles could see that.

I'm talking about those who are not sick being tested, in many cases FORCED to be tested. It's a complete waste of time. I could get a test today that is negative and 10 minutes after being tested stop at a restaurant for food and contract the virus there. Guess what? The test I took 10 minutes ago is pointless. All of these mandates and testing is a political circus.

As far as antibody testing goes, I spoke directly with my doctor about that since I believe there's a 95% chance I had it in October 2019 and he said that the antibodies aren't present in the bloodstream forever. You've got a window of roughly 3 months before it fades. And, those tests also have been plagued with problems and erroneous results.

Bottom line: This is a circus. Viruses come and viruses go. We've had myriad pandemics before. H1N1, H3N2, etc. in many of our lifetimes. Life went on. Why is this one different? Because there are politicians using it for control. That's why.

 

[SwampNut]

Life went on.

For some.

 

[SwampNut]

Any lasting effects?

There's no way to really know. One of the reasons this is a big deal is the potential for life-long damage. That's why kids' sports are being cancelled, and schooling is such a huge decision. Right now signs point to some number of people having heart and/or lung damage for life.

On the practical side I *think* there's nothing lasting, except that since then, I've had more breathing challenges. I've had allergies and exercise-induced asthma on and off all my life, but not usually during this part of the year.

The denialists think that only death numbers count, and refuse to consider all the many other impacts this has. I don't side with panic either, but the anti-maskers certainly made the other side look far more reasonable.

And I just couldn't believe, literally was just thinking it was not possible, that idiots could turn a virus into politics. We are doomed.

 

[5JeepsAz]

OBVIOUSLY somebody with symptoms is sick. Ray Charles could see that.

I'm talking about those who are not sick being tested, in many cases FORCED to be tested. It's a complete waste of time. I could get a test today that is negative and 10 minutes after being tested stop at a restaurant for food and contract the virus there. Guess what? The test I took 10 minutes ago is pointless. All of these mandates and testing is a political circus.

As far as antibody testing goes, I spoke directly with my doctor about that since I believe there's a 95% chance I had it in October 2019 and he said that the antibodies aren't present in the bloodstream forever. You've got a window of roughly 3 months before it fades. And, those tests also have been plagued with problems and erroneous results.

Bottom line: This is a circus. Viruses come and viruses go. We've had myriad pandemics before. H1N1, H3N2, etc. in many of our lifetimes. Life went on. Why is this one different? Because there are politicians using it for control. That's why.

If my Jeep has a problem it gets narrowed down to what needs fixed.

If my town has a virus, testing na rows it down to identify and isolate the sick people, who then go through what you said about the course of the illness.

The point is if I drive my Jeep with a wheel out balance and don't get it fixed, I MIGHT also end up paying for a new tire, shock, alignment, if I let it get out of hand.

Which is svoidable by balancing my tires.

Testing just helps the town know who might be sick, so it can be dealt with.

Not testing is like letting my tire balance issue become an alignment repair because I was either too lazy or too stupid to properly maintain my vehicle.

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