Question

Are any doctors in Naperville testing for Covid-19 antibodies? I went to the Daytona 500 (February 16) and was sick from the 17th through March 1st (before this blew up). I haven’t been sick for nearly 2 months now - is there a way to tell if I had Covid and just didn’t realize it?  

Answer 1

I heard that the home breath-test is accurate. If you can hold your breath for 6 minutes, then you have zero chance of being infected by the COVID virus. ;)

Comments

@katz99 it’s a fake Chinese test! You really need to hold your breath for at least 15 minutes! 20 minutes would be even more accurate!  

Answer 2

I don't know of any. The state is the only one I have heard of doing this type of testing. And then only on a very small scale.  

Answer 3

You can contact the American Red Cross. They will test I believe. You need to be 28 days out.  

Answer 4

I saw on ABC 7 last night of new testi g locations and I think they mentioned one antibody site - I agree that Red Cross could probs point u in that direction

Comments

And that one antibody site. $250/test!  

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@convenience  

Answer 5

The Red Cross said they could take my info and notify me when antibody testing was available on my area.  

Answer 6

I would beware of tests offered by new private operations. I saw one on Neighborly Naperville that seemed sketchy, but it didn’t seem “neighborly” to call them out on that page. @sukin

Comments

Hmm. I don’t think I remember a post like that, Diane. If you see it again, will you tag me? I will take a look too.  

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@sukin It was from a new member named Rinku Shah who’d just opened a wellness center. I don’t know if COVID testing is available thru private practitioners. I know the BBB has warned us to be on the alert for bogus HOME kits, as NONE of them have yet been approved for accuracy.  

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Aha! Thank you so much for the great information. I found the post. Let me think about how to proceed. I would hate to delete it if it really was legitimate and could help people, but how does one know!  

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Diane, I took a look at Rinku Shah’s website and googled her as well, and I feel pretty confident that she runs a legit practice - although it turns out that she is in Chicago! Multiple websites do say that she is a board certified family physician. Here are some reviews of her practice.  I think I’ll leave the post alone unless I learn something else, but thank you again for mentioning this.  
https://www.zocdoc.com/doctor/rinku...85127

Answer 7

Dr. Kacmars office on 75. The center for primary care and sports medicine

Answer 8

Just got an email from urgikids. They are doing both covid and covid antibody testing for everybody, not just kids.  

Comments

@eadith11 Only if you qualify, such as being a first responder.  

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@undertint375 my e mail does not say it that way. It says their patients, their familes AND first resoonders.  

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Interesting. Mine doesn’t say that.  

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@eadith11 here is what Urgikids email said about testing

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@daedalus yes. It says to patients, families, healthcare workers and first responders, not to families of first responders, big difference. Testing is for everubody.  

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@eadith11 for the antibody test, they offering for first responders and healthcare providers and other limited circumstances.  

Answer 9

Yep. Dr Kacmar is doing both Covid19 and antibody testing.  

Answer 10

I was sick around feb 11th and went to ER, I remember how full it was of sick people coughing so after waiting for 4 hrs I went home. I went to see urgent care the next morning. Was tested for strep and flu all negative was told I had bronchitis and was sent home with an inhaler. I had body aches, no fever, but could not breathe coughed all night. I wonder if I had it already. Plus everyone in my home was sick too my kids included.  

Comments

@intertwine2 Same EXACT symptoms! I was also tested for those, both negative. The one symptom that I’ve never had prior to February was complete spatial disorientation.  

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@housen I'm curious as to us having it based on our symptoms. I remember I took thera flu and I felt worse my chest had tightened up so bad. I was even asked to take a chest xray and was told there was some fluid in my lungs but not enough to say it was pneumonia

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@intertwine2 same, I was scheduled for a chest x-ray but didn’t go.  

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@intertwine2 I had same symptoms in January with all tests negative. And all family members went through all of this within a month

Answer 11

I would like to take that test too

Answer 12

They aren’t making it a priority because they don’t think it should matter as we should all be “quarantined “ . But I understand, I’d like a antibody one as well and the confidence of immunity if that’s possible

Answer 13

I would think that this could possibly be a priority item. I've been reading about plasma donations from recovered people for severe covid cases

Answer 14

The Center for Primary Care & Sports Medicine in Aurora is doing antibody tests.  

Comments

@ruffle any idea how much theyre charging? The office ia closed so i cant ask

Answer 15

Same here and would love that test I heard that starting in may that Rockford and Aurora at the premium outlet mall will provide all those test however not 100% sure of accuracy however would like to know for sure

Answer 16

I believe Aurora has opened a site that tests for antibodies.  

Comments

@absolute no. They are testing for the virus not antivodies.  

Answer 17

The really interesting thing is that I spent a few nights with my girlfriend while I was at the peak of the illness, she never got sick. Shortly after, she spent time with her sister. The sister’s husband got Covid and became very sick, but the sister also didn’t get sick at all. We are thinking I gave her and her sister a weakened version, almost acting as a vaccine.  

Comments

I don't think giving people a "weakened version" is a thing. If she had it but didn't have symptoms, I'm pretty sure that means that she's lucky enough that her body handles it well, not that she got a different version of the virus.  

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@housen it’s called a symptomatic. Spreading without symptoms.  

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Lori, I believe you mean incubation period, as that is when a person can be contagious but not showing symptoms. Asymptomatic means no symptoms. I had COVID three weeks ago, but now I am asymptomatic.  

Answer 18

Last I heard, the antibody tests aren't very accurate yet. For some statistical reasons that are a little counter-intuitive and kind of hard to explain, they can give us an idea about how many people in a large sample have the antibodies, but they aren't accurate enough to rely on for individual results. I also heard that we don't know enough about the antibodies yet to tell whether the presence of antibodies necessarily translates to immunity. Even if we thought you had the antibodies, my understanding is that we aren't yet able to tell whether you have them in a quantity or quality that will convey immunity.  

Answer 19

Arcpoint labs in Orland Park offers Antibody testing. 15 min drive through appointments. Must book online.  

Answer 20

I had 11 fevers and 5 ER visits. Same time you had it. I believe I had it but when they tested me. I was negative.  

Answer 21

Just an FYI: Recent research has shown there are 3 strains of COVID-19 with 30 substrains. You can catch another strain in as little as 3 months after recovery from initial infection. Also, having the infection can lead to future health ailments much like having chicken pox can lead to shingles later in life.  

Comments

This post makes three claims, none of which are supported by the photo posted with it. Would you please cite sources for the claim that you can catch another strain 3 months after recovery and the claim that it leads to future health ailments? I'm just a guy who follows the news, but I have only heard speculation about those things. Haven't seen any research to support that speculation, yet.  

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I'm skimming through that sciencemag article, and I just don't see anything about long-term effects. It looks like it's all symptoms that people have developed in the short term. I mean, they are bad symptoms, obviously, but I'm not seeing anything comparable to the chickenpox/shingles connection. (One reason I'm skeptical here is how could they even know if it leads to long-term problems, since the virus only began infecting people a few months ago. )

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I don't see any doctors confirming what you are saying about the different strains leading to new infections. The NY Post article you posted explicitly contradicts that: "For now, the KCDC’s director-general, Jeong Eun-kyeong, believes it is likely the infection was re-activated after remaining dormant in the patients, as opposed to them being reinfected, the report said. "

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Dale, From PhD Microbiologist @stanstance1440 Blau Robertson: “Listening to Rep Casten's town hall [4-23-23]. I got to ask my question. The antibody tests are not as helpful as hoped. The antibody tests are not FDA approved and the quality of the tests are not as good as hoped. “ “As I suspected, they may have considerable cross reaction with other coronaviruses. They do know that people with mild, asymptomatic cases are not producing as high of titer as people who get severe illness. With other coronaviruses, the antibody immunity only lasts 3 months and you can get it again. With SARS, the deadly coronavirus in 2001, antibody immunity lasted 12 months. We need an antiviral treatment ahead of even a vaccine. ” RUSH is starting to research a way to improve antibody testing results.  

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This woman does say that immunity wears off for other coronaviruses, but she's not saying that we know how long immunity lasts with this coronavirus. I suspect that we just don't know, yet.  

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Dale, good catch, however, we cannot rule out given the number of strains, re-infection as well with new strain. Mutation is the issue.  

Answer 22

The antibody tests will test the immunoglobulins which can’t be done for some people. I have very low immunoglobulins (IGG) and per my doctor no way to tell on me.  

Answer 23

I have an appt on Monday and from what they tell me it’s covered by insurance.  

Answer 24

Can pregnant women take the antibody test? How is it done?  

Comments

The antibody test involves a blood draw. I do not know if it is a pin prick blood drop or a vials worth. Some are saying to contact the American Red Cross and they can help people get this done.  

Answer 25

Get tested what are you doing , you my be giving other what you have , stop posting and get tested ?  

Answer 26

From what Pritzker said today, it sounds like the antibody tests are still unreliable & it’s still unknown if the presence of antibodies guarantees immunity for either massive exposure or longterm exposure.  

Comments

Personally I would not waste my $$ on this test. Prob long disclaimers regarding accuracy

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@protolanguage9 It’s free with my insurance, also, I don’t trust a single thing Pritzker says, guy literally ripped out toilets to scam tax payers.  

Answer 27

I was around zFeb 21