our digital one you have to push a button so it knows to start, does yours have a button, to start it or turn it on?
Or push and hold it till it zero's out or blinks numbers??
It's been so long since anyone had anything needing a temp taken around here...I can't recall exactly what it did but I know we pushed a button then used it.

I can't believe you managed to get 2 that don't work...how frustrating..

But I do think you are OK , you'd be feeling worse by now if you had something serious