Is your normal body temperature 98.6?
 

Hi,

My body temperature runs lower than the normal 98.6

Today in the afternoon and again just now, my temperature was 97.1.

This is hard in doctors's office when I say I have a fever and they say I am normal.

M

You can just simply tell them that your body temperature is lower than "normal"...are you starting to feel sick?
hope not.
bizi
I don't know what my normal is.....

98.6 is normal a little variation up or down --doesnt have a impact --its how u feel?? Hope your not getting sick for holidays that would be a bummer!!:eek:

Hi, Mg and Bizi,

I feel fine.
I am wondering if anyone else is lowering than normal.
THe nurses in the doctors' office never believe me.

M

Love that name of your cat (Harriet) she is very cute!! Its funny my dog name Hailey and I call her sweet baby girl too :)

Mari. Yes. It's 98.6. I'm sorry that you are having a problem with your temperature not being normal. Having doctors wondering about this is
another uncomfortable situation on top of everything else. I'm sorry. BF:hug::hug::hug:

Hey, Steve,

It is good that your temperature is normal.
That makes things so much easier when dealing with docs.

M

temperature elevations
 

Hi Mari :Heart:

I do know that "fever" is different than elevated temp. Not sure how clinicians treat absolute values and personal variances. I did find the Wiki article on fever interesting when i read it a while back:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fever.

My temp runs about a 1 degree F lower too, and varies a little, but is still within the standard normal range (98–100 °F) cited in Wiki. Nonetheless, 98.6 does represent an elevation from MY norm... either due to sickness or for a transient reason like digestion. In the case of sickness i typicall get sx that correspond to slight fever with that reading.

~1.0°F (or 0.5°C) seems to be the official threshold for fever. "Seems" = i base this statement on my thermometer - it gives "normal" beeps for temps =< 99.50° F. In that range, the standard dx would be elevated temperature, and it is only of clinical relevance if remains consistent rather than transient.

In a sense it is a fortune that here they don't take your temp - they ask if you have a fever. so i tell them based on my own values.

My suggestion: document and bring to doc:
For one week, not around ovulation
1. take basal temp readings (morning before rising)
2. take a midday or midmorning reading (empty stomach)

See what she says. as previously mentioned, it is also significant whether you have symptoms when your temp goes up to that point - initial sx might vary but whole-body fatigue is the one that hits me first - i easily get that at just 99°F. next i get dry skin (can itch, burn or feel tender to slightest touch). chills or feeling cold doesn't hit me till fever goes even higher.

If your doc insists your personal differences are not clinically significant in establishing fever, you could ask if she might be so kind as to explain how it works, just for your information and peace of mind.

Otherwise, if she agrees you have a clinically relevant "set-point" difference (term explained in wiki), she can put it on file, and you won't further need to argue about normal values representing fever for you in future.

========

A note. With some viral infections, my temp will oscillate about 1.5 or even 2 degrees below and above MY normal. docs don't respond well to this either. They totally write off the "below" swings" unless there is hypothermia (< 95 °F), totally ignoring the pattern which never occurs in health and thus, im-nsh-o, makes it a clinically relevant as a symptom of certain "bugs"!! grr docs can be frustrating.

hugs to you and hope you are getting some sleep. :)

~ waves ~

Mine usually is 98.6 I'm sorry I can't help. I hope they can figure out why you are not feeling well. :Heart:

My sister's and I always ran about 96 something.

And my doctor as a child and mom said, when we ran 98 we had
a fever. And we sometimes would be delirius. At 99.

Donna:hug::grouphug:

Mari, I use to use basil body temp method to watch days of ovulation. The thermometer is very sensitive and goes from about 95.0 95.1, 95.2, 95.3, up to 100* there is a dip, I use to run about 97* then a rise to 98.9 the days prior to ovulation. Don't remember the exact temps, but I always ran low , then the spike.

All 4 siblings plus myself all have lower than normal tempertures.

We all run normal right around 96 to 96.5

So if I show up at the doc saying i'm not feeling well and have a temp of 98.6....then I am sick.

It's been this way for as long as I can remember.
:thud:
Abbie

When I was a kid,I accidentally bit into a mercury thermometer. I swallowed some of the mercury. At the time,they said that it was so little that It wouldn't hurt me. I wonder now,because of all of my problems.

The subject just got swept under the rug when I talked about it. This is my first post about this subject. BF:hug::hug::hug:

Hey BF...
It's funny you bring up the mercury thing.

When I was in my early teens I had an uncle who use to collect mercury from different machinery where he works. When we visited he always let us play with very LARGE amounts for hours on end, every day that we were there.

I sometimes wonder if playing with the mercury has any affect on my health today???? I guess all I can dois wonder.

Abbie

I, too, have a lower set-point normal temperature.
Normal basal temperature most of my adult life, typically 96.8.
Nowadays it seems to run 97.1.

I, like you, Mari, have difficulty with my Dr. and her RN understanding that. When I call in to appoint, saying "I have a fever", then go in for my appointment, they'll note it as "NL" @ less than <100.

Good suggestions here.

BTW, Steve, I still prefer and trust the old mercury thermometers --- which unfortunately can no longer be acquired. (I accidentally broke mine last year!)

Abbie, as children/teens, we also "played with" mercury! Fascinating element!

I do not believe in the accuracy/reliability of digital thermometers.
Anyone think similarly?

Hey Abbie. I did a little research on Mercury Poisoning. The toxic affects include damage to the brain,kidneys,and lungs. Mercury Poison can result in several diseases,including acrodynia(pink disease),Hunter-Russell syndrome(a complicated,and rare disorder)and Minamata disease( Symtoms include ataxia,numbness in the hands,and feet,general muscle weakness,and vision,hearing,and speech problems. BF:hug::hug::hug:

Hi Theta Z I still use a mercury thermometer also. IT's difficult to shake the thermometer down to get the mercury below 98.6 F when you are sick. They probably put a safer fluid in the new ones. BF:hug::hug::hug:

Steve,

About ten years ago the health department in my county had a thermometer exchange. When you brought your mercury thermometer to the library, they gave you a digital thermometer.

The new thermometers are explained here:
http://www.ehow.com/how-does_4915115...eter-work.html

M

Steve,

A disadvantage of the new thermometers is that the batteries die. There are no replacements available for that kind of battery so you have to buy a new thermometer.
I recently bought a light powered thermometer.
Here is a picture of one similar to mine:

https://www.lehmans.com/p-698-solar-...ermometer.aspx


M

Thank you Mari. That's a good idea. Getting a small item that has a solar powering cell to keep the battery charged.

I have a solar powered calculator,and it's been working flawlessly for over 10 years now.

Thank you for the information. BF:hug::hug::hug: