Thermometer question. Quick answers?

4thefather

Hi all,

I have a digital thermometer that always reads 97.7 orally when it is normal. I just took my temp and it is reading 99.6. Does that mean it is 100.6 and I should call the doc or do not worry about it?

Cathie

DFOnt

I think you add a degree celsius  if you take your temp under your arm, not in your mouth.  So it would be 99.6.  I would keep an eye on it if you're supposed to call if it goes over 100, hope it gets lower!

4thefather

But whenever I take my temperature when it is normal it never reads 98.6. It always reads 97.7 when there is no fever. Doesn't that make a difference?

Cathie

Skyrat

Cathie - my oral temp normally runs anywhere from 96.7 to 97.4.  When they take my temp at the hospital and it is 98.something, I mention what my norm is, and they tell me that as long as it is under 100 not to worry about it.  I don't think they add to it regardless of the fact that I am not a 98.6 norm.

TheQu33n

Cathie, I have twin boys and one runs closer to normal 98.3 and the other runs lower 97.4. That said, your temp is your temp.  I think what your confused about it the difference in degrees. Your temp is running 1.9 degrees higher than your normal temp of 97.7  ... Does that help?

TheQu33n

Skyrak said it better....

4thefather

Ok. I guess I will just watch it then. I did notice that when you turn it in it flashes 97.7 at the beginning so maybe that is the norm for this thermometer. I just took it again and it was 99.7. I am going to watch closely.

Cathie

Skyrat

It is definitely apparent that you are running a fever.  Do keep an eye on it!

wishiwere

My temp reads the same or 97.4.  When it's 99.7, I'm definitely running a temp.  My temp even at the docs reads low though also.  I read somewhere that hypothyroid can affect your normal temps, and am thinking it's that, but then TheQ says her boys read low on them too, so geepers..... do you have any other symptoms, like chills, flushing, pain, tenderness, or redness anywhere?

I think they say not to take reducers either to see if it goes up, don't they? 

4thefather

I had chemo on Tuesday and on Wednesday night started feeling sick. My 3 kids all have colds and I caught it. I have had stuffy or runny nose, chills, sneezing, scratchy throat, minor cough. Cannot really sleep well either.

Cathie

4thefather

Well, it never got any higher and it is about 98.6 now. That is still not normal according to this thermometer, but no concerns that the doc has to be called about. This cold, however, is miserable!!

Cathie

otter

Cathie, I am confused.  Maybe you can help un-confuse me.  What makes you think your "normal" temperature is 97.7?

At first, you said, "I have a digital thermometer that always reads 97.7 orally when it is normal."   Do you mean the digital display stops at 97.7 and beeps, after you put it under your tongue for the required amount of time?

Then, last night you said, "I did notice that when you turn it on it flashes 97.7 at the beginning so maybe that is the norm for this thermometer."

Now, this morning, you said, "Well, it never got any higher and it is about 98.6 now. That is still not normal according to this thermometer...".

I am wondering why you think that's true.  When you turn on your thermometer and it flashes "97.7", that doesn't indicate that's the "normal temperature" for that thermometer.  I also have a digital thermometer that briefly flashes 97.7 when I first turn it on.  It's a "ReliOn 60-second Readout Digital Thermometer."  Your question puzzled me so much that I went to the bathroom and dug the instruction page out of the trash can, where I had thrown it a few days ago.

According to the instruction page for my thermometer, a "normal" temperature can range from 97 to 99 degrees.  My thermometer flashes 97.7 when I first turn it on, and then the display changes to "L" or to the last reading I recorded (if I saved it).  This thermometer will actually read a temperature as low as 90.1, which I discovered by turning it on and holding it under the hot water faucet when the water was still cold.  As the water temp warmed up, the display went from "L" to "90.1" and then it started to climb.  I quit around 97.0 or so.  So, even though the display says "97.7" when you first turn it on, your thermometer will probably read and display a lower temperature in a person with hypothermia.  That's something I didn't know until I did my little experiment this morning.

Even though we are constantly being told that a "normal" temperature is 98.6, that is an "average normal."  My own "normal" temp is almost always below 98.0 degrees.  The thermometer you are using does not care what the average normal is, or what your normal is--it will display whatever temperature it reads, within its measurement range.

According to my instruction page, what the flashing "97.7" is saying is that the thermometer has been "zeroed" and is ready to take a reading.  The "97.7" means nothing--it isn't an indication of the "normal" for that thermometer.  The thermometer is just telling you, "OK, stick it in your mouth now!"

As for your real question--should you call your doctor if it reads 99.6, to compensate for your lower-than-normal "normal" temperature--I was going to write yesterday and tell you "no, it's probably not necessary."  Oral temps vary a lot--according to my instruction page, they can vary as much as a full degree Farenheit depending on exactly where you put the tip of the thermometer under your tongue.  They vary with room temperature, with activity level, with how recently we've eaten, etc.  So, if your onco said "call us when it reaches 100.4" or whatever, I'd go with that number unless you also have bone aches, chills, diarrhea, vomiting, etc.

I hope this helps.  Write again if it doesn't.  Hugs...

otter 

4thefather

Believe me, I was just as confused as my message may have sounded.  I am such a logical person, and I was trying to compensate for what I felt was a lower reading on my thermometer. It is lower now so I won't worry about it. I see the doc on Tuesday for my normal appointment and I will ask then. Sorry if I confused you guys. Sometimes I am very anal about things. I don't know what caused it to spike up like that, but it is lower again so no worries.

Thanks everyone!!

Cathie

badboob67

Cathie,

I just asked my onc nurse about this same issue on Thursday when I started chemo. My "normal" temp is always around 97.6. I asked if I should be concerned about a 99 degree temp rather than the 100 degree temp they recommend calling the onc about. She said that, yes, for me the 99 would be something we need to let them know about.

I think it might be a good idea to call and let the onc/nurse know that you are not feeling well and have a houseful of sick kids. 

I hope you're feeling better soon!

(((HUGS)))

Diane

otter

Hey, don't apologize--some of us (like me) confuse easily!

My temp was all over the place during chemo.  It would always spike about 2 days after my Neulasta shot, but not quite up to the call-the-doc threshold I'd been given (100.5).  During my last 2 chemo cycles, it did exceed that threshold, and they put me on antibiotics and told me to take ibuprofen for a presumed sinus infection.

Under any other circumstances, a temp of 100.5 would be considered a low-grade fever that wouldn't warrant concern.  The problem is when we're in the midst of chemo.  Our onco's need us to monitor our temps closely because a low-grade fever is used as an early indication infection.  Unfortunately, a low-grade fever is also an indication of inflammation, which is pretty typical of chemo too.

otter 

[Edited:  Diane, I just read your post.  Wow.  So, my temp was in the adjusted-for-otter call-your-doc range a lot!  I'm kind of glad I didn't know that, at the time...]