Is my low body temperature dangerous?

[GatbysPartyGuest]

Hello everyone, I joined today because I've been having this issue lately (with my body temperature). For the past weeks, I have been getting readings like 95.5-96.7. I have always been in the 97 range, but I assumed that was my normal body temperature. It's rare for me to go up to 98's or 99's- unless I'm coming down with something of course. This morning I woke up and my temperature was 94.7. I quickly got out of bed and started moving around, hoping it out go up. Throughout the day it stayed in the 95 range, and has only gone up to 96.2. I'm taking my temperature with an ear thermometer (digital) that I got at my local drugstore. I have another eat thermometer that's pretty old but still working (also digital) and I've been switching back & forth to average my readings.

Now, you may be wondering why I'm suddenly concerned about this. When I was 19, I got diagnosed with hypothyroidism. I didn't even know I had it, it came up in my yearly checkup (blood test). I was given medication for it, a low dose, and I was told to go back in a month to see if it was working. The doctor I had back told me that the low dose was enough for me. Here's the tricky part: the medication made me feel like crap, and I stopped taking it after a month. I didn't like the fact that I had to take those pills daily, and what sounded like the rest of my life. I changed my diet, did my research, and tried a "natural" approach to curing it. On October 2010, I went back for my yearly checkup, and they said my thyroid was 100% normal. I was very relieved that I didn't have to deal with this again. I noticed changes instantly, such as going from 125 lbs to 105 lbs- and maintaining that weight. Now fast forward to 2012, In February, I got my yearly checkup, and it was much needed. I was dealing with a lot of stress (from University, my father having a heart attack, etc). By now, I had switched doctors and was visiting a new clinic. My new doctor told me my thyroid levels were normal, and she even did two tests to check this. She said I was a little "low" but nothing to worry about, or to take medication for.

Last month, my friend was sick with the flu, and she was worried that her thermometer wasn't giving her the right response. So I tried it on myself. I noticed it was said 96.8 and I thought "Hey, that's pretty low". So far, my readings have been that low, and I don't know what could be causing it. I'm worried because it seems like every individual I talk to says "98.6 is just an average, everyone is different!" or "94-95 degrees is too low, you probably have hypothermia or something deadly serious- go to the ER now". I'm a college student, and I can't necessarily afford an ER trip unless I know I'm really in danger. I don't feel ill, maybe a little fatigue here and there, but I consider that normal for me. I don't have any other worrying symptoms, so I don't know how to feel about this. My next doctor's visit is August 28th, should I wait until I see my doctor then? Or should I take this seriously? I like to think that I live pretty healthy. I went vegetarian at the beginning of the year, and I juice 4-5 times a week, I eat my veggies, etc- what could be wrong? =/

Thank to whoever takes the time to read this. I really appreciate it.

[flyingfool]

As far as we know. There is not a food or any other supplement that provides thyroid hormone. In fact in the USA, the FDA will not allow any supplement manufacturer to have any meaningful measurable amount of hormone to be present.

So with no food or over the counter supplement available to get hormone.  The only thing we can do is take prescription hormone medication.

For fatigue there are several things that can be associated. Vitamin D3, B-12, iron and ferritin can be checked. Also Selenium is known to have some effect in helping the conversion of T4 into T3.  And since the free T3 molecule is the only thing your body's cells use.  That can help a bit. But the help seems pretty minimal and really only if you have a problem with conversion to start with.

Bottom line, IF you have a thyroid hormone deficiency, the only real way to correct it is with prescription medication.  No natural remedy is yet known.  be aware that there are some chiropractors who will claim they have a natural cure. This is with very costly supplements but tend in the end to not work and you are out a large wad of cash!

I don't like taking prescriptions either.  But sometimes that's the only solution.

[Barb135]

OOPS!!!   I meant to say:  Danie is right, that juicing and diet will NOT cure thyroid disease.  

[Barb135]

You need more than body temperature to diagnose a thyroid condition.  I'm assuming that the blood test being done to determine thyroid condition, is TSH; that's not good enough. TSH is a pituitary hormone that fluctuates greatly, even intraday.  It should not be relied upon, to diagnose or treat a thyroid condition.

Danie is right, that juicing and diet will cure thyroid disease.  Once it's been determined (for sure) that you have a thyroid condition, you will need to be on medication, for life. There are worse things than having to take a daily pill. People are willing to pop tons of vitamins every day, but don't want to take a tiny little thyroid replacement pill.

For testing you need to insist on Free T3, Free T4 (those are the actual thyroid hormones), TSH, and antibodies (to determine if you have an autoimmune thyroid condition).

[danie17075rm]

Unfortunately, juicing and diet will not cure thyroid disease.  The only thing that will is taking thyroid hormone.  That being said, I've had temps as low as 94.7 while hypo.  I do run a lower body temp than most though.  I am hyper now and it runs 99.  By the way, I am just wondering if you eat soy?  I was a vegetarian most of my life and I think soy is what caused my disease in the first place.  It's definitely something to look out for.  Good Luck.

[GatbysPartyGuest]

To clarify, I got diagnosed in 2009- I was 19. I'm now 22.