Low body temp?

[Twilight_Princess]

Just curious, having low body temperature between 95.8 - 96.8 lately - could this be a sign of thyroid disorder? I don't ever remember my body temperature being this low.

[Jules77733]

I use a digital thermometer. What is important to remember when using these is the location of the thermometer when you're taking a temperature reading--the temperature will vary by a degree or so if it's being taken under the tongue, rather than the armpit.

Regardless of how "exact" the digital thermometer's reading is, if you place it in the same location each time, and you notice a change in the reading from one day to the next, chances are, your temperature has actually changed by that absolute amount. For example, if your temperature is 98.2 today and you measure it tomorrow as 96.8, it's very likely that your temperature did increase by 0.6 degrees. Whether or not your thermometer is calibrated and started at the correct temperature and ended at a correct temperature, doesn't mean that your temperature did not actually change from one day to the next. The thermometer does have a certain accuracy, provided you give it time to thermally equilibrate, and assuming you're using it it the same location each time (improves accuracy). Even if your temperature isn't exactly 98.8 at that moment in time, you'll still be able to say, "My temperature increased over the past day by approximately 0.6 degrees."

What I do before taking my temperature (generally, I put the thermometer under my tongue) is to let the thermometer reach thermal equilibrium by waiting a minute or two until I take a reading. Then, just to be sure the temperature is accurate, I will repeat the reading once or twice until the thermometer's reading is no longer increasing or decreasing. This gives me my change in temperature as compared to the last reading, and I know that it's fairly close, if not the actual, temperature.

Honestly, I don't know much about Dr. Wilson and the reason I look to temperature as an indicator of something wrong with my body is because there is a physiological basis behind body temperature, and from learning about this, I find temperature readings to be useful as "data" to consider along with the rest of my symptoms, or lack thereof.

[ChitChatNine]

I was thinking ... why don't you make up a Health Page with everybody's viewpoints on Dr. Wilson .... and maybe when the topic comes up refer the member to this health page that's been created by a few thyroid members who have differeing viewpoints and maybe that will give the member everybody's view without having to retype it each time??

Just a thought.

My daughter gets low temps before getting ill .. her thyroid is fine.

C~

[Thypatient]

“Anyway, I always believed that it can go both ways with the body temp - if it's higher than 98.6 then there is something wrong and if it's lower than 97 then there is also something wrong.”  ~ True.  And we need a dr to help decipher what’s really going on, as ‘something’ could mean ‘anything’ - not only hypothyroidism.

I can share…  The other day I went to my endo appt where the dr, as usual, painstakingly goes through a symptoms’ list.  At one point he asked me if I was ‘feeling’ colder than usual at all.  At no point did he ask me if I’d taken my own basal body temperature or if I knew what it was.  In fact, while I was there no one took my temperature either.

As far as body temperature goes – it’s part of a list of symptoms.

Have you ever been evaluated by an endocrinologists?  With all the issues you’ve touched on, that might be a good idea at this point.

Also, in noting the issues you’ve touched on that you’re experiencing; I can add that I would recommend that as you seek out information to stick with reputable sources - like the American Thyroid Association, The Endocrine Society and teaching universities.

Take care.

[OldFatChick]

I have been recently diagnosed with hypothyroidism and less recently with Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Disease.  My body temp usually ranges from 95.5 to 97.5.  My body temp used to be spot on 98.6.  What are the repercussions of having body temps below 97 on a regular basis?

[stella5349]

You would feel a bit chilled at that body temp.

I really wouldn't hurt to see if you could ge tested for thyroid problems.

There is a check list available to pull up and see if you match more symptoms of a possible thryoid problem.

Google search Hypothyroid Check List - and print one out so you can see if you are having the issues listed on that too.

[gimel]

I would certainly follow up with some blood testing for possible thyroid issues.  If you do, insist that free T3 and free T4, be checked along with TSH.  If you want to do some reading on thyroid problems, here is a good site I found.

http://www.salugenecists.com/genpage.php?tname=disease&dbid=21