I'm sick, but my temp is actually noticeably lower... any clue why?

[Bignate603]

I was at the Student Health Center because I've been feeling ill. Anyways, they took my temperature and instead of having a fever, it was noticeably lower then normal. It was 97.3, which seems pretty significant. I go back tomorrow, but what does that mean?

I've been coughing up junk and they are running strep tests, and usually I thought that would be accompanied by a fever. This is kind of weird.

 

[minendo]

Remember that the given 98.6 is an average. 97.3 may be considerably lower, but it depends on the average of your body when healthy.

 

[BD231]

When you have a virus your temp drops, maybe you have one? My normal temp is 96.8.

 

[pandapanda]

How did they take your temp? Oral? Ear? Other? It could have been a low battery on the thermometer if it was battery-operated, could have been earwax if it was an ear thermometer. If it was oral, it could have been because you were drinking cold drinks or breathing through your mouth. Or if none of those things apply, you could just have a lower normal body temp. Some people do. In a few lucky people it's because of thyroid problems.

 

[CraigRT]

mmm lung butter...

BD231 that's everyone's average temperature for the most part. but I think you mean 98.6.

 

[Iron Woode]

Originally posted by: BD231
When you have a virus your temp drops, maybe you have one? My normal temp is 96.8.

The body responds to any infection with a fever to try to make the body an inhospitable place for it.

Hope you feel better soon.

 

[BD231]

Originally posted by: Yield
mmm lung butter...

BD231 that's everyone's average temperature for the most part. but I think you mean 98.6.

Nope, I'm sure my normal temp is 96.8 to 97.3. I've been to quite a few different doctors for checkups and I constantly get tested at 96.8. My brother and dad are the same way.

 

[Bignate603]

I'm normally within less then half a degree inside the normal temp of 98.6. It was an oral electric thermometer. I don't know if the battery was low or anything, but we'll see tommorow.

 

[BD231]

Originally posted by: Iron Woode

Originally posted by: BD231
When you have a virus your temp drops, maybe you have one? My normal temp is 96.8.

The body responds to any infection with a fever to try to make the body an inhospitable place for it.

Hope you feel better soon.

Yeah I just looked that up and your right, my mom/grandmother told me that a virus can drop your temp all the time so that's why I suggested it.

 

[Iron Woode]

Originally posted by: Bignate603
I'm normally within less then half a degree inside the normal temp of 98.6. It was an oral electric thermometer. I don't know if the battery was low or anything, but we'll see tommorow.

Try a real thermometer. Not necessarily a mercury one though.

I still have a few mercury thermometers here. I am never going to give them up. They were given to me by my Late mother, so they also have sentimental value.

 

[loup garou]

An abnormally low body temperature (hypothermia) can be serious, even life-threatening. Low body temperature may occur due to cold exposure, shock, alcohol or drug use, or certain metabolic disorders, such as diabetes or an underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism). Oddly, a low body temperature may also occur in certain infections, particularly in newborns, older adults, or people who are frail. Certain overwhelming infections, such as Gram-negative sepsis, may also cause an abnormally low body temperature.

From WebMD

...but my money is on Tulane's crappy Health Center screwing up somehow.

 

[Bignate603]

Originally posted by: werk

An abnormally low body temperature (hypothermia) can be serious, even life-threatening. Low body temperature may occur due to cold exposure, shock, alcohol or drug use, or certain metabolic disorders, such as diabetes or an underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism). Oddly, a low body temperature may also occur in certain infections, particularly in newborns, older adults, or people who are frail. Certain overwhelming infections, such as Gram-negative sepsis, may also cause an abnormally low body temperature.

From WebMD

...but my money is on Tulane's crappy Health Center screwing up somehow.

Hehe, them screwing up is an option. We'll see though. I just saw a nurse, and she seemed to be ok, didn't jerk me around or make me jump through hoops, which is more then I've had at alot of other medical practices. I go back to see a real doctor tommorow, we'll see how they are then.

 

[crab]

When I get cold, my temperature drops and I shiver uncontrollably....for hours, even while under two comforters, a 70F normal room temp, and a space heater cranking. My temp the other morn was 96F.

 

[Scarpozzi]

Originally posted by: BD231

Originally posted by: Iron Woode

Originally posted by: BD231
When you have a virus your temp drops, maybe you have one? My normal temp is 96.8.

The body responds to any infection with a fever to try to make the body an inhospitable place for it.

Hope you feel better soon.

Yeah I just looked that up and your right, my mom/grandmother told me that a virus can drop your temp all the time so that's why I suggested it.

I've read the same thing. I always thought that viral infections *sometimes* cause your temp to drop sub-normal, but fever can be caused as a result of both viral and bacterial infections.

 

[BD231]

I've read the same thing. I always thought that viral infections *sometimes* cause your temp to drop sub-normal, but fever can be caused as a result of both viral and bacterial infections.

I'm pretty sure it can go either way, my mom has been sick before with temp drops so I think a temp rise is not always the case.

 

[Amused]

98.6 is average. Most people are in the 97° early in the day, and end the day slightly higher than 98.6

97.3 is well within normal. I'm sure they told you that, right?

 

[Bignate603]

Originally posted by: Amused
98.6 is average. Most people are in the 97° early in the day, and end the day slightly higher than 98.6

97.3 is well within normal. I'm sure they told you that, right?

Nope, she didn't comment on it. According to that webmd article under 97 is something to go get checked out about. Since I'm already scheduled for tommorow I guess it can wait.

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: crab453
When I get cold, my temperature drops and I shiver uncontrollably....for hours, even while under two comforters, a 70F normal room temp, and a space heater cranking. My temp the other morn was 96F.

That doesn't sound right. When your body temperature is low, you should feel hot. When you have a fever, and your temp is high, you feel cold.

Why is this? It's because of the change in your body temperature, relative to the surrounding temperature. When your temp is lower, your body is radiating less heat, and you feel warm. When your temp is higher, your body is radiating more heat, and you have the chills.

The only exception is exercise. Your temp may rise a bit, but your body is trying to radiate heat rapidly and cool down, much like a fever breaking.

At least, this has been how it's been for me all my life. Wild chills when I have a fever, and hot flashes when my temperature drops. A good example are the very sweaty hot flashes we get when a fever breaks, and our temperature drops rapidly.

 

[crab]

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: crab453
When I get cold, my temperature drops and I shiver uncontrollably....for hours, even while under two comforters, a 70F normal room temp, and a space heater cranking. My temp the other morn was 96F.

That doesn't sound right. When your body temperature is low, you should feel hot. When you have a fever, and your temp is high, you feel cold.

Why is this? It's because of the change in your body temperature, relative to the surrounding temperature. When your temp is lower, your body is radiating less heat, and you feel warm. When your temp is higher, your body is radiating more heat, and you have the chills.

The only exception is exercise. Your temp may rise a bit, but your body is trying to radiate heat rapidly and cool down, much like a fever breaking.

At least, this has been how it's been for me all my life. Wild chills when I have a fever, and hot flashes when my temperature drops. A good example are the very sweaty hot flashes we get when a fever breaks, and our temperature drops rapidly.

I have a spinal cord injury...weird stuff goes with that. If you lift my legs, my hands open. I have a pain in my right arm...it feels like somebody is holding a lighter to my it, if you barely brush it, the pain gets many times worse. If you squeeze it as hard as you can, the pain goes away and it itches instead. Pure, undiluted IV morphine doesn't even touch it. Since it's nerve pain, we've only found that the epilepsy drug Neurontin tones it down.

SCIs have trouble controlling their body temp...if it's hot out, my temp rises, vice-versa when it's cold.

I can't sleep without something covering my head, be it a pillow or hat.

 

[crab]

I hate killing threads.

 

[911paramedic]

A degree either way is not that significant. Many people run below or above "normal" temp.

 

[everman]

Originally posted by: pandapanda
How did they take your temp? Oral? Ear? Other?

:Q

 

[Bignate603]

Well, went to see a real doctor today. I'm down to 96.9. She didn't seem too concerned though. I think it's no huge deal if she's not worried.

 

[apoppin]

My mother recently had a "massive" bladder infection that required 17 days of hospitalization. The ER nurses must have checked her temperature 10 times as there was NO fever.

And I have the flu right now . . . my temperature is slightly LOWER than normal.

 

[nitsuj3580]

I was watching this show on Animal Planet about dogs giving birth and the vet guy said you can tell a dog is going into labor when their temperature drops a couple degrees....sure enough, the dog was spittin out puppies shortly after the owner saw the temp go down