Persistent Low Grade Fevers and Fevers During Physical Activity

Hi! I have started keeping track of my body temperature, and for the past 3 weeks have been running low-grade fevers pretty often (and not feeling well during them). I noticed that my body temperature elevates to fever level easily during physical activity as well. For example, today while doing some house chores (a little deeper cleaning to prepare for company), I checked because I was feeling unwell (hot, fatigued, sore joints and muscles, etc) and it was 100.5 Fahrenheit. Would it be normal for some physical activity to cause a spike in body temperature like this? I also often will have a low-grade fever (99.6 to 100.3) while doing nothing. Thanks!

[cakerbaker]

Hi, i have this too. I sometimes get very hot and sweaty for absolutely no reason and then it goes as quick as it came. Temperature is usually normal ir slightly raised only but i feel like i am self combusting!

Told the Rheumy who said that'll be the Lupus and shrugged. I have strangely a consistently raised white cell count (not worryingly high eg cancer level) usually a sign of infection but nobody is worried about that either 🤔

I have nothing helpful to give you though i am afraid except its nice to know i am not going mad. Hope it settles. I blame my azathioprine

[Hidden in reply to cakerbaker]

Hi! Same here! I can be so hot (no notable cause) that I feel sick or even panicked. I am running a fever every time. I can also get super cold easily, or at least feel super cold. I also often have an elevated white blood cell count. If you know, are your neutrophils elevated along with your general white blood cell count? Mine are, but I read that Lupus usually causes low neutrophils, not high. That doesn’t mean my body isn’t just being odd though. Thanks!

[cakerbaker in reply to Hidden]

my neutrophils are also often raised. wcc raised and lymphocytes raised most of the time. strange

[Hidden in reply to cakerbaker]

My neutrophils are almost always raised. I am taking notes, this is super helpful. Thank you so much!

[PMRpro]

It is a normal response to physical activity for body temperature to rise. Exercise generates heat in the body in the muscles. The result is you sweat and breathe faster to dissipate the heat - but some is also stored and raises the body temperature, sometimes by as much as 2 or 3 degrees,

[cakerbaker in reply to PMRpro]

Hi. Mine will do it even sitting resting. sitting eating, going to sleep. anytime really. Its not menopause related nor exercise related just majorly hot

[lufibabe]

one of the lupus symptoms is low grde fever I believe. I still havent worked out what's classed as low grade though. If anyone has any idea pls enlighten.

All the best

[Hidden in reply to lufibabe]

Great to know, thank you. From my research, I found 99.6 to 100.3 Fahrenheit seems to be the range classified as low-grade, but this could also vary slightly depending on where you get your info. =)

[KayHimm in reply to Hidden]

My doctors have considered that a low grade fever. I was eventually diagnosed with undifferentiated connective tissue disease. That is great you are tracking your temperature.

From what PMRpro is saying, temperature goes up on activity. Maybe just record the resting temperature from now on.

I think my GP had me post am and pm temperature to get an accurate picture.

XxK

[Hidden in reply to KayHimm]

That’s a wonderful idea - thank you!

[Sashappy]

I have begun sweating from my forehead only when hardly moving. I wake up feeling fine and by the afternoon I feel kind of fluey and unwell. Covid tests have come back clear. This has been the case for 1 month now. I'm not sure what's going on.

[Djlr]

That was one of my FIRST SIGNS, low grade fevers & feeling like I had symptoms of the fatigue & muscle aches of the FLU.

It went on for years- Each episode would last about 2 weeks, I learned to REST just like you do with the FLU to regain my strength.

It could have been that I was under a lot of Stress, been working in the yard (in the SUN), or some other TRIGGER.

Doctors kept saying ALLERGIES were the reason for low grade fevers & Fatigue.

Finally- more symptoms & I was tested for Lupus - ANA.

W/HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE it took about 4-6 MONTHS to feel more myself w/Joint Pains & several Rounds of Steroids during that time (before Benlysta.)

So - YES LOW GRADE FEVERS are definitely a “possibility of LUPUS FLARES”

[Hidden in reply to Djlr]

So much of this sounds so much like me!

[CarolMcl]

Hi like Djlr stated, low grade fevers are definitely part of lupus. With me, for no obvious reason the fever starts then I become unwell with flu like symptoms along with muscle and joint pain. This can last a few weeks then I feel drained with no energy whatsoever. My lung symptoms also become worse , its a vicious circle

[Hidden in reply to CarolMcl]

I experience something really similar

[CarolMcl in reply to Hidden]

a horrible feeling

[Piscesdreamer]

Just a thought...I was having some symptoms of low grade fever. I was going through menopause and my doctors told me that hot flashes would not reguster a fever. I went to an infectious disease specialist who tested me for chronic EBV, Lyme, Cytomegalovirus, etc. You can persue that if your intuition is telling you something is going on.

[Hidden]

note my diagnosis is Stills Disease which for me manifests as RA with regular low grade “fever” in the afternoons mostly accompanied by feeling rubbish. Been like this 40+ years, it has never stopped or got worse which is key as these unpredictable diseases seem to have no pattern. I simply take OTC medication for it.

Hope this is reassuring.

[Florence91]

no I think you need to find a reason. Maybe a lowgrade infection or flare. Any other symptoms? Talk to your GP perhaps: check urine, chest, blood tests for inflammatory markers. Hope it clears soon, best wishes.

[Hidden in reply to Florence91]

Hi! I’ve been having health problems for a few years now, and based on tests we believe it is an autoimmune disease, but we still don’t know which one. So yes, lots of other symptoms. =) I think fevers might be another one to add to the list. Thank you!

[KayHimm]

Definitely mention the fevers to your doctors.