low body temperature

[Newbie73]

Not sure if I am becoming a little paranoid. Has anyone else had a persistently low body temperature but otherwise feel ok.

Oral thermometer keeps reading 35.4. I had an ear one before and it kept saying low so I thought it was broken and bought a new one.

Was diagnosed with RA a couple of years now on 20mgs mtx injections and hydroxy and folic acid. Mainly stable with Mini but manageable flares.

I had pneumonia with sepsis back in October. I had had a temperature over 38 for several weeks but felt ok so I assumed either the thermometer was broken or my regular body temp was higher than most people’s (I have a high metabolism and Low blood pressure - so thought having a different body temp baseline wasn’t seemed reasonable) and ignored the thermometer.

Last year from

July to October I was having Mini flares.niggles that were lasting a little longer and needing to take naproxen for a few days every couple of weeks so nothing exceptional and I never developed a cold or cough. My temp went over 40 then I felt really ill for a few days and after rigors went to gp and was sent to hospital and was admitted.

For the last month/6 weeks I have been recording a low body temp. I feel ok, I have sore hips, shoulders but not enough that I need to take pain killers. Don’t want to make the same mistake as last time and ignore the thermometer. And my Apple Watch which also has my temp quite abit lower than my baseline temp.

is this a thing? Either caused by the meds or is it “an unusual immune response” and I could be fighting an infection without knowing like I was last year? Or is a lower body temp common when people have the immune system suppressed?

Not asking for medical advice just wondering if anyone else has experienced something similar.

Thank you for reading.

Clare

[rabbits65]

that happened to me , those digital thermometers are a nuisance when they keep saying and reading ‘low’. I took mine back to the chemist and they said it was reading low because my temperature was low. I like the old fashioned thermometers

[Newbie73 in reply to rabbits65]

Same. Thank you

[Spanelmad]

I would get Blood test done

[Newbie73 in reply to Spanelmad]

Was toying with doing that. Thank you

[bookish in reply to Newbie73]

I'd agree. But you may have to do your own. Your RA might mean you also have hashimoto's, or the recent illness might have triggered a temporary thyroid issue. Either way, you'll need TSH and FT4 (which GP may do) but also FT3 and two lots of antibodies to see if you have an autoimmune reaction going on. They should all be done at the same time, and GPs can't. If funds permit, then the Medichecks Advanced Thyroid Function Blood Test is a good one, as it has vitamins and inflammation checks too. You can pay more and go to a nurse or get one to come to you if you don't fancy the fingerprick bit, but as long as you are well hydrated the day before it shouldn't be a problem. By hydroxy do you mean you are already on B12? Low B12 can also contribute to low temperature and it would have dropped with your illness. If you are already getting injections then this should resolve, although you may need them more frequently. Low Vit D might also play a part, and the Medichecks tests this too.

[Newbie73 in reply to bookish]

Thank you, really helpful and interesting. I am on hydroychloriquine as a 2nd DMARD for the RA as MtX wasn’t quite managing on its own.

My temperature has previous always been in the normal range. I will look into the thyroid test. Prior to the pneumonia I did feel like there was coming cooking something and was planning to discuss with consultant at my next appointment which I am still waiting for.

I am due my quarterly bloods so I will call the nurse advice line for the results as see if there are any changes from my normal.

Thank you

[bookish in reply to Newbie73]

Yes of course, I'd forgotten the other hydroxy! Just a note that B12 can look normal in serum and you still be deficient in the cells, and because you are taking folic, some of the markers that would show a deficiency will not do so. Best wishes

[Juliesb]

My family all have low body temperatures, around 34.5. It's something I had before RA so don't necessarily think it's to do with meds as my kids all have it too.

[Newbie73 in reply to Juliesb]

That’s reassuring but after deciding I was medically hot stuff for having a temp of 38.4 for weeks last year i wanted to check with the group as there are very knowledgable people on here.

Thank you

[Leics]

I rarely have a raised temperature unless I’m really sick with an infection. I had a chest infection recently and my lungs sounded like bagpipes and doc didn’t need a stethoscope to hear my crackle and wheeze but my temperature was absolutely normal as was my oxygen. So yeah I have the problem too. I’m severely immune suppressed with all my immunoglobulins depleted badly, if you look at most RA med warnings it’s mentioned that patients taking them won’t necessarily show signs of a temperature so it can be a thing. As I’ve been diagnosed with hypogamma at the first signs of chest infection I’m supposed to get two weeks antibiotics not that GP’s ever believe me so I usually wait too long and think I can fight it off myself, at the end of the day I take antibiotics daily at a very low dose and this keeps lots away. So long rant answer to your question is yeah it is a thing and we know our bodies best so if you think you have an infection go get help from a GP even if your temperature is within normal levels.

[Newbie73 in reply to Leics]

Thank you. Slippery little bugger - the auto immune business. It’s makes you rethink everything. Just don’t want to cross over into paranoid. Thank you for sharing really helpful

[Ascidian]

Interestingly, from a quick google search, it seems that sepsis can cause a low body temperature, but another possible cause is hypothyroidism. Perhaps check if you have any other symptoms of possible thyroid issues. But either way, if you are sure that 35.4 is significantly lower than YOUR normal, then I think it would be quite reasonable to see your GP.

[oldtimer2]

My recorded body temperature is 35.5-36.0C under normal circumstances.

Harvard health advice:

Normal body temperature is not a single number, but rather a range of temperatures. The average normal body temperature is most often said to be 98.6° F (37° C). This may have been correct when it was first determined 150 years ago. But our bodies have changed.

Recent research confirms the decline in average body temperature over many decades. In one study, average temperature of 96 adults over two weeks ranged from 35.2°C (95.4°F) to 37.4°C (99.3°F). Given this wide variation, knowing your own average temperature when you are feeling well is more valuable than an arbitrary number.

Several factors may lead to a lower body temperature in some older people. For instance, as you age, you lose fat under the skin in your extremities and your skin becomes drier; both of these changes cause loss of body heat. Metabolism, which also generates heat, tends to slow as you age. Medications, including beta blockers and antipsychotic drugs, also may lower body temperature, as can an underactive thyroid gland.

[Lex54]

I have a low body temperature anyway I think but always quite cold. The problem is the medication masks Ill health and hides underlying infection due to the reduced immune response. I had a chest infection after being unwell and had no idea just thought the remainder of infection. Hope you're ok.

[Newbie73]

yes that’s what I am learning. It’s strange to think you can be unwell with a chest infection without showing the normal signs.

When I started with this I thought I would potentially get ill more frequently due to the medication but hadn’t appreciated that I wouldn’t necessarily feel ill.

I am learning to respect the condition and the medication used to treat it.

Im having my quarterly bloods done I will ring the nurse advice helpline and see if any of my markers are elevated and take it from there.

Thank you for responding really helpful. Everyone always is on here.