Basal Temperature

[Martina]

Hello,

I've read on the Thyroid UK website that when doing the basal temperature test, readings should be within

36.5ºC - 37.2ºC (97.7ºF – 99.0ºF) and Dr Peatfield writes in his book that 'body temperature is maintained remarkably very level ...at 98.4F, which is about 37C.'

I've always had a low temperature and when my thermometer indicates 37C I'm already feeling very unwell as if I had the flu, so I'm not looking forward to having a temperature measurement of 37-37.2 C.

I wonder whether there are other people who are feeling the same.

Does this necessarily mean I'm hypothyroid? According to those values, I must have been all my life.

Thank you for any explanation or advice

[CarolineC57]

Hi Martina - I've been finding the same thing! My "normal" basal temp seems to be around 35.7 - 36.5. I've seen Dr P for a consultation and he's put me on Nutri Adrenal and Nutri Thyroid. My basal temp seems to be rising slowly, although it's quite variable - but I do find that when it's as high as 36.5 I feel *really* ill - like I have a fever! I'm afraid I can't answer your question and say whether or not we will get used to this - but certainly I've been feeling the same as you. I guess the answer is to just continue to get our bodies working right very slowly and it will be OK?

[Martina in reply to CarolineC57]

Hi Caroline- Thank you so much for sharing your experience with me! I've been measuring my temperature first thing in the morning these last few days and I was surprised today thermometer read 36.49C, no wonder I have a sore throat and feeling ill!!!

So how can we put in effort to make our temperature rise if a higher temperature means feeling ill? Did Dr P offer any explanation for your low temperature?

[CarolineC57 in reply to Martina]

No, he didn't. I'm really not sure of the answer to this, Martina. My temp does vary quite a lot - and it isn't usually as high at 36.5. But when it does get that high I wonder if I actually *do* have some kind of virus/bug/whatever? Mostly, it's below that and I don't feel so bad though. If the higher (for me) temp becomes the norm and I still feel ill I'll have to ask him again about this.

Are you on any treatment? Are you seeing Dr P? What are you doing which is making your temp rise?

[Martina]

Hi Caroline, I feel exactly the same, when temperature reaches 36.5 as today it's because I've caught a virus or I'm about to fall ill with some sort of infection!

No, I'm not on any treatment for thyroid, my thyroid values fall in the normal range, but from what I read on this forum TSH is slightly elevated. At the moment I'm just taking a supplement for adrenal support and I'm trying to educate myself on this complex subject.

I live overseas and I haven't seen Dr P although I have just finished reading his book and found it very interesting! I've started taking my basal temperature as he suggests, but I'm stuck because of my normal low temperature!!!

[Helenabc]

Does temperature vary from one person to another? My Dad said his was normally on the low side, and he was a very healthy person.

Body temperature does vary on a daily cycle, I've read in some reliable place, being highest around 7pm, I think it said. And of course for women who menstruate, it varies with that cycle also, peaking at ovulation.

I would like to be warmer myself, and lack of sufficient heat generation is a problem that comes and goes.

Rone M.D. deals with the body temperature issue in his book 'The Thyroid Paradox', explaining why it is no good as a diagnostic tool.

[Martina]

Hello, thank you very much for your entry. My mother as well, like me, has always had a low temperature feeling ill the moment thermometer hits 37C, yet her thyroid values have always been perfectly fine.

Thanks for giving me the reference to Rone's book. I'm certainly going to look into it. Kind regards