Taking temperature

[infomaniac]

Can anyone explain why, when taking the temperature it is advised to take it in the morning before you get up? I always forget but another point is I take my Levo in the early hours of the morning so am wondering if this would possibly skew the result? When I remember to take in before getting up it is always higher than at night.

[shaws Administrator]

This is an explanation - It's called the Basal (at rest) Temperature Test.

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

[infomaniac in reply to shaws]

Thanks Shaws. I didn't realise that "Basal" mean at rest. Does that mean if you take it at any other time it's not valid?

[shaws Administrator in reply to infomaniac]

I think that the 'at rest' means it's more accurate for us who have hypothyroidism. Obviously if we have a fever our temp will rise or if very cold it may change too.

If you take your Basal Temp and then later on take it again. you may find a difference. I think it's because we usually have lower temperatures anyway and sometimes they don't come back to 'normal' even with meds.

[Clutter in reply to infomaniac]

Infomaniac, temperature rises between 11am-2pm. functionalps.com/blog/2010/...

[infomaniac in reply to Clutter]

Hi Clutter-I notice the link says to take the temp "after arising"? I think I will just continue to take it when I go to bed. It might be a little bit out but at least it will be consistent

[Clutter in reply to infomaniac]

Infomaniac, I thought that temperature needed to be tracked every 3/4 hours throughout the day to get a mean average with the first being taken immediately upon waking before going to the loo or taking medication as activity causes temperature to rise.

[infomaniac in reply to Clutter]

That's news to me! It seems a more sensible way of doing it though. Mine is constantly low so maybe this way might bump it up a bit.

[silverfox7]

Yes I agree with all TUK say but a little addition. When you urinate you lose body heat and what's the first thing you do when you 'leap' out of bed is go to the bathroom! so to be consistent being tucked up in bed is where you wake up so it makes sense to do it then and not introduce anything that can be classed as variable.

[infomaniac in reply to silverfox7]

I am just going to have to try harder aren't I? I don't know why but it slips my mind every morning!

[Fruitandnutcase in reply to infomaniac]

Oh how I sympathise with you on that. I always found it really hard to remember to take my temp as soon as I woke up in fact I was just thinking about that while I was lying in bed this morning.

No matter how hard I tried - leaving the thermometer by the pillow etc - I just forgot. I never forgot to take my levo though which was weird - maybe I was concentrating so hard on remembering that that everything else went out of my mind. Silver fox's explanation makes real sense. I used to waken up, take levo stagger through to the loo then realise I'd forgotten my temperature (again)

[Apples]

I never take my temperature, should I?

[infomaniac in reply to Apples]

I don't suppose there's a lot of point if you feel OK and your medication is adequate - but I'm still not there yet