I'm going to start monitoring my daily average temperature for help with understanding thyroid and adrenals and where I'm at. As an adjunct to blood tests.
I'm interested in using a thermometer with an app to track the changes.
I don't know anything about the best or right type of thermometer, or if that matters.
Does anyone have any recommendations?
My ideal would be one I can point at my forehead without effort while still in bed in the morning, but maybe that isn't accurate enough? I've seen wrist ones, but not sure I'd want that on all day.
Ideas, experiences and comments welcome.🌸
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Sneedle
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Forehead thermometers are, possibly, the worst of the lot for accuracy and consistency!
I've attached a screenshot of my Apple watch as displayed on my iPhone. It uses some fancy logic and two sensors to determine wrist temperature. I don't know how useful it is! Mine is usually pretty steady within a moderate range. (Only a few watches have this feature.) That covers just one week but data goes back from starting to use it - though the first week is used to calibrate itself.
What can I take from that? That everything is OK? Or that it isn't sensitive enough? I think I'd need to go through some time where my temperature does change significantly, and see what happens then, to really understand its usefulness.
Taking daily temps is how I persuaded my gp about 17 years ago to diagnose me with hypo. Temperatures taken over a month were all over the place and low 36 degrees or under - which together with my symptoms gave me a clue.
But if your temperature is steady, yes what does that tell you? I'm not sure!
From looking at the graph I understand it is measuring from your baseline temp (established the first week you got the watch) which varies by a range of approx. 2 degrees (between minus 1 and plus 1 celsius). But you can't tell accurately what the exact temp was ie. 37.2 or 37.7 etc.? Is that correct? Or perhaps these temps are indicated elsewhere on your watch.
This is helpful, as it's made me aware that I need to check any funky tech thermometer to make sure it provides enough detail ie. tenths of a degree. Which I hadn't thought of.
I guess it's a question of doing it over time, like blood tests, to correlate with symptoms and how you feel.
How to use a basal thermometer to track your thyroid (and sex hormones and adrenals)
I'm particularly interested in this bit re adrenals:
That means your basal body temperature can be used as another measure of “adrenal status” in your body.
Of course, it’s not the most accurate way to measure cortisol, and adrenal function – but it can help provide insight into your body.
Generally, those with autonomic issues and cortisol dysregulation show a chaotic basal body temperature that bounces up and down day to day.
Some changes would be considered normal, but large swings of 1-2 degrees of body temperature may be indicative of adrenal dysregulation (5). My underlining.
If this is true then I'm very interested to monitor.
Re thyroid, I think that Broda Barnes had a particular range he used to judge thyroid dysfunction, but like any other range, that was what he used over time based on the ranges for his own patients (just as labs use their own ranges based on local populations if I understand correctly - the dratters!).
Anyway I'm blathering on but your reply and watch info has got me thinking further.
And I'm definitely not getting a forehead dodgeometer!
The details captured include temperature in numbers - with surface temperature separately!
I doubt any wrist device is better than the Apple Watch. But there could be any number of other devices using different approaches each with their own strengths and weaknesses.
I actually wanted temperature measuring because it intrigued me - not because I thought I was likely to get much from it.
You are absolutely right that it is important to know, in detail, what the device can do. Also to appreciate that at best it really only raises a question and never gives an unambivalent answer.
Screenshot of Apple Watch detailed data for one night
Oh good lord the surface temperature!! My mind is taking a big swerve away from the Unfathomable Science of it all. Unfathomable to me anyway. That is fascinating.
I think the most likely product for me is a digital thermometer with bluetooth app which immediately stores my temperature - MyNameIsAugust has got me thinking in that direction, and with a good suggestion to make sure I can export the data if I want to show anyone.
I used to track my basal temp for fertility purposes. I needed an oral thermometer with two digits after the decimal, I got mine on eBay. It's important to use the same thermometer each time you take a basal reading. I needed to take my temp first thing in the morning as soon as I woke-up, before I got out of bed. I found it worked really well at identifying when I was ovulating. Your temp goes up when you ovulate and stays up until your cycle starts again. I used an app called Fertility Friend for recording the temp each morning and it produced a chart. I'd say there are lots of other apps that do the same thing. Perhaps something along those lines would work for you. But the key to reading your basal temp is to do it first thing in the morning before you get out of bed. Good luck.
I may end up doing exactly what you say - thermometer plus an app I endter the details into. It's good to know how accurate you found this method - I'll be using it for thyroid and adrenal monitoring, but still glad to know it can work that well. And you've impressed on me it has to be done first thing without moving - I need a Wallace and Gromit mechanical arm to lift the thermometer and stuff it into my mouth so I can go on dozing 😀
Haha! And it needs to be done at the same time each morning too. So set your Wallace and Gromit mechanical arm for the same time each morning. I've only ever heard of it for tracking fertility. There should be some free apps for recording your temp. Look for one that allows you to print out your charts or to email them to yourself. Good luck.
I used to record temps for Dr P exactly as MyNameIsAugust suggests, first think in the morning. I found it interesting to see improvements and stability as my health improved.
He provided graph paper with the x and Y axis already filled in. It was easy and my main issue was not to fall back asleep with a mercury thermometer under my tongue!
Luckily things have now moved on but I wouldn’t know which is the best thermometer now.
Good luck with your monitoring. I think it’s a great idea.
I love that Dr P provided the graph paper! Yes the falling back asleep I rememember that too. I was always afraid of biting the darn thing.
Thanks I will go ahead with monitoring this way, I do feel over time it will give me valuable feedback to help with symptoms in years to come. As in, I might have a clue what is causing what! Now to find The app to do it with...
Sneedle, I have been monitoring waking BBT for a year or so now. I have found the guns nowhere near as good as the electric ones my mouth, sadly mercury ones are no longer made, and I prefer ones with 2 sigfigs. Do you have an iPhone or android? I log my temps into my health app in the morning and it keeps it as a graph for me which is very handy 👍
I'm going to check if you're able to export the data without having to be a subscribing member to whatever Premium service it is Omron offer! Having to watch out more and more for the 'subscription trap' hrumph.
Do you have your findings posted anywhere on the site here? Any trends or things you've been able to figure out from your temps? Particularly on the adrenal front. Regenerus have received my saliva samples for cortisol and DHEA test now so it's sit and wait very impatiently time.😠 I'm rubbish at waiting!
Yes on a post somewhere but I can reiterate here - a few things I’ve noticed!
When my cortisol is too high for my thyroid hormone I get high BBT (like 36.6+), when my cortisol is not high enough for my thyroid hormone I get low BBT (like 32-).
Other things that can raise temp - low potassium, low iron, high progesterone, high adrenaline, high thyroid hormone.
Thank you that's awesome I'm saving this info for when I get going. I will figure myself out, I will!People seem to be mentioning technology problems with Bluetooth data transfer not reliably working on the thermometers I've looked at, so I think I'll be finding an app and recording it all manually there as you and MyNameIsAugust have.
And wait for the tech issues to eventually be ironed out.
I have the cheap gun variety, I compare forehead (sometimes a bit clammy) to behind ear, under chin and so on, usually the same or 0.1 different if forehead is evaporating 🤣 it’s usually similar 36.2-36.5 I also log it daily in the apple health app. I think a more detailed 2 sigfig would be good/better. Better still a wearable that just does it for you as you wake 🌱
Yes I often wake up with a damp forehead, it often has a cooler reading than other spots I’ve experimented with, I guess that’s because the sweat is evaporating off my forehead. Had it most of my life, it’s a wonder I’m not a shrivelled prune from dehydration 🤣 I did have a spell when it went away, I hope it’ll return as my levels go back to normal. Yes narrow range, could be that my thermometer is rubbish of course 😳
Thank you for your reply. It's interesting to hear that your temp rose once levo became stsble, ie. an objective response to treatment. I'm post-menopausal so no more swings thank goodness! Fingers crossed I can find a reliable thermometer and keep up with the chore of recording it!
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