Basal Temperature

[debale]

I took my temperature first thing this morning and my reading was 36.2, I know if it is below 36.5 and you have symptoms this could point to hypothyroidism. Does taking Levo alter the temperature? If so, I am taking 75mg per day does this mean my dose needs to be increased? Am I still hypo???

[Dannia]

Hi Debate

I have monitored my temperature for about 8 weeks now. I was taking 62.5mcgs Levo alternate days by swallowing with water. My basal and average daily temps all pointed to me still being hypo, besides I had symptoms too, although I also found myself to be low in B12, D and Iron/Ferritin so I've been supplementing them.

I then started to take the levo sublingually, so I'd wake around 7am, take my basal, let my T4 meds melt under my tongue as I went back to sleep until 8ish.

My av daily temp went up noticeably.

About 8 days of starting this I changed to 62.5mcgs each day, my basal raised above the hypo temp, av daily were good and steady (I also have adrenal issues so this was important)

12 days after the raise, I added T3 (Cynomel) and my basal is around 36.6 and my av daily is now 36.9 and 37.0.

I take both meds sublingually and I believe this makes a huge difference.

Nikki

[Dannia in reply to Dannia]

Sorry I also meant to say, yes it seems you're still hypo, but from all the reading I've done, you can't get optimal on T4 meds (Levo) unless you convert well.

stopthethyroidmadness.com/t...

[ellarose1234]

Do doctors really take any notice of temperatures? I have low basal temperature, low BP and very slow pulse...Doctor not interested. Perhaps I'm turning into a tortoise and should hibernate all year? My sister is the same and her doctor just said "wish I was you...must be very fit!" Don't think he noticed she was 65 year old woman crawling about trying to survive and not an Olympic athlete.

[shaws Administrator in reply to ellarose1234]

No, they don't know anything about a basal temp test, or other clinical symptoms of hypothyroidism - they have never been taught as students. Unlike Dr S and Dr P and others who qualified around the same time and before the TSH blood tests became the diagnosis. That's why forums such as this have come about due to misdiagnosis and treatment for conditions that are actually symptoms of hypo.

Dr S and Dr P have been persecuted because the stick to the rules they were taught and make many people better.

The fact is that untreated hypo or undertreated (keeping the TSH within normal range) can lead to other fatal diseases.

[debjs]

I have been monitoring my waking temp for several months now. Was extremely hypo as do not convert T4, cannot tolerate T3 and was taken off all meds & left with nothing for 3 months after being on Levo and not converting for nearly a year following total thyroidectomy. My temp was 35.2 mostly and on occasions 34.8 but has gradually risen over the last 10months as I have been on a slowly increasing dose of Armour thyroid. It is now on average 36.2 but I am still hypo so perhaps you do need an increase.

[ejh1]

Hi P

Do you feel otherwise OK? 75mcg is quite a low dose. I would have thought that if you are feeling cold and have no hyper type symptoms you could certainly tolerate trying an increase in T4. I have been told that most people need between 100-150 mcg (but how many of us are normal eh?!!)

I think I agree with Dannia above, who says that if you're not converting T4 to T3, you're not going to warm up. I think that's happening with me at the moment, hence my icicle hands and feet. My endo was of the same opinion too, and I expect him to trial T3 with me at the next follow up. I take 125 mcg officially, and have taken up to 175 unofficially, with no change in symptoms at all. However, I was rather unwell on 100mcg, so that extra 25 of levo did a lot for me. I do think there's only so far you can drive up the T4 if you're not converting it though, but its worth a try for starters.

Emma

[snowstorm]

My understanding is, that the first two temperatures of the day taken before rising ---1st one under the arm 2nd in mouth -- are vindicative of thyroid problem the remaining 3 to 4 are connected to adrenal glands. It is the variance which is looked at ie too much up & down. If you have adrenal fatigue to some degree you are likely to feel colder and get inside shivers.

My basal temp has not been above 98.6 for several months remaining in the region of 97.1 to .7 etc One occasion 96.5. Intolerant to levo or T4, trialling T3 (5mg daily) so will see how it goes. Not holding breath. At some point will most likely have to cease T3 or at the very least reduce the dose. Better still --- get NHS to fix adrenals so no thyroid meds required. And, YES, I am serious. These two conditions go hand in hand and I believe the wrong one can be treated, and is treated, on a regular basis. If thyroid treated when it should be adrenals it can lead to a disaster.

[Dannia in reply to snowstorm]

Hi Snowstorm,

I'm relatively new to all of the treatment and other issues such as adrenals, yes that's how I read it, the first waking temp (basal, I don't do underarm) is for your Hypo status as such and the 3 after divided to get your average daily temp is to do with your adrenals. if you have a .2 or .3 difference between the highest and lowest over a 5 or 6 day period you have adrenal fatigue-the higher the difference the worse the fatigue.

My understanding is that the adrenals have to be treated first, and then the thyroid.

I'm not sure if you heal the adrenals that you could get away with not taking thyroid meds if hypo, but I stand to be corrected

[jacksprat]

My temp struggles to reach 36.00,it's usually 35.7 and I have been on 100mcg of T3 for the last two years. My blood pressure is fine and heart rate too, so unsure if anything would make my temp rise.

[snowstorm]

Hi Dannia, Yes, adrenals should be treated before going on any thyroid meds as a booster for 3 to 4 weeks approx (a Dr in a hospital who took my bloods told me that!!! so...... WHY is this not done???)

I think that if the adrenals are treated in this way they are less likely to come to harm. They should be treated whether there is anything wrong with them or not. Call it a precautionary measure. It can take years for the adrenals to get into a poor state which just goes to show how fantastic the body is at finding coping mechanisms.

My understanding also is, that CFS and adrenal fatigue run a pretty much parallel line for a while before dividing. Prolonged Severe adrenal fatigue will finally end up being

Addison's disease --- and this, ultimately, can lead to death. What a cheerful charlie I am, but it is a fact. Regrettably the NHS do not do adrenals and then only a cortisol blood test which most of the time will come back normal. The top best test is a saliva test which will support all other tests. Of course the other methods may be conclusive. If saliva tests were done as a matter of course instead of the cortisol blood it would, in fact, save money.