Tell me your most embarrasing rectal Temperaturen taking

@Malmsperm ,

I spent about four years in Asia, both Korea and Taiwan. Not disputing what you say but my

Understanding was that most temperatures were taken underarm

or oral. Whether younger children or pre- adolescents got RTs I can’t say.

@John_Sitter Well, if she could recognize what the equipment was for, maybe she got it at home as well?

@Nurse_Phillips : "I was told I could roll onto my side and lower my panties or she was going to call in 3 other nurses who would hold me down and pull them down.

OK even at 14 that turned me on - like intensely and immediately. Jolt right to the pussy, so not only did I have to roll up on my side and lower my underpants, sticking my bum out, but I had to do so knowing my pussy was wet. "

I'm glad you found it an erotic experience. But what do you think of that attituded? I grew up in the same era. There might have come a point where the threat of bringing others in may have arisen, but I can't imagine they wouldn't have at least tried to be a bit persuasive, rather than threatening from the outset. I do recall the no nonsense nurses back then, and later as well. But most of the ones I encountered showed some kindness.

Are you a nurse IRL? If so, what do you think of that attitude?

All of them when I was young

@fandomi for dealing with a 14 y/o brat which I was? I’m fine with it. No im not a nurse.

@Nurse_Phillips

@fandomi for dealing with a 14 y/o brat which I was? I’m fine with it. No im not a nurse.

Fair enough. The surgery aside, I'm glad it was a positive experience for you 😃.

@Fandomi positive might be taking it a bit far. Formative is possibly more accurate

@Nurse_Phillips

@Fandomi positive might be taking it a bit far. Formative is possibly more accurate

That's probably a better choice of words. How do you think you would look back on it if it wasn't a 'formative' experience in the way that it was? Did it give you a negative view of nurses or being in the hospital?

@Fandomi That’s not really a question I can answer. I reacted how I did because of who I am/was. At the time did I think the nurse was a bitch? Absolutely. Now as a the adult I recognize that I was the bitch. While it wasn’t an actual sexual situation, it was sexually adjacent and represented the first time I was dominated in that way, which I learned that I liked/craved/didn't like/was embarrassed by. Lots of confusing feelings.

@Jacana "One wonders why they would inflict something so undignified. I'm sure that if at age 14 you can deal with tampons and periods you can deal with a thermometer up your anus on your own."

"I too had appendectomy, and the policy also was to take rectal temperatures. Like yourself, I was to roll on my side and lower my pajamas (or whatever I was wearing). The difference is that I would do it under bedsheets: the nurse handed me the thermometer and I would insert the tip into my rectum. I was expected to know how to do this at that age, given that it was a very common way of taking temperatures in French households. Indeed, in my home this is how it went if I was sick (of course when younger mom would do the honors)."

A few thoughts come to mind as to why they didn't have the patient insert the thermometer themselves. From what you've said, rectal temps were routinely taken, regardless of age. So a 14 year old would have known how to do that. But in the USA, rectal temps ended much younger. From what I've read here and elsewhere, some stopped at four or five; mine stopped around ten, and apparently some went beyond that. For those who stopped at 5, they may not have known how to take the temperature rectally. Which leads to the second possibility. My understanding is the European analogue thermometer has always been the same as the ones currently used, with a narrow tip and then a broad shoulder. Only the tip is inserted in the anus and there is no need of lube. Prior to the Geratherm non-mercury thermometers, thermometers used in the USA were slender and the same thickness the whole length. They were inserted a couple inches into the rectum, and therefore required lube. Making sure the kid inserted the lubed thermometer properly might not have been so straight forward. Also, if you're taking temps on a ward, it's done mass production style. They're probably not going to individually assess each patient for their ability to insert the thermometer. The other issue, which I think was prevalent throughout medical care, at all ages, is embarrassment isn't a reason to not do something which is helpful.

That said, I think there is a place for considering the patient's feelings, although back then that wasn't the case.

Certainly when boys had sports physicals at school and a female teacher or other staff member was there when they had to drop their shorts, no one cared how the boys felt about it. And they weren't even medical personnel.

@Fandomi

I have been taking my temperature rectally since I was a teenager. So I have more than 40 years of experience. I have never had any problems inserting the thermometer rectally, with or without lubricant. It doesn't matter whether it's an old mercury thermometer or a thin American model. I always insert the thermometer very deeply into my rectum so that I can feel it. I have never had any problems with this.

@rectemp I don't doubt what you're saying. Technique plays a role, such as bearing down when inserting. None the less, I think most people find at least mild discomfort fully inserting a thermometer without lube. Using lube was part of the standard procedure for rectal thermometer use with that type of thermometer.

That’s very true. I know when I used to go to the doctor as a kid and I was 60s kid and 70s teen, rectal temperatures which was pretty much all the time they used a generous blob of vaseline on the end of the thermometer and I’m sorry to say they didn’t always wipe you afterwards.🌡️🧴🧻

@Kenw I wonder why they didn't use KY jelly. They must've had it for exams.

To this day, I find it rude when I have a DRE and the Dr./PA/NP doesn't offer me tissue after.

I think the expectation that a rectal thermometer would be lubed was ubiquitous with the type which was fully inserted. I remember at some point, perhaps the '80's, some thermometer companies came out with one-time use plastic sheaths to go over the thermometer. I think that was to prevent having to sterilize them after use, though I find that disgusting. In any case, they came in two types: oral and rectal. The exterior of the rectal sheaths were pre-lubricated, although it really wasn't enough to make insertion comfortable.

No clue , the first time i seen ky was for a rectal exam i’m the us navy. before that my pediatrician used soap for the rectal exam and vaseline for the thermometer, my mom and gram used vaseline also.

I never saw those thermometer sheaths talked about in my doctors office or for that matter, even in the Navy for by that time they were using IVAC thermometers with the oral probes in that plastic sleeve that slipped over it.