Rectal Temps at a Doctors Office

As a child/teen, our pediatrician used both oral and rectal temperatures. As I posted in another discussion, after about 9, the nurse would ask my mother which method she preferred for me to be checked with. My mother opted exclusively for rectal at home, so when she shared this with the nurse, she immediately went to the shelf and got the thermometer, rinsed it off and got the vaseline from the cabinet drawer. At that point, I was instructed to turn on my tummy and the nurse slipped her fingers into the waistband of my briefs and took them down, all the while still chatting with my mother. I was silent and had butterflies, especially as I got older. I watched out of the corner of my eye as she shook down the thermometer and then lubricated it. I was told to try to relax for her and hold still. There was something about that first moment, feeling the pear-shaped bulb slowly being inserted. I would lay totally silent as the minutes ticked away, listening to them talk and feeling totally safe, yet with no control over the situation. Once completed, she read the thermometer and used a wipe to clean my bottom.

My GORGEOUS girl friend has had her rectal temperature taken numerous times by her family doctor in Martinsburg, WV. He is a male in his 50s's. The last time she had her temperature taken this way was in May 2016. She is now 24 and was 24 then, it was for her yearly physical. This really still happens.

Never got a rectal temp from a doctor in my adult life. Wish I did though! 😉

CuriousGirl, just ask for it. Do you go to a large or small practice? Smaller practice with a man is more likely to do it. Sometimes the nurse is in the room with her. Sometimes it is just him and her, He has known her all her life though.

It is a small practice. But I am much too shy to actually ask for it. If they were to do it though I'd give no objections.

It's a favorite fantasy of mine to get an RT at my doctors office but that hasn't happened since I was a kid,

We simply don't do rectal temps because you want one. In my emergency department we use rectal temps only for small children, comatose or in some cases developmentally delayed patients.

@liquidsky What about patients with convulsions, seizures, or the ones throwing up their toenails?

@ CuriousGirl86

You must not ask for it, i got it by some other way.

I don´t know if you normally get your temp checked at the doctors office, but when not, you can say you think have high fever but your thermometer at home does not work, if the doc can take your temp.

When the doc or nurse say they will check your temp, you quickly lie down on the exam table and show them your naked butt and wait what happens.

And when they ask why you do this, you answer you always do or get your temp this way.

At me this method most time works and i got my rectal temp from doc or nurse.

@liquidsky What about patients with convulsions, seizures, or the ones throwing up their toenails?

The modern non-invasive electronic thermometers get close enough. Really, the difference between temperature of 103 or 103,5 with seizures is meaningless. You treat the seizure and work to lower the fever. There are certain emergency issues where exact core temperature is critical such as severe hypothermia. These cases aren't common.

I don't think I ever got it rectally as a child. I have never had it at the Dr's office either. I have had it like that from play partners. And I like it! 😃 (Evil Grin)

I dont know. I have never heard of it - not in Denmark at least.

I remember having my temperature taken rectally at a doctor's office twice when I was a kid. I was five the first time and just before the thermometer was inserted, I was given a shot in the rump. I cried from the sting of the needle while the thermometer was registering and the experience was so traumatizing that I associated a rectal temp with pain. Two years later I came down with an ear infection and when our pediatrician couldn't see us right away, my mother took me to our neighborhood doctor who lived down the street from us. After the nurse took my vitals, she announced she was going to take my temperature - rectally. I had no time to react, but still felt very apprehensive, remembering all too well what had happened two years earlier.

This time there was no shot, and in a flash the thermometer was inserted. I couldn't believe how good it felt. My thoughts were riveted to what I was feeling and my breathing grew heavy. No one said a word for five minutes while the thermometer registered. All too soon it was over and the nurse withdrew the thermometer. I was given a prescription for eardrops and we were on our way.

I've never forgotten that experience because my rectal temp fetish was born that day. I missed a golden opportunity to have it taken rectally at our pediatrician's a few months later during my back-to-school checkup. Our pediatrician switched you over to oral once you were seven, so my temp was taken orally while my sister, who was five, had hers taken rectally at the same time. I started to say something when the nurse said, "Shhh, don't talk or I'll have to take yours rectally, too." In retrospect, I should have told her to go ahead and take it rectally, but didn't say another word and never asked for a rectal temp.

I didn’t even know they still took rectal temperatures in doctors offices still. I am not sure if I would let my dr check my temp that way. It would depend on my mood

I request recital resfings when I go to the doctor when I am sick or having s yearly exam. My doctor is accommodating and uses this method when requested

As stated quite a few times I had my temperature taken rectally at the pediatrician's office until I was 18. It was done at home the same way. I never had it done as an adult, except for the time I was in the hospital. I was 24 or 25 at the time with pneumonia and the nurses there took it rectally. I think it may have been the policy there for everyone. Not sure. After that hospital stay it has never again been done rectally by any doctor or nurse. As an adult I have been to many doctors. Temperature is either taken by mouth or in the ear. I think if you asked for a rectal temperature they may call the psych ward. It is just not done anymore.

Have you ever asked for your temperature to be taken rectally?

Whether in a hospital, medical center, or in your home ( I have no shame in ordering)

I have never asked but have nad it done quite a few times in my PCP office as a matter of routine for accuracy since I get monthly pain shots anyway they're going to see it all anyway lol. And I have had it done in the hospital a number of times both as an adult nd a kid! G.G.

I think in today’s society with all the different types of thermometers out there you will have a hard time getting a doctors office or even hospital to agree to do your temperature rectally. Most times the people getting rectal temperatures in the emergency room are too sick to be asking for much of anything.

I would be very surprised indeed if a Doctor or his staff tried to take your temperature in your hiney. Fun as it is, in a clinical setting, an adult rectal temperature is uncalled for unless it is an emergency e.g. heat related illnesses. Unless you WANT it that way, I'd refuse.

Hi everyone!!! I wanted to know if anyone ever got their temp taken rectally at their pediatric appointment or regular doctor appointment??? From way back in the days or the present now??

My rectal temperature was taken at the pediatric but, my mom was the only person who took it. Just like I said under other topics, I was never touched by a nurse.

I was born in the 1950's, so all my temps were rectal well into my teens, my mom as well as the doctor did rectal to 13 then at home I was allowed to take my own after age 10 or so but we only had rectal thermometers at home. And the doctor's nurse would ask rectal or oral after 13. My younger brother hated rectal and finally got mom to buy an oral one when he was 14 or so years old. I never minded so just kept doing rectal and still do today.

Between age 10 and 13 I also played doctor with my same age male friend, we saw nothing wrong with doing rectal temps, we even got the family thermometer out while parents were away to do our RT play. This was in the late 60's.

What doctor's office would still take rectal temps. these days, especially since scanner thermometers are being used worldwide ? I mean, it's kind of like trying to find a gas station that still sells leaded gas under the Sinclair or Esso label.

We all know that times have changed. I remember watching a talk show a number of years ago and an older actress was being interviewed. She mentioned that she worked in a pediatrician's office before she began her acting career. She said that she was a receptionist ( not a nurse) and that a big part of her job was "sticking a thermometer into kid's bottoms". It never dawned on me that someone other then a Dr or nurse would be assigned to that job, but that was in the 60's. My guess it that there was no nurse in that office, so the receptionist took over some of the jobs that the Dr did not have time to do.