Taking Temps during a REAL Illness

I've had RT during real illness. Now true, the caregiver was an RT fan too and enjoyed me with pants down and on my stomach BUT..it was real flu.

Not treating strep is just stupid.

I know it's stupid, but I had an untreated quite-possibly-strep infection once (fortunately not too bad). I was in an entry level dead-end job with no benefits and didn't have insurance or money, and it was pre-ACA so there were essentially no ways to get insurance. So I put up with it and took off the bare minimum of days because I didn't have any sick leave benefits either. Took forever to resolve fully, sickest I've been as an adult.

Didn't take a rectal temperature, sick enough that I didn't give a damn what my temperature was.

When I am sick I take my temperature rectally to check my temperature to see if I have a fever.

Even as an adult I still use a rectal thermometer at home when sick and accurate temperature taking is needed.

Just curious - what do you do with the knowledge of your temp? Do you call your doctor, take more aspirin, or what? Is there anything actionable you do after taking your temp (rectally or orally)??

I take my temp rectally when sick. It is the most accurate

Vicki you are spot on re: rectal temperature for illness. Why NOT get the most accurate reading? If one prefers oral, no harm done but given an option, I'd go in the hiney any day.

Finger tips or a kiss to my forehead. Accurate enough.

Finger tips or a kiss to my forehead. Accurate enough.

If you are really sick and ill, you usually know it by feeling lousy and miserable in many other ways than simply having an elevated body temperature.

Aside from those nasty terminal diseases that you don't know about until too late, most people with normal body awareness are well aware when something is wrong with their body and they are ill. You don't really need to take a temperature reading to confirm this.

When I was a kid my mother always took my rectal temperature 4 times a day when I was sick, first thing in the morning, before lunch, before supper and before bedtime.

When I was a kid my mother always took my rectal temperature 4 times a day when I was sick, first thing in the morning, before lunch, before supper and before bedtime.

Perhaps back in the day it was grown-ups not trusting that kids have enough self-awareness of the state of their bodies to know if they ill or not or perhaps fibbing. There might also have been something ritualistic about, because it was the expected thing that parents were supposed to do as a way of showing concern over an ill child and perhaps they were indeed concerned. The thing about fevers 'breaking' being considered quite important.

For me, and I would guess many of us on here, a rectal temperature reading is the only good thing about being sick. Besides, even if you take an oral temp, why not? It is a simple test that can give you an idea of infection. Never understood the idea of, well I feel bad so I'm sick, no need to confirm with a thermometer. For instance, the other day I had a whopper of a headache, thought I might have a fever. So I took my temperature but it was normal, good to know.

For instance, the other day I had a whopper of a headache, thought I might have a fever. So I took my temperature but it was normal, good to know.

But you can most certainly be ill and sick without running a fever. Your body is telling you something is wrong by having the headache.

At best, by ruling out a fever, but still having other symptoms, this can help point out the direction to take when making a diagnosis what the illness might be.

For instance a few years ago I had appendicitis and then the necessary appendectomy. My first symptoms were feeling queasy, like I had eaten something bad. But hen I developed a headache of such intensity it felt like Darth Vader was squeezing my head with the Force. It was like a black cloud of pain swirling around my aching noggin. That along with a rather small nagging pain in the abdomen.

But I didn't have a fever and didn't sweat or anything. And boy, did I know I was sick.

I always take my temp rectally if I’m sick. Also, take my wife’s temp rectally. It’s accurate and easy.. no kink.. just the best way. I think.

For me, rectal temperature taking is a form of erotic play. It's been that way since I was a teen. On the other hand, if I'm sick, I tend to avoid taking my own temperature because I'm afraid of finding out that I have a high fever. Sounds strange, but it's true. I would, however, take another man's rectal temperature under any circumstance. It's all about a man's sexy ass.

The COVID-19 virus was as REAL an illness as I can remember. My husband, grown daughter and I were all sick at one time or another.

Our daughter ran a high fever for 48 hours, and it scared me. We have a Taylor mercury rectal thermometer that my mother gave me in the 1980s. I felt the need to be spot on accurate with all of our temps until they were down. No complaints from hubby or daughter. Nurse Nikki gives sensible advice.

I did switch to a digital that I had just purchased when our daughter was recovering and her temp was back to normal.

Not having an issue with rectal temperature taking, I would not see it as anything more than part of an initial assessment of my state of health by my caregiver.

Having mine taken rectally during an illness is something I would request.

My only regret would be it very likely would not be taken using a glass mercury thermometer.

I’ve had experiences where I had my rectal temperature taken at my request. There were times when it was not, but often when it was I was told by medical professionals that it is the most accurate method.

That said, everyone’s circumstances during illness regarding rectal temperatures taking is either pro or con or ambiguous or possibly dependent on circumstances.