Taking Temps during a REAL Illness

I always take mine rectally at home. My son usually gets RT as well, but now usually prefers to do the honors himself, and just hands me the thermometer to read.

Only take my rectal temp when i be sick.

But never get a temp from a doc or nurse

My girlfriend who is a nurse always prefers the rectal method in are household, she likes to take mine at least once a day at some point in that day to assure I'm doing good as she says.

If it's good enough for play, it is good enough for "real". I see no need to switch methods when I am sick.

For sure. I'm all for accuracy, so a well slicked glass red tipped thermometer is what I slip into my rectum for 5 minutes or more. I admit I leave it in for a little too long on purpose ☺.

Yes, Might start out popping an Oral thermometer in my mouth first, but if it's a reading I don't trust, which is 99.6% of the time, then soon or by the end of the day I get the Rectal thermometer out. 😃 .. Most of the time during an illness a temperature reading by rectum at least once a day, to compare with the Oral.

I haven't had a fever in so long, but when I do get one my temperature will be taken rectally.

The last thing I want when I'm really sick is a thermometer in my butt. I just can't stand it. It's more of a play thing for me

I think most people dont want her Temp rectally taken if they are ill. But after reading the posts, many people seem to like her temps taken rectally everytime. Very interesting

I think most people dont want her Temp rectally taken if they are ill. But after reading the posts, many people seem to like her temps taken rectally everytime. Very interesting

That's because it's their fetish.

I understand the mouth breathing issue, but there's also timpanic and temporal units.

Accuracy? What are you going to do different if you feel awful and your temperature is 101.7 or 102.4?

I always take my temperature rectally with a glass mercury thermometer.

I always take my temperature rectally with a Geratherm non mercury thermometer

Whether a rectal temperature is "more accurate" depends on several factors. When I was growing up, the oral temperatures were often considered to be a bit lower than rectal, and an adjustment was made. In some places the normal practice is for the patient to hold the thermometer in his or her armpit -- not invasive while still equilibrating to an 'internal' temperature when held tightly. The color-changing strips placed on the forehead are another option.

Whatever the reading, what is of interest is how it compares to one's normal temperature, which I think varies somewhat from individual to individual. Furthermore, my understanding is that different parts of the body can actually be at slightly different temperatures. Somewhere I read that ovulation can be observed by taking a daily temperature reading vaginally.

I always take my own temperature rectally.

Plumb axillary temps or temps taken under the arm are notoriously inaccurate. For those who are adult and awake it's not important what the temperature is--correlate it with the symptoms. When one is taking the temp of a newborn or infant a degree is all the difference in the world. 99 degrees is normal for an newborn. 100 degrees demands a septic workup including blood work, urinalysis and a spinal tap.

Outside of being in a hospital and having a temperature taken as a matter of routine per proper procedure, I don't think I have ever needed to take a temperature as an adult to know if I am ill or not. When I'm ill with a flu, cold or whatever, I can really feel it from a variety of other unpleasant symptoms. There is no need for me to confirm anything by temp taking. Ill is ill with or without having to know.

The point is to differentiate viral from bacterial infections. Viral ones usually only have temps of 99 degrees or so. Bacterial ones which can be treated with antibiotics have temps in excess of 100 degrees.

Back in '91 I went to a local community hospital because of a severe head ache; cars changing colors as I looked at them etc. They took a rectal temp as part of their protocol. Embarrassing but I let it go as the pain was beyond belief.

Turns out my BP was 220/110. Had to go to the ICU for a Nipride drip to bring it down. From then on I was stabilized on oral meds.

A nipride drip? You poor guy. Headaches are the worst.

@liquidski, not as bad as a CVA or MI from a BP of 220/110.

Right you are Stephen. I've seen patients cone after a bleed from hypertension. Glad you're OK.

I love RTs

@rainyjane, go, or have your SO go to tractor supply and buy a veterinary thermometer. The cost less than $20 and are about four times the size of a normal human thermometer.

Please report back to us the results you feel from one of these thermometers.

Nothing compares to the accuracy of rectal temperature, not to mention the pleasure of measuring it (or to have it measured)!

I am always checking my temperature rectally with a glass Geratherm thermometer - when I am sick it will be at least twice a day. When I was 11, I was teached by my mother how to take it rectally and I have continued since then...

The SO and I don't pretend that accuracy plays into the decision at all, but we both still take each other's temperatures rectally when we're sick for real. It just feels more intimate, and it's not like it's any extra work when we're already in bed anyway.

Plus, out of habit, the only thermometer we own isn't going anywhere but in our butts 😃

Fortunately (or unfortunately), I have never been sick enough as an adult to warrant going to the hospital or doctor's office for anything other than routine checkups, so have never had an RT in a professional setting. At home, my wife prefers less invasive methods, but I still hold out hope that the batteries on the ear scanner may be dead next time I catch the flu...

. . . .my wife prefers less invasive methods, but I still hold out hope that the batteries on the ear scanner may be dead next time I catch the flu...

cute, very cute!

If I'm sick, my wife takes my temperature rectally (and if I'm alone, I take it rectally on myself).

One difference with a play temperature is that we are likely to use a digital thermometer, with quick and precise measurement, rather than a glass one.