What Is Your Body Temperature? Rethinking 98.6

[leelaplay]

The Claim: Body Temperature Declines With Age

Really? The Claim: Body Temperature Declines With Age
By ANAHAD OCONNOR in the nyTImes Published: December 28, 2009

THE FACTS Body temperature is not as simple as conventional wisdom suggests.

Years ago, scientists discovered that the normal resting body temperature for adults varies from person to person, but that the average temperature is close to 98.2 degrees Fahrenheit, not the widely stated 98.6 degrees. They also confirmed that body temperature rises from morning to evening.

Since then, some studies have shown that normal temperature seems to decline very slightly from decade to decade as well, and that the decline becomes particularly pronounced in older people. It sounds minor, but studies suggest that even a drop of a couple degrees could lead to serious fevers going unnoticed because of deceptively low temperature readings.

One study demonstrating this was published in The Journal of the American Geriatric Society. The scientists examined nursing home residents and found that about half who had infections showed temperatures below 101 degrees, even though many had robust changes in temperature an increase of 2.4 degrees or more indicating a potentially serious fever.

Lower baseline temperatures is one problem. Another is that a fever is part of the bodys defense mechanism against infections, and this immune response may be diminished in some elderly people, including, studies show, in up to 30 percent of those with serious bacterial or viral infections

THE BOTTOM LINE Some studies suggest normal body temperature can decline with age.

scitimes@nytimes.com

note: I love the layout of this article, how the author provided links to each point as it was made instead of in footnotes. Now if only the links had transferred over when I copied the page so that I didn't have to copy each one individually!

 

[_Kim_]

Has ME/CFS altered your average daily body temperature? Do you commonly have low grade fevers or is your daily temperature in the low zone?

A recent article in the NY Times reports that "the normal resting body temperature for adults varies from person to person, but that the average temperature is close to 98.2 degrees Fahrenheit, not the widely stated 98.6 degrees."

From the NY Times December 28, 2009
THE FACTS: Body temperature is not as simple as conventional wisdom suggests.

Lower baseline temperatures is one problem. Another is that a fever is part of the bodys defense mechanism against infections, and this immune response may be diminished in some elderly people, including, studies show, in up to 30 percent of those with serious bacterial or viral infections

 

[Suzy]

Temp

I take mine under sub-l 3 times a day and it averages around 97.5 or 97.6. My doc says that 97.8 to 98 is what to aim for. I'm not taking thyroid as I tried it , it made me feel out of breath. And I understand there are other reasons for low temp.

 

[Dr. Yes]

That's about the same range for me, though I've seen it as low as 96.7 on the same thermometer. Which makes it very confusing when I feel sick and the temperature is a (for me) high 98.4 - 98.6 ... I can rarely tell whether I've caught something or relapsed or what unless I have a high fever.

 

[Suzy]

my temp drops

one thing that happens to me is my temp drops into the 92's when Icome in from the cold. Id ont' feel any worse. Any ideas ?

 

[Tammie]

My normal body temp stays rt around 95......if I even get up to 97, I feel like I have a pretty significant fever

I had heat stroke a few yrs ago, and for that diagnosis, body temp has to reach at least 106.....that makes me wonder what my relative temp was (if 106 is heat stroke for someone with a "normal" 98 temp, then to my body, would 106 feel like 108 - 109 or so?) scary

 

[Martlet]

Kim

My norm is around 97 (and a bit) but it will go up above 99. I think that's fairly normal. But I can stand neither heat nor cold and my temp will shoot up if I get hot.

 

[George]

temp is off

97.8 is normal for me. I also have trouble with tolerating heat or cold, anything below 65 I get chills anything over 85 and I start to get nausea.

 

[JustJack]

me too and question for Martlet and George

Martlet and Geprge - I am exactly the same. Cannot tolerate heat or cold just like you George.
I find it comforting to know, in my heart, that we have the same illness. LOL

I know someone on a thread was talking about how their head starts to hurt if they talk too loud or too
long...why is this? Mine does everytime and will lead to a semi-migrane if I push it, and it always on the right side.
George - do you have this?

JJ

 

[George]

Martlet and Geprge - I am exactly the same. Cannot tolerate heat or cold just like you George.
I find it comforting to know, in my heart, that we have the same illness. LOL

I know someone on a thread was talking about how their head starts to hurt if they talk too loud or too
long...why is this? Mine does everytime and will lead to a semi-migrane if I push it, and it always on the right side.
George - do you have this?

JJ

Hey Jack, I love these polls where we all get to be weird together! (big grins) Sounds like you have some central nervous system damage. Has your doc ever done an MRI of the brain?

My problem isn't a single loud noise, it's anytime there is more than a couple of noises together. The brain is set up to scan lines of information from the environment and assess threat levels, mine just gets overwhelmed. I feel confused and frightened and have to remove myself from the situation.

My doc did an MRI when I first got sick, he was thinking a pituitary problem, but all results were normal. I'd like to see him do one now 5 years later. (Ha take that!) course (sigh) I'm going to have to come up with something new to get another one granted. So it make take a while.

 

[gracenote]

I'm not sure how to answer this poll.

96.2-98.2 (35.7-36.8 C) - I tend to have a slightly lower body temperature: This is usually true for me in the mornings.

98.2-98.6 (36.8-37 C) - My body temperature is in the normal range: This is usually true in the afternoons and evenings.

98.6-99.2 (37-37.3 C) - I tend to run a low grade fever: This used to be true in the late afternoons and early evenings until I was treated with Valcyte. Now only occasionally. Sometimes up to 99.4.

I start feeling feverish when I get up to 98.8. I'm very grateful to no longer have those late afternoon fevers all the time. So very grateful.

 

[leelaplay]

I'm not sure either - I voted 96.2 up to 98.2 as I guestimate it closest to average.

Average temp is about 96 or a bit higher, but get fevers almost daily, usually about 100 - 101.

Get hot and cold daily on my own with no correlation with my temp or anything else.

+ have heat and cold intolerance so external temps can bring on chills, sweats and/or OI.

 

[_Kim_]

96.2-98.2 (35.7-36.8 C) - I tend to have a slightly lower body temperature: This is usually true for me in the mornings.

98.2-98.6 (36.8-37 C) - My body temperature is in the normal range: This is usually true in the afternoons and evenings.

98.6-99.2 (37-37.3 C) - I tend to run a low grade fever: This used to be true in the late afternoons and early evenings until I was treated with Valcyte. Now only occasionally. Sometimes up to 99.4.

I start feeling feverish when I get up to 98.8. I'm very grateful to no longer have those late afternoon fevers all the time. So very grateful.

gracenote, I'll add another category to the poll. How does this suit you?

My temperature fluctuates throughout the day &/or changes daily

 

[gracenote]

gracenote, I'll add another category to the poll. How does this suit you?

My temperature fluctuates throughout the day &/or changes daily

Sure, I'll take that. I checked the box. [I voted! I got to vote! Imagine one of the old smily faces here.]

What a quick response. And I wasn't even asking. Thank you, you Most Excellent Administrator. You're doing a great job.

 

[_Kim_]

Sure, I'll take that. I'll check it when I see it.

What a quick response. And I wasn't even asking. Thank you, you Most Excellent Administrator. You're doing a great job.

Thanks g.n. - Ok, you've got a new category.

 

[George]

To get you smilies back

Hey to get the old smilies you have to click the go advanced button.

 

[JustJack]

Hey Jack, I love these polls where we all get to be weird together! (big grins) Sounds like you have some central nervous system damage. Has your doc ever done an MRI of the brain?

My problem isn't a single loud noise, it's anytime there is more than a couple of noises together. The brain is set up to scan lines of information from the environment and assess threat levels, mine just gets overwhelmed. I feel confused and frightened and have to remove myself from the situation.

My doc did an MRI when I first got sick, he was thinking a pituitary problem, but all results were normal. I'd like to see him do one now 5 years later. (Ha take that!) course (sigh) I'm going to have to come up with something new to get another one granted. So it make take a while.

George, my MRI's have shown nothing. Been tested for MS and such several times, at least not yet! That is fine with me, but neuros turn off the minute they cannot find the easy answer, that has unfortunately been my case. But, as folks here talk, I feel like I am the same, only slightly different in some aspects.

But, I love my brain! It has kept me going through years of illness and I hate that things fog me up every damm day and anytime anyone askes me to come in where there are multiple people, I run the other direction cause I cannot process more than one voice for any length of time.

Ah me, and a theatre slut (theatre is a demanding and wicked master) to boot. Even though as a person I have always needed solitude, my public life has always been nothing but crowded...now, the need for silence rules every cell in my body.

Arrrrrrrrrrrrrgh.
Jack JJ

 

[JustJack]

Smiles...thanks George. I need my sunglasses guy, cannot go outside without my sunglasses!! LOL

 

[klutzo]

Hi IslandFinn,
This confirms what my pulmonary/sleep specialist told me when I complained to him about my low body temperature being caused by Lyme Disease. He told me most of his patients temps were well below 98.6 on average. When he was out of the room, I asked his nurse and she said the same thing. Of course, healthy people are not in the doctor's office to begin with, esp. not a specialist, since they don't do regular check-ups.

I also have Fibromyalgia, and this could fit in with research on FMS that shows the average FMS patient has a body that is 25 yrs. older than his/her chronological age. I have had my temp drop as low as 93, which is hypothermia. It gets esp. low in the freezing Emergency Rm. and they always freak out and insist on a core temperature reading, which is embarrassing. They never believe me when I explain how Lyme alters messages between the skin and the brain so that temperature is not regulated properly. I have what Lyme patients refer to as "the one degree comfort zone", though for me it is 3 degrees, 77-79 degrees Fahrenheit. My thyroid is doing well on meds. This makes me think maybe the explanation is more simple than the Lyme one. Maybe it's the Fibro explanation that is correct.

I guess it doesn't matter. What matters is that I am freezing in the 30-40 degree weather we are having. It is so unusual here. I have on a turtleneck, a thick sweater, a fleece jacket on top of that, thick knee socks and leggings, and the heat is set at 76, but I am still cold. Can't wait to see the electric bill! What I want to know is how do we FIX this? Moving around helps, but only while you are doing it, and most of us can't do that all day long like "normals."

BTW, ever since the new forum came up, I can't see your Avatar anymore.

klutzo

 

[DysautonomiaXMRV]

It's interesting that people with 'energy' diseases like ours, are mostly running a lowered core temperature.

Isn't the low core temperature explained by poor cellular energy (ATP), leading to the Thyroid gland and it's bits and bobs it links to - running slow?
(Even if thyroid levels are normal).

That would make sense why many of us appear to be hypothyroid, but often test within normal limits.