Ear Thermometer/fever question?

[Lilacs4Me]

Last night I went to bed freezing and couldn't get warm for anything. Then I woke up at 3am with the most internal heat I've ever felt. Not sweaty, not clammy, just HOT. On the inside. For like 90 minutes.

I finally got up and got some water and took my temp with an ear thermometer, and it registered 97.7

No fever?! Maybe my first hot flash? Haha, well I *will* be 42 this year. Do they last hours, though?! I took two Tylenol, and laid on the couch. Another 20 min, I was cooled down and fell back asleep. My stomach hurt all day and I've been coughing. I took advil at about 9am. It's now 7pm and I've felt the hotness creeping on since about 5pm. I took my temp again just now and it says 98.8

There is no way this isn't a fever. So I take my temp with a normal oral thermometer and it registered 100.9

Is there a trick to the ear thermometer?! My poor kids....I've been telling them for the past two years they don' have fevers lol. I though ear thermometers are supposed to be more accurate!

 

[Mizzoufan]

I think now they don't even consider 100.9 much of a fever now. It seems like you add a degree if you take a temp in the ear

 

[mom2rtk]

Any time I have a question about an ear or forehead temp, I go back to the oral thermometer.

 

[Lilacs4Me]

I think now they don't even consider 100.9 much of a fever now. It seems like you add a degree if you take a temp in the ear

Really? I've heard that for kids, but the last time I had a fever and actually went to the dr (diagnosis was strep that time) the nurse said that anything over 101 was worrisome in an adult since they usually don't spike fevers like kids do. Not that I think I'm dying or anything lol, but it is really uncomfortable. I' trying not to take any fever med so it can work on fighting whatever this is.

 

[Mizzoufan]

Really? I've heard that for kids, but the last time I had a fever and actually went to the dr (diagnosis was strep that time) the nurse said that anything over 101 was worrisome in an adult since they usually don't spike fevers like kids do. Not that I think I'm dying or anything lol, but it is really uncomfortable. I' trying not to take any fever med so it can work on fighting whatever this is.

I thought I had read that. I hope you feel better soon

 

[JoanneAZ]

I am a nurse and in my hospital we are required to notify a physician if their adult patient has a temp of 100.4 F or 38C. Temps taken in the armpit (axillary) are generally 1 degree lower than oral and ear temps (tympanic) are generally 0.5-1 degree higher than oral. I think your tympanic thermometer may be off.

I hope you feel better soon.

 

[lifesavacation]

Any time I have a question about an ear or forehead temp, I go back to the oral thermometer.

Me too! I’ve got about 5 different thermometers because I don’t trust my ear and forehead ones.

 

[low-key]

ear, mouth, they all good, but leave my butt alone

 

[maxaroni]

I never cared for the ear thermometer. I believe they were popular when my DS24 was born and was told to take his temp in both ears. At least back then and for a baby, you needed to pull the ear and insert the probe just so to read correctly. It was by far better than rectally for a baby, but not all that in love with it, wound up doing under the arm more than the ear. As adults now, we use the oral thermometer. If I was to get something different, I think I’d go for the forehead thermometer that you run over the forehead, not the strips you place on your forehead.

 

[low-key]

I never cared for the ear thermometer. I believe they were popular when my DS24 was born and was told to take his temp in both ears. At least back then and for a baby, you needed to pull the ear and insert the probe just so to read correctly. It was by far better than rectally for a baby, but not all that in love with it, wound up doing under the arm more than the ear. As adults now, we use the oral thermometer. If I was to get something different, I think I’d go for the forehead thermometer that you run over the forehead, not the strips you place on your forehead.

you now what, I don't even think I own a thermometer now, but I know when I'm hot

 

[maxaroni]

you now what, I don't even think I own a thermometer now, but I know when I'm hot

Oh, you are always hot.

We rarely use a thermometer. If we do, it’s orally. Basically, if we feel sick and feel hot, we have a fever.

 

[Lilacs4Me]

I am a nurse and in my hospital we are required to notify a physician if their adult patient has a temp of 100.4 F or 38C. Temps taken in the armpit (axillary) are generally 1 degree lower than oral and ear temps (tympanic) are generally 0.5-1 degree higher than oral. I think your tympanic thermometer may be off.

I hope you feel better soon.

Thanks. I took it again a little bit ago and it is now at 101.3

Taking tylenol and going to bed....and hoping it's gone tomorrow.

 

[BLAZEY]

I bought a forehead thermometer and took all our temperatures when we were healthy to have a baseline. I wrote it in the package. Now I know what our normal temps are I can judge when the are just warm or a fever.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

Wondering if your placement just isn't right?
I find the ear thermometer always take a better temp than the oral or forehead ones.

 

[Christine]

I know everyone is different but when I get a fever I am never HOT at all. In fact, I feel cold and very chilled. When the fever breaks and drops I get rid of the chills and sweat.

What you describe to me, the internal heat, is very much like my hot flashes that I get at night. Mine are not over in 20 seconds as the internet will tell you. I can feel like an oven for HOURS.

However, since aren't feeling well, it could be anything making you feel hot. But it does not sound like a fever to me at all.

 

[Lilacs4Me]

I know everyone is different but when I get a fever I am never HOT at all. In fact, I feel cold and very chilled. When the fever breaks and drops I get rid of the chills and sweat.

What you describe to me, the internal heat, is very much like my hot flashes that I get at night. Mine are not over in 20 seconds as the internet will tell you. I can feel like an oven for HOURS.

However, since aren't feeling well, it could be anything making you feel hot. But it does not sound like a fever to me at all.

Last night, the oral thermometer was pretty consistent starting with 100.4 and going up to as much as 101.5. I took advil before going to bed and about an hour later later it felt like it "broke" and I woke up with the chills and super sweaty, so I am pretty sure it was a fever. But I am like you and usually feel cold and hot at the same time, and my skin feels really sensitive when I have a fever. That 1st night was the first time I ever felt that HOT without being sweaty and chilled. But last night when the fever was at it's highest, my hands were freezing and my face/neck/etc were on fire, so it was more "normal" for me.

I'm at 99.3 right now without medication, so I am hoping it's over.

 

[cabanafrau]

Hope it is over. One DD got like that in the pre-dawn hours of NYE and wound up with a miserable 24 hours of a stomach virus with fever and body aches that's apparently been going through her coworkers. Older DD is still here from the holidays and woke up with it in the pre-dawn hours yesterday. Her fever registered 103 at one point.