Low temp, feeling sick.

[rmholts]

So for the last 2-3 weeks, I've been checking my temp fairly regularly, and it has been consistently between 96.3-97.5 degrees. Only, all my life I've run a fairly normal temperature until now. The only reason I started checking my temp was I kept having these episodes where I would get really hot and start sweating and feeling like I had a fever, but when I checked my temp with an ear thermometer I was only at 97.5. As time when by, I just would randomly check during the day and my temp stayed mostly around 96.8ish, except when I had one of these weird flashes, which then raised it to 97.5 (never higher). I've also been feeling sick on and off, mostly headaches, dizziness,general achiness and being tired all the time. Its really starting to worry me, but I'm kind of afraid to go to my doctor because I feel like she just blows me off as being fat and hypochondriac. I'm a type 2 diabetic, and about 8 months ago I had a severe kidney infection that put me in the hospital for 4 days because I was in the early stages of sepsis (my white count was over 21,000). It took me over a month to recover from that particular illness.

[Christina Palmer, M.D.]

Body temperature depends on several factors including location taken, time of day, menstrual cycle, and activity level. Internal temperatures (including rectal, vaginal, ear) are more accurate than your mouth or armpit. If the temperatures you are reporting have all been internal (ear) measurements, I agree that they do seem low. While it is possible these are normal temperatures for you, if you are still having other symptoms of infection (malaise, body aches, sweating, etc) then I would recommend you see your physician because you may have an underlying infection.

Some people (particularly the elderly and immunocompromised patients) may not mount a fever. A low temperature is actually concerning for infection and is one of the criteria for sepsis. Sepsis criteria include the following:
1) Temperature under 96.8 or over 100.4
2) Heart rate over 90
3) Respiratory rate over 20
4) White blood cell count under 4000/mm³) or over 12,000/mm³

You mentioned that you have diabetes and it may be a good idea to check your blood sugars during these episodes you describe. Sometimes hypo or hyperglycemia can present with sweating, headache, dizziness, and generally “feeling off” as you say. Again, an underlying infection may trigger either high or low blood sugars so I would still want you to see a physician to rule that out.

[Rock_martin]

take rest and avoid junk food.