How to assess temp for thyroid function

[OliviaD]

I thought this would be a simple answer to find - but I have read or heard just about every possible opinion depending on who is giving it. Doing this correctly seems to be the key correcting my potential hypothyroid issues, yet I can't find a solid answer. I have read Broda Barnes's book. He advocates the basal temp on awakening, moving as little as possible, for 10 minutes with a shake down thermometer, in order to monitor thyroid status. 97.6-98.2 is the range considered 'normal'. Initially he used oral temps, but after seeing that some people could have sinus or other oral infections that could raise it - he went on to prefer the armpit. He only used this morning temp, and the oral and armpit temps should be the same, so I assume sans an injection, oral still would be adequate.

Since there weren't digital thermometers at the time he did his research, this wasn't even an option - so an obvious first question I have is: does the digital thermometer suffice now? I would not be able to do 10 minutes b/c it shuts off sooner. However, perhaps it isn't necessary to wait so long with the digital instruments.

I find my armpit temp is lower when I use a digital thermometer. *I do have some dental issues, so perhaps I have a low grade infection there? Does anyone have experience comparing oral and armpit temps with digital thermometers?

I'd like to be able to ask Dr. Peat what he recommends, don't know if he answers emails from peons like me anymore :). He talks a lot about interpretation, but I haven't read or heard anything from him about the basic test: 1. i.e can I use a digital thermometer? 2. Is oral okay, or does he recommend the armpit, and what about the 10 minutes. Rectal? I think I read somewhere that rectal was a decent reading, just unpleasant in inconvenient for most. Of course Dr. Peat adds the pulse.

The woman Dr. Peat has linked to his website for thyroid consults said you can use a digital thermometer in an interview, but she didn't say where..
I heard Danny Roddy say the armpit should be used, but he also didn't say what kind of thermometer was needed and if the 10 minutes was required.

Depending on how I measure, I might want to increase my thyroid dose, or not; so I'm really eager to get some clarification. My symptoms remain, however it is possible they are not caused by low thyroid hormone, so I don't want to just rely on them.

I'm sure many here have been doing this for a long time, so I greatly appreciate any advice! Thank you in advance.

 

[conrad0602]

Digital thermometer is fine. It's important to let the thermometer get up to your body temperature. Hold the thermometer in place for the 10 minutes before pressing the button. If doing auxiliary I think the idea is you add 0.5 c or 1f to the reading to give you the oral temp. I'm not 100% sure about this though so would be interested to hear if other people are adding to their auxiliary reading? It's also helpful to do another reading a little later in the day after a meal to see if the temperature increases or decreases. Ideally it should increase. If it decreases it means it was elevated by stress hormones.

 

[OliviaD]

Digital thermometer is fine. It's important to let the thermometer get up to your body temperature. Hold the thermometer in place for the 10 minutes before pressing the button. If doing auxiliary I think the idea is you add 0.5 c or 1f to the reading to give you the oral temp. I'm not 100% sure about this though so would be interested to hear if other people are adding to their auxiliary reading? It's also helpful to do another reading a little later in the day after a meal to see if the temperature increases or decreases. Ideally it should increase. If it decreases it means it was elevated by stress hormones.

Thanks a lot, Conrad. I've been doing all the reading I can, and it does seem that the digital thermometers are supposed to be more accurate - with fancier new-fangled sensors or something. Critics say the calibration may get off and the batteries get old, but perhaps if one just routinely replaces the batteries they should be good. That is a great idea to hold it in the mouth 10 mins before pushing the button. That would solve the time problem.

Yes, I've been monitoring my temps at different periods for now, just need to start getting more formal - should do at exact same time, also HR of course. First I wanted to make sure the temps were even valid.

Apparently this topic is not too exciting :) I read on another thread that Ray Peat uses a Braun ear thermometer for his readings - would be interesting if anyone could confirm that.

I guess my confusion is - if the axillary and oral temps are different, that which one is 'correct'? i.e I could add a certain amount to get it to equal the oral temp, but then I guess I am assuming the oral is 'correct'. Does this make sense? Obviously this would change whether or not I would consider supplemental thyroid (also based on symptoms, labs, and HR, I know; but temp is a big one.

According to Broda Barnes, the oral and pit temps should be the same, but mine aren't - using a digital thermometer. I know he used the old mercury ones, but if the digital are so accurate, they should still be the same, right? Although, I didn't do the 10 minutes. I'll try that and get back at least for you or if anyone else cares, lol :)

 

[conrad0602]

I think the consensus is that oral is most accurate, ideally doing the reading when you haven't eaten or drunk anything for about 30min. But if you get the oral reading and compare with armpit you'll know the difference and can continue to add that difference to the armpit reading. I shoot for 36.5/36.8 armpit. Didn't know broda said they should read the same ? Be interested to know how the readings differ for you ?

 

[Melk]

I would recommend a Terumo axillary thermometer. It has a 'predictive' mode that reads in like 30s, and if you just leave it in after it beeps, like 5-10 minutes later you get a 'true' read.

That said, I have found getting a consistent temp reading really hard, mine can be a bit all over the place. I have some of the obvious hypo symptoms like brittle hair, thinning hair, dry shins, calf reflex etc, but I get 37 temps pretty consistently. During the day anyway. On waking they're lower, but very inconsistent, and can vary between arms, so it's hard to really do much with the 'data'.

 

[laleto12]

those damn digital thermometers hurt my front lower teeth everytime i put it in my mouth. It feels like. magnet area hurts my teeth i dont know why

 

[Mauritio]

How long do you guys let the thermometer under your armpit ?

I have a digital one that beeps after about 60 seconds, but it keeps beeping every 60 seconds and the temp is going higher and higher.

If I use the first measurement my temp is a full degree lower than if I wait 10 minutes .
Then some say to add another 0,5 degrees for the armpit temp because it is lower than oral.
So that makes 1,5 degrees Celsius difference in temperature in the same human ,in the same metabolic condition depending just on how you take your temp .
That is the difference from someone extremely hypothyroid to someone perfectly healthy.
Obviously if the data is that broad and unspecific than it's of little value to even measure the temp in the first place.

 

[youngsinatra]

How long do you guys let the thermometer under your armpit ?

I have a digital one that beeps after about 60 seconds, but it keeps beeping every 60 seconds and the temp is going higher and higher.

If I use the first measurement my temp is a full degree lower than if I wait 10 minutes .
Then some say to add another 0,5 degrees for the armpit temp because it is lower than oral.
So that makes 1,5 degrees Celsius difference in temperature in the same human ,in the same metabolic condition depending just on how you take your temp .
That is the difference from someone extremely hypothyroid to someone perfectly healthy.

For me 3-5min is good.

Broda Barnes recommended to leave it for 10min under the armpit after waking up IIRC.

 

[Mauritio]

For me 3-5min is good.

Broda Barnes recommended to leave it for 10min under the armpit after waking up IIRC.

What do you mean by good? I ask because mine would still be going up after 5 or even 10 minutes, so how did you determine to stop measuring after 3-5 mins?

I think in brodas time digital thermometers weren't around so you would have to wait that long. Is the same true for digital thermometers?

 

[youngsinatra]

What do you mean by good? I ask because mine would still be going up after 5 or even 10 minutes, so how did you determine to stop measuring after 3-5 mins?

I think in brodas time digital thermometers weren't around so you would have to wait that long. Is the same true for digital thermometers?

After 3-5min my temp does not typically go higher.

 

[Mauritio]

After 3-5min my temp does not typically go higher.

Ok gotcha. Weird how nobody has a definitive way of going about this yet this is considered the gold standard of measuring your metabolic rate. It seems almost as unpredictable as the blood tests depending on how long you wait, where you measure and what thermometer you use.

Maybe Ill try another thermometer, which one do you use ?

 

[youngsinatra]

Ok gotcha. Weird how nobody has a definitive way of going about this yet this is considered the gold standard of measuring your metabolic rate. It seems almost as unpredictable as the blood tests depending on how long you wait, where you measure and what thermometer you use.

Maybe Ill try another thermometer, which one do you use ?

Oh I don’t know, a no-name brand. Mine is likely as old as I am. I recently changed battery to make sure it’s good.

How high does your body temperature goes when you leave for 10min or so?

 

[Mauritio]

Oh I don’t know, a no-name brand. Mine is likely as old as I am. I recently changed battery to make sure it’s good.

How high does your body temperature goes when you leave for 10min or so?

Ok. No problem . Mine is super old as well.

It was at 36,6 after ten minutes, 36,8 after 15 minutes. +0.5 degrees for armpit measurement it's 37,1/37,3 . At the first beep it's 35,6, quite the difference , so until today I thought I was super hypo when I might actually be fine

 

[youngsinatra]

Ok. No problem . Mine is super old as well.

It was at 36,6 after ten minutes, 36,8 after 15 minutes. +0.5 degrees for armpit measurement it's 37,1/37,3 . At the first beep it's 35,6, quite the difference , so until today I thought I was super hypo when I might actually be fine

Hehe. I overdosed on thyroid med very recently and my body temperature was 37.6 C after just 2-3 min.

Haven’t taken thyroid in 2 days and after 5min underarm I‘m still at 37.3.

My girlfriend is consistently at 37.0 C almost all the time.

 

[Mauritio]

Hehe. I overdosed on thyroid med very recently and my body temperature was 37.6 C after just 2-3 min.

Haven’t taken thyroid in 2 days and after 5min underarm I‘m still at 37.3.

My girlfriend is consistently at 37.0 C almost all the time.

Oh wow, that's high. Do you still have hypo symptons at such a temp ?

My temp stayed at 36,8 even after 25 minutes , so I guess that's my real under arm temperature .
Not sure where to go from here ,because I certainly still have hypo symptons, even when temp seems fine. I'll check my oral temp and compare it.

 

[youngsinatra]

Oh wow, that's high. Do you still have hypo symptons at such a temp ?

My temp stayed at 36,8 even after 25 minutes , so I guess that's my real under arm temperature .
Not sure where to go from here ,because I certainly still have hypo symptons, even when temp seems fine. I'll check my oral temp and compare it.

Paradoxically I felt warm and fine at 37.0 C beforehand but now with my slight overdose I feel very cold at elevated body temperature (esp. feet) and a high pulse which was ~100 bpm, which I could lower with some thiamine pyrophosphate.

I think the adrenergic tone is highly increased in the hyperthyroid state, causing the cold feet etc.

 

[Mauritio]

Paradoxically I felt warm and fine at 37.0 C beforehand but now with my slight overdose I feel very cold at elevated body temperature (esp. feet) and a high pulse which was ~100 bpm, which I could lower with some thiamine pyrophosphate.

I think the adrenergic tone is highly increased in the hyperthyroid state, causing the cold feet etc.

Yeh sounds like adrenaline .

I took my oral temp and it was 36,7 . So my oral temp is lower then my arm pit temp . How the hell does that make sense ?

 

[youngsinatra]

Yeh sounds like adrenaline .

I took my oral temp and it was 36,7 . So my oral temp is lower then my arm pit temp . How the hell does that make sense ?

Oral is too variable in my experience. If you drank water, had coffee or ate warm food etc.

 

[youngsinatra]

Btw I messed with topical vitamin D 3-4 days ago which lead to a significant drop in body temperature and pulse (which always happened to me with any form or application of vitamin D) so after 2 days of topical vitamin D I stopped and increased my thyroid dose to compensate but now I got into the hyper zone and need to wait a few days and then continue with my usual thyroid dose.

Argh… !

 

[Mauritio]

Btw I messed with topical vitamin D 3-4 days ago which lead to a significant drop in body temperature and pulse (which always happened to me with any form or application of vitamin D) so after 2 days of topical vitamin D I stopped and increased my thyroid dose to compensate but now I got into the hyper zone and need to wait a few days and then continue with my usual thyroid dose.

Argh… !

Man this really is a science of its own isn't it ?
I'm kind of hesitant to even recommend it to normies , when it's so difficult to figure out even for biohackers like us.