Thermometer Type

[Findlay]

any recommendation on the type of thermometer to use. Looked for a mercury one but couldn't find any. Will a synthetic thermometer do?

 

[Fractality]

Bump since I have the same question. Thanks!

 

[whodathunkit]

I use a cheapo digital from the grocery store. Not one of the fast ones that's supposed to register in under 10 seconds, but an older type digital that takes 30 seconds or more for an accurate reading. It reads consistently and I believe it's accurate based on the way the readings correspond to how I feel.

Manual thermometers, even with mercury, are prone to the same defects in function based on quality of manufacture as digital. Reviews of available manual thermometers is what made me decide to try the cheapo locally-available digitals. Happy with that decision. YMMV.

 

[yerrag]

The digital thermometer I got from a local drug chain called Mercury Drug Store (a Philippine chain) beeps after 1 minute. But don't mind the beep by pretending you're deaf. That way, you can leave the thermometer to continue taking your temperature (armpit, under tongue, or rectum) for 12 minutes. The reading will have stabilized by then and you can take a better reading.

Talk about an being intuitive in using a thermometer right? The beep should be enough to tell you when to read the thermometer, right? Well, I rtfm'ed and guess what, that's what the manual says. But wrong, dttfm (don't trust the effing manual). Here's a pic of what I got. Got it for P200.- which is about US$5.50

If you can wait that long, it'll do fine. If you can't, there are other kinds of thermometer that may take an accurate reading as well as do it more quickly. I just don't know what else to recommend as I haven't tried them.

I think for our purposes here, in helping determine if we're hypothyroid or not, we would be best served by being as accurate as possible. Most of the time, for other people, the thermometer is only use to check if they have a fever.

 

[kiran]

Anyone try an infrared thermometer?
Using a mercury thermometer at the moment, and it takes too long.

 

[Dan W]

Anyone try an infrared thermometer?
Using a mercury thermometer at the moment, and it takes too long.

Same here, the length of time to get a reliable measurement was a real hassle. I got a Braun Thermoscan 5 ear model, and I'm really happy with it. It's very fast, seems accurate, and isn't as susceptible to outside influence as oral/armpit temps seem to be.

They go pretty cheap on eBay.

 

[HealthisWealth]

I just found out that there are other types of liquid thermometer - the famous mercury thermometer and alcohol thermometer and galistan thermometer. I havent seen this in drugstore. Anyone here encounter this alcohol and galistan type thermometers?

Mercury thermometer is banned on all hospital in my country so the drugstore stop selling this. Liquid type thermometer is better for home use because its just maintenance free.