# Low Body Temp?



## Desperate_Hashi (Apr 12, 2013)

Is low body temperature a good indicator for hypothyroid?

I can't thermoregulate at all. If I'm outside or in a cold room, my body temp drops. Last night, I was at a party and had a glass of water. I started shivering uncontrollably and couldn't seem to warm up. My friends checked my body temp with a thermometer out of curiosity. It was 95.8.

If I'm in a warm room, it can rise to 98 but as soon as the temp outside drops, so does my body temp.

P.S.: I have a Hashimoto's diagnosis, 3 palpable thyroid nodules but am not currently medicated because my endo says that my TSH is "normal" (2.8-3.5).


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## nvsmom (Sep 30, 2012)

I think low temps can be a symptom but I'm not sure of that. I rarely get much above 97F myself and I had my TSH tested back then and it was "normal" too... I'm pretty sure I needed meds back then though.


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## Desperate_Hashi (Apr 12, 2013)

I appreciate your response. Are you on meds now?


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## bigfoot (May 13, 2011)

Desperate_Hashi said:


> Last night, I was at a party and had a glass of water. I started shivering uncontrollably and couldn't seem to warm up. My friends checked my body temp with a thermometer out of curiosity. It was 95.8.


If you took the temperature reading pretty soon after drinking the water, the cold water is absolutely going to affect the results.

Better to not eat or drink anything for about 20-30 minutes before taking a temperature if you want accuracy.


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## bigfoot (May 13, 2011)

Desperate_Hashi said:


> P.S.: I have a Hashimoto's diagnosis, 3 palpable thyroid nodules but am not currently medicated because my endo says that my TSH is "normal" (2.8-3.5).


A low body temp absolutely can be sign of being hypothyroid. The thyroid is your "thermostat" of sorts -- it sets and regulates your metabolic activity. If you are hypothyroid, your body is trying to reduce activity and conserve energy to deal with this shortcoming of thyroid hormones. Hence, you feel cold, tired, lethargic, no energy, brain fog, memory problems, dry skin, constipated, etc.

How did they diagnose your Hashimoto's? And you said you had nodules; do you have ultrasound results you can post up?

Your doctor is likely not aware of the recent AACE changes to that "normal" TSH range. The top end is now 3.0, and with thyroid problems you want to run a Free T3 and Free T4 as well as a TSH, at a *bare* minimum. If you can post a copy of your labs and ranges, that would be great. If your doc simply verbally said you were "normal", well, that's not enough info to go on. At this point you should think about whether this doc is in it for the long haul with you or not. If not, time for a new one.

Ideally, you want to run these sorts of tests:
TSH
Free T3
Free T4
Thyroglobulin Antibodies
TPO Antibodies

And if your doc is approachable, ask for testing these, too. This will give you one heck of a baseline to start from:
Vitamin B-12
Vitamin D-25
Iron / Anemia
Thyroid Stimulating Immunoglobulin ("TSI", *not* "TSH" as they think you mean)
Cortisol (24-hour urine or saliva collection)
Sex Hormones (Testosterone / Estrogen / SHBG, etc.)
A1C
Cholesterol / Lipid Panel
CMP
CBC


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## Desperate_Hashi (Apr 12, 2013)

I have a free T3 of 3.0pg/mL (2.3-4.2 pg/mL) and a reverse T3 of 21ng/dL (8-25ng/dL) on 4/19/13. The other numbers and the size of my nodules are in my signature. I would really appreciate anyone's thoughts.

No doctor will take me seriously.


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## nvsmom (Sep 30, 2012)

Desperate_Hashi said:


> I appreciate your response. Are you on meds now?


Yes, I'm taking 125mcg Synthroid but I'm still adjusting my dosage because even though my TSH is now a "normal" 3 something, my Free T's are still at around 30% 0f my lab's reference range... and I don't feel much better yet either. LOL

When I went to the doctor 10 years ago about my chronically low temps, my TSH was about a 2.7 I think. Our reference range is 0.2-6.0 so my doctor blamed my thermometer for taking bad temps and sent me on my way. I'm pretty certain that I had been having thyroid issues for about 5 years at that point though.

Your Free T3 looks like it could be a bit low. Many with hashi's say they feel their best when the frees are in the 50-75% range of your lab's normal reference range.

I do not know much about reverse T3, maybe someone else will comment.

Good luck.


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