posted
I'm guessing you're trying to track you basel temperature? Most pharmacies will carry basel thermometers.
The key to accurately tracking your basel temp is consistency. You'll want to use the same method each morning (i.e. armpit, oral, etc.), and take your temp at the same time each morning.
It works best if you do it at exactly the same time each morning, and if you take your temp before you get out of bed and before any movement that could potentially raise your temperature.
If you have days that you sleep in, you can set your alarm to take your temp...and then go back to sleep. If you don't want to go that far, I would just skip your temp on the late sleep days.
Alcohol the night before will affect your temp, and give you a higher reading.
I'm still learning alot here, but this was one question that I could help with. I tracked my basel temp with the help of a midwife a few years ago.
Posts: 10 | From Minnesota | Registered: Aug 2009
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Abxnomore
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 18936
posted
You may be still learning but you have it exactly right!
Posts: 5191 | From Lyme Zone | Registered: Jan 2009
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posted
Is a digital basal thermometer as good as a non-digital one ?
Seems like all I can find are digital.
Posts: 330 | From Colorado, USA | Registered: Nov 2008
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Carol in PA
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 5338
posted
I believe the digital thermometers to be accurate.
I put one by my bed, and took my oral temp first thing when I woke up. It only takes a minute, versus three minutes for a mercury thermometer, and longer for an underarm temperature.
Then I got up and walked to the bathroom, where I checked my temp again.
It was higher...not because the thermometer was inaccurate, but because my temperature had risen by getting up and moving around.
I think that taking five minutes to measure your underarm temperature with a mercury thermometer will result in a higher reading, than taking a digital oral measurement, when you first wake up.
Also, an underarm temp will be lower than an oral temp.
Carol
Posts: 6947 | From Lancaster, PA | Registered: Feb 2004
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