Hi just been to see consultant and was given a thermometer as I start chemo next Friday just wanting to find out if anyone got a ear and head one or just used the one for mouth from hospital
I have been on a long treatment journey so a good thermometer was very important, initially we were given an in-mouth one by the hospital but found it inaccurate so we invested in a Braun ThermoScan for in-ear monitoring.
It is very accurate - in the early days I took it to hospital and checked my temperature after normal obbs rounds and it was always within ±0.5 degrees compared to the hospital units..... a few years on and its still doing the job.
It has saved my life on a number of occasions as I had no visual signs of infections (Chest Infections, Lung Fungal Infections, the RSV Virus, Pneumonia, Septicaemia) but the thermometer told a completely different story.
This is the basic rules U was given with regards to temperature.
A high temperature (over 38°C) or a low temperature (below 35°C) could be a sign of infection which your immune system may be unable to fight.
Any infection must be treated quickly with antibiotics so please be prepared to be admitted to hospital for immediate antibiotic treatment.
Please follow the guidance below, but if in doubt, please contact the hospital:
• If your temperature is 37.5°C, repeat in one hour. If your temperature has increased, whether you feel unwell or not, you must contact the hospital.
• If you have a temperature of 38°C or above, whether you feel unwell or not, you must contact the hospital immediately. Please do not wait any amount of time before you call us.
• If you feel unwell but do not have a temperature, monitor your temperature every one to two hours. If you continue to feel unwell, please contact the hospital.
• If you wake up in the middle of the night with a high temperature, contact the hospital immediately – do not wait until morning.
• If you feel cold and shivery, even if you do not have a high temperature, please contact the hospital.
• If you have more than two episodes of vomiting or diarrhoea, or you are concerned, please contact the hospital, as you may become dehydrated quickly.
• If you start to cough up phlegm, have any shortness of breath or chest pain when breathing in, please contact the hospital.
• Look for signs of bleeding, such as bruising, bleeding gums, nose bleeds, coughing up blood, or passing blood in your urine or stool. This may be due to a low platelet count. Please call the hospital if you notice any of these signs.
• If you develop a rash, headache, stomach pain or any weakness, please call the hospital.
