How To Take Your Temperature

How to take your temperature

Using a thermometer to monitor your temperature can help you manage an illness. A rise in your temperature is usually caused by an illness, infection, or injury.

Normal body temperature

Normal body temperature is about 98.6°F (or 37°C) Your temperature often varies from 1 - 2°F (0.5 to 1°C) throughout the day. Your temperature is usually low in the morning and graduallyincreases during the day, reaching its high in the late afternoon or evening. (A Fahrenheit to Centigrade [Celsius] conversionchart can be found below).

Electronic thermometers

We recommend you purchase an oral electronic thermometer. Please follow the manufacturer's instructions for recommended use.

When to call your healthcare provider

Page your transplant coordinator if you have a temperature of 100.0°F (37.8°C) or higher. Thiscould be a sign of infection and should be treated right away. After hours or on weekends, call the phone numbers you weregiven before you were discharged, and ask the operator to page the transplant fellow on call.

If you have a fever and any of these other signs, call your healthcare provider right away:

• Severe headache
• Stiff neck
• Severe swelling of your throat
• Mental confusion

Conversion chart Fahrenheit to Centigrade (celsius)

Fahrenheit Centigrade

104.0..............................40.0

103.6..............................39.9

103.6..............................39.8

103.5..............................39.7

103.3..............................39.6

103.1..............................39.5

102.9..............................39.4

102.7..............................39.3

102.6..............................39.2

102.4..............................39.1

102.2..............................39.0

102.0..............................38.0

101.8..............................38.8

101.7..............................38.7

101.5..............................38.6

101.3..............................38.5

101.1..............................38.4

101.0..............................38.3

100.8..............................38.2

100.6..............................38.1

100.4..............................38.0

100.2..............................37.9

99.9................................37.7

99.7................................37.6

99.5................................37.5

99.3................................37.4

99.1................................37.3

99.0................................37.2

98.8................................37.1

NORMAL 98.6..................37.0

100.0*.............................37.8