At 12:01 1/30/97, Kaycie wrote:
>She then told me there was a very easy way to get an idea if it was not
>functioning correctly.  She told me to take my temperature every morning for
>a week.  (just like basal monitoring for infertility tests)  She said that if
>it was below 98.7 regularly, I should go back to my doctor with that
>information, and he would know what to do about my thyroid.  So far, it's
>been under 98 degrees every morning, so I'm setting up an appointment next
>week to go in and talk to him.
 
Hello, Kaycie!
I've been learning about this basal temperature, too, and wanted to share
what I found in two different books recently.
 
In "Super Nutrition for Menopause" by Ann Louise Gittleman, the basal
temperature test developed by Broda O. Barnes, MD, PhD: you take your
temperature just before arising for 3 days in a row. Normal thyroid
function is 97.8-98.2. Below 97.8 is an indication of low thryoid function.
Above 98.2 may mean either hyperthyroid or an infection of some sort. Women
are supposed to measure this basal temperature on days 2 and 3 of their
mentrual cycle for truest reading.
 
According to William Regelson, MD and Carol Colman in their book "The
SuperHormone Promise", if the reading is below 97.4, it is a sign that the
thyroid is deficient.
 
Both sources say to take the underarm temperature for 10 minutes. They go
on to explain that this is sometimes a way to diagnose low thyroid function
when all the blood tests show normal but you have classic low thyroid
symptoms.
 
Just to add to an interesting topic.
Joette in Bangkok