# Low-grade fever?



## confetti (Sep 17, 2000)

Does anyone else out there run a low-grade fever from time to time (up to 99.5 or so)? My doctor has diagnosed me with ibs (main symptom for me is bad nausea) and I'm wondering if I should ask him to look for if it's something else because I haven't seen much mention of people having a low-grade fever...thanks!


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## Nicol (Aug 13, 2000)

Low grade fever is not a symptom of IBS it is a symptom of IBD. I get them from time to time but my GIs haven't seen it as a problem. I on the other hand would like to know why.


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## e-Fiona (Sep 5, 2000)

I haven't been formally diagnosed with IBS (although my doc is pretty sure it's not IBD and leans toward IBS). I get a low grade fever a few times a week (most often in the a.m.), usually accompanied by nausea. It's usually between 99.3 to 99.8. Fiona


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## confetti (Sep 17, 2000)

Fiona--I think I remember your name from different posts about nausea--do you really have a problem with it? If so, does this sound like anything you deal with...I'll have a few really good days, days where I feel almost like my old self. Then I'll have an episode, many times brought on by stress (that typical mind-gut reaction) and then I'll be nauseous for hours on end (like 12 hours sometimes). Once I have one of those episodes, I feel like it takes days to get my footing back so that I feel anywhere close to normal again AND this is also where I will notice the low-grade fever. It's almost as though I've upset the symptoms again so here comes the fever. (I sometimes think it takes days to get my confidence back that I can beat this thing and live a "normal" life. For example, the day after a really nauseous episode, I'm worthless.) Are your symptoms anything like this? Or anyone else?


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## showanda (Sep 15, 2000)

I get the low grade fever some times (99.5) with IBS. I think it's because I'm exhausted, worn out, and beat after the attack. I don't have the nausea you mention though.Best,Showanda


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## e-Fiona (Sep 5, 2000)

Hi Confetti,When I get nausea I'll get it first thing in the morning (6am when I wake up) and it will last, slowly tapering off, until about 5:00. I usually have the low grade fever first thing in the morning and it gets back to normal as the nausea goes away.Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night and it feels like my neck is on fire! I take my temp and it's a low-grade fever, but when I awake it's gone. Those nights I often get slight chills as well.I haven't had the nausea or fever in about a week and a half though. Now I'm just very sleepy, but I think that's caused by all the carbohydrates I'm taking in (trying to take lots of fibre in my food to solidify the D).I do seem to get nauseous (and a fever) on Saturday afternoons though, at about 5pm. It just HITS! It's really really bad nausea and it goes away in about an hour. I can't seem to figure that one out yet. The only thing I do different that day is I grind and brew a pot of coffee for my dad coming over. I find I'm more sensitive to smells these days so I wonder if it's the smell of the coffee that's triggering the nausea (although I've always loved the smell of freshly ground coffee). I'm also more relaxed on Saturday but I would think that would make me feel better, not worse. When I first started having IBS symptoms (the end of July this year), nausea was the worst symptom as well. Two doctors have told me that nausea isn't easily diagnosed because it's not a "symptom" that is related to my other symptoms, it's just a "not feeling good" thing. They told me to make sure I drink a lot of water though and that seems to help.Most of the information I've read on the Web about IBS specifically says that a low-grade fever is not a symptom of IBS, but I don't have any symptoms of IBD (other than D) so I think it's related somehow to IBS. One of my docs said that D can bring on nausea but is also a little baffled about the fever. She's not worried though, since it is low-grade and all the tests I've had so far have been fine (ECG, blood tests, stool tests) and I seem quite healthy.Hope this helps a bit!Fiona


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## JennT (Jul 17, 2000)

My doc seems to think that the LG fever is (in my case) because I have so many different hypersensitive systems that my body mis-read an IBS attack or an allergic sneezing fit as illness and tries to burn it out.I have a friend who is a quadriplegic, and since he can't feel pain below hid upper back, his body gives him a fever with any damage or pain at all. He can sneeze once and his temp will soar. He's the only person I know who will call regularly and say, "I might be a little late; I'm in the emergency room". This is, of course, the extreme, where my tendency to get a low-grade fever is very mild. But it's essentially the same thing.------------------*JennT*


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## confetti (Sep 17, 2000)

Thanks to all for your responses!Fiona--thanks for more insight into your symptoms. I find myself trying to make some sense of these symptoms so that I can get back to my life. As of now, my symptoms have put my life on hold. I haven't been to work for weeks. I feel like right now the slightest bit of stress just sets of the nausea. Obviously, I've got to find some way to deal with it because I've got to be able to leave the house! I used to be such a busy, active person and this has shut me down...I would imagine many others could say that too about ibs. I don't feel really depressed or anything, I just feel like I need to learn to cope or something and give my stomach time to get back on the right track. Does that make sense?JennT--what your doctor says makes more sense to me than other explanations I have heard. I do feel like my body is overworking trying to heal something when I get the low-grade fever. And for everything I've been told about a fever, they happen because of your body trying to cope with inflammation or infection. It makes sense that your body would read they terrible symptoms as an illness and try to fight them or heal them. If I understood what you said correctly. I guess, if the body ever evens out and goes somewhat back to "normal", the temperature would logically leave with it.


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## JennT (Jul 17, 2000)

That's what my doctor said, and since I don't have the LG fever on my "good" (relatively) days, that makes sense to me. Also, a lot of women get LG fevers during their periods, especially if they are crampy sorts. I certainly do. This would make sense... the body reading any sort of pain or discomfort as infection/inflammation/injury and starting up the burning-off process.------------------*JennT*


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## e-Fiona (Sep 5, 2000)

Confetti,What you said makes a lot of sense!The major stress that I'm going through is that I lost my mom just over a year ago to colon cancer. (She was diagnosed in January, gone at the end of May.







)I'm still *dealing* with it and I must say I'm not doing very well. Now my dad is alone (but thank goodness he lives down the street from me) and although he's well and able to look after himself, I worry like heck about him. I was doing better until about the beginning of July when I started to feel really depressed again. The last week of July was the worst and that's when I got my first IBS symptoms. It makes sense to me, now that I understand IBS. Of course, once I started getting the symptoms (which were in a way somewhat similar to the ones my mom had) I started to think I was going to die (even though I'm only 36). More stress. Now that I understand what's going on in my body, I'm starting to improve. But I have noticed that on the nights when I am upset (thinking and crying about losing my mom), the next morning I have D and/or nausea and fever. I've been trying to control this, but it's so difficult!At least I'm understanding what is going on more now and I know how much my emotions/stress has to do with my body.Fiona[This message has been edited by e-Fiona (edited 09-21-2000).]


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## Guest (Sep 22, 2000)

confetti, Do you have any other helth concerns? For exmple, I have endometriosis and some kidney problems.The endo bothers me about 20 days out of 30, and each of those days, I have a low grade fever. Just enough to make me feel gross. Same with the kidney stuff. I can always tell when I am about to pass a stone by the way my back slightly aches and I get a fever.I haven't noticed any fever when the IBS kicks in, but now I'm gonna pay more attention. I'm usually running around looking for something to read while I sit on the throne, or trying not to pass out from the cramps. Checking for a fever sounds like a good way to distract myself!!------------------Color Rainbows in the Rain


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## heather joy (Jul 30, 2000)

Thought this info from internet might help. It explains what is really considered a fever. Body temps varies greatly throughout the day. This particular article says it's considered a fever when oral temp reaches 100.4; I've read other articles that say anywhere from 99.6 & up. I don't think it's considered a fever in the low and mid 90s; just a variation of normal body temperature.IS NORMAL BODY TEMPERATURE?Normal body temperature is about 37C (98.6F). Body temperature varies throughout the day, following a regular cycle. The lowest body temperature occurs in the early morning hours (2am to 4am), and highest in late afternoon. The difference between the lowest and highest temperature may be as much as 0.5C (1F). Body temperature may also increase as a result of overdressing or strenuous exercise, especially during hot weather. Improper temperature taking may cause false alarm. WHAT IS FEVER?Fever is a temperature higher than normal. A fever is indicated by: a rectal temperature equal to or higher than 38C (100F); or oral temperature equal to or higher than 37.5C (100.4F). (Definition of fever varies a little bit in various textbook. Never mind.) Axillary temperatures are not very reliable and should be discouraged. Ear Temperature is not yet a standard. The proper use of it should be referred to the instruction for each brand.


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## HipJan (Apr 9, 1999)

I sometimes have low-grade fever and/or mild body chills. I think they probably have nothing to do with IBS. JennT's explanation also fits me, I believe. Plus, I prob. have endo., and I believe I had an infection that went undetected for months. I get nausea, too, but not as much lately (after the infection got treated).Many of us with IBS also seem prone to other conditions -- maybe esp. hypersensitivity (in my case, I just found out, prob. due to an autonomic nervous system problem).


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## JennT (Jul 17, 2000)

For me (my normal resting temp is usually on the low side... about 97.6), my doc considers anything between 99-100 to be low-grade, and anything over 100 as fever. She told me (because of this chronic low-grade stuff) to call her if I feel like I have a fever and it's over 100, so she can determine whether I need to come in. I just don't regulate well, especially if I have my period or a bad IBS day.------------------*JennT*


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## confetti (Sep 17, 2000)

Thanks to everyone for your insights. I'm definitely seeing a link between the fever and my more severe symptom days. I'm going to talk it over with the GI doc too just to make sure. I think the fever definitely compounds feeling lousy. I know doctors aren't concerned unless it's over like 100 degrees (from the experience of a low-grade fever episode I had years ago) but I really feel the difference between normal and mid 99s. Anyway, thanks again!


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## Guest (Sep 23, 2000)

I find it interesting that some of you mentioned having endometrosis. One of reasons people develop endometrosis is because of a weakened immune system and that's where IBS comes in. It can cause it. A lot of different things can cause a low grade fever, Epstein Barr for one, and I really believe your hormones are messed up when you have IBS. It's like having premature hot flashes. My daughter has all of the above plus she also developed Fibromyalgia/Myofascial Pain Syndrome. She was able to get rid of her IBS symptoms and hence has rid herself of the low grade fever. In her case it was her diet, she had to stop eating anything with white flour. She is now starting to get rid of a lot of other symptoms also, all because of a food allergy. She got her info on http://fibrocure.com.[/URL] She is in her 5th week and improving steadily.The one thing I would like to stress to you all is do whatever you have to do to get rid of your IBS, because it has lead to FM for so many people and so many more symptoms and it is about as close to hell as you can get. If you check out the above site, see all the symptoms that you can end up with, it's a real mind blower. I don't want to scare you all, I apologize if I have, but we are going through something awful with my daughter. The good news is she is getting better.Good luck to you all,Casey


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## Nicol (Aug 13, 2000)

Did you say that IBS can cause a weakened immune system? If so then how? I have never heard this before. I have heard that IBD can do that but I have never heard that IBS could.


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## HipJan (Apr 9, 1999)

Technically, no, IBS doesn't lead to a weakened immune system, but......Many of us also have other physical problems. I personally believe that unmitigated "functional" GI problems can contribute to other chronic illness. I seem to be living it, for starters.


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