Why do I have a fever?

My baseline "operating temperature" has always been a bit higher than average—usually sitting somewhere between 98.2 and 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. To make things more interesting, I tend to spike up to about 99.0 or 99.1 at least once a week. 😬

Doctors have basically told me that this is just how I'm wired; I guess I'm just more sensitive to everything. My body seems to react to any little thing with a slight fever, whether it's stress, nerves, exhaustion, or just being in a bad mood... 😬

But honestly, it’s always been this way. Even right now, I feel like I'm hovering around 98.8 or 98.9. 😁

northernskipper41 said:Diagnostic criteria for chronic fatigue syndrome

Thanks for the detailed breakdown, but I don't really see myself in it.
I'm honestly not sure why I'd be chronically exhausted. I get about 8 or 9 hours of sleep a night, my job isn't super stressful since I have flexible hours, and I stay active on the weekends but always keep Sundays for resting..
The fatigue is actually pretty new—just started feeling it about 10 days ago. Lately, I could just sleep all day. Even after 8 or 9 hours, I can barely keep my eyes open in the morning.
It feels most like that "spring slump" you get around 😲. I've been drinking aloe vera every morning and taking extra Vitamin C, hoping it helps 😁

Also, regarding that part in the post about bone issues being a separate diagnosis... what was that about? You actually reminded me that the only thing hurting lately is my hand—specifically the middle finger bone 😬. I can't even make a fist.

blueraven4 said:Nah, I’m talking about the part of the post mentioning bone issues being a separate diagnosis... what's the deal there? You just reminded me that the only thing hurting lately is my hand—specifically the middle finger bone. 😬Can't even make a fist.

My index finger is acting up, but that's because a fence fell on my hand a month ago and wrecked it, so I've got a legitimate reason to rule that out.

So, if you can't objectively prove any changes in the bone or the other structures of the finger (meaning the cause is unknown, no swelling, no inflammation, no local heat, and you've ruled out everything else that causes similar symptoms like carpal tunnel, shoulder-to-hand issues, or an infection like strep or rheumatic fever...), then maybe the issue is mental. If all the other diagnostic criteria are met, that's where you land.

As for chronic fatigue syndrome—or burnout—if it's just from overworking without enough rest, it's easy to fix by taking a decent break. But what's described here isn't that. No amount of rest (even sleeping 20 hours) is going to fix this kind of exhaustion, because we're talking about a psychological shift triggered by prolonged stress. The body adapts to that stress, things settle down, and the person might even feel fine even under heavy mental pressure.
If the stress keeps piling up, the adaptation mechanism breaks down, and you end up in this state.
It usually moves through about ten stages, and the final destination is depression.
But whatever, moving on.

Look, Blage, those occasional fevers popping up in more people—after we’ve already ruled out every single actual infection—are mostly just linked to tiny amounts of bleeding. It’s usually from straining or being way too aggressive with the toilet paper (basically using sandpaper at this point), so that could definitely be one of the reasons. 😬

northernskipper41 said:Man, those mild fevers—when everyone else is cleared of any actual infections—are often just linked to tiny little irritations from overdoing it on the toilet paper. It’s basically like using sandpaper, which can cause some minor bleeding, so that might be part of why people feel off. 😬

You really got me there😲 haha!
First you have me checking my finger joints—like I need blood work to see if my bones are acting up—and now you're lecturing me! You're too much. I shouldn't even be complaining 😬
Anyway, my blood work came back perfect the other day, and my urinalysis was totally fine too. My doctor is honestly stumped.
They just gave me some ointment to rub on it and told me to get more sleep and take some vitamins for the fever. That's it!
We celebrated the good news with some cold beers, and I'm just moving on. It is what it is!

Regarding that last post I totally butchered, send any thanks to this address: "Dr. unknown" New York City (Infectious Disease Clinic)😎

And for those people, the bloodwork actually looked fine—not just the white cell counts, but the serology for a bunch of viruses like CMV and EBV... even HIV came back negative. Still, they were running low-grade fevers up to 99.5.

Either way, I wouldn't rule out the possibility that it's all in their head.🤣 👋

blueraven4 said:Anyone ever deal with a low-grade fever without any actual symptoms?
No headache, no runny nose, no cough—nothing hurts... just a constant temperature sitting between 99°F and 99.5°F.
It’s happened to me a few times before—I go through all the blood work, urine tests, chest X-rays, everything, and the fever just vanishes on its own.🙄
Today is day three of this feeling like I'm being washed away—other than being exhausted, I feel fine, and honestly, I'm not in the mood to run more tests again.

That happened to me twice. It lasted less than a week both times, and my checkups came back totally clear. Mind you, I was going through a massive amount of stress at the time, so I'm pretty sure the fever was just a side effect of that. For me, it was clearly psychological.😬

northernskipper41 said:regarding that last mess I posted, just send any thanks to this address: "Dr. unknown" New York City (infectious disease clinic)😎

Their bloodwork actually looked fine—not just the white cell counts, but the serology for all kinds of stuff like CMV and Epstein-Barr... even HIV was clear. No fever either, just a little spike up to 99.5.

Still, I wouldn't rule out the possibility that it's all in their head.🤣 👋

Man, I think you’re the one with the issue here. First suggesting an infectious disease clinic, then a psych ward... 🙄 You sure love the drama. I do too, just not when I'm actually sick.😛

I’ve been dealing with low-grade fevers for a few weeks now...

But I was fighting an infection at the time, so maybe that’s the culprit—or maybe it’s nothing at all...

Basically, my temp was hovering somewhere between 97.0 and 99.0...

And this was during the recovery phase, about a week after I finished my antibiotics.

The daily fluctuations aren't actually a big deal... I was worried too, thinking, "Why am I still running a fever if the infection is gone?" But my doctor cleared me, explaining that those little swings are perfectly normal...

Unless that number refuses to dip below 99.0, you probably need more tests... but since you've already had your bloodwork done, there’s likely no reason to stress...

A lot of things can trigger a slight rise in temp—wisdom teeth coming in, acid reflux, GI issues, smoking too much, drinking way too much coffee, etc., etc...

Plus, someone mentioned earlier that some people just naturally run a slightly higher baseline temperature.

Jay said:Man, I think you’ve actually lost it. You probably need to check into an infectious disease ward first, then straight to psych 🙄 You must be a sucker for drama. I love it too, just not when it involves getting sick 😛

thanks for the great 👍
unfortunately, I don't do drama. It's boring, moves too slow, and makes zero sense to me
but I think I rattled you a little, so mission accomplished. Had a good laugh while doing it😬 🤣