Pain meds and body temperature

[Der Biermeister]

I've been noticing the last few days that my body temperature just won't lock-on "normal". Normal for me has always been 98.6. I am fluctuating from a degree subnormal, all the way up to 1.5 degrees above normal, but usually I am hanging around 1/2 degree above. Even though the medical community doesn't really consider this a fever, it makes me feel very feverish.

Two days ago, I concluded that my pain meds were probably contributing to this. So, I started cutting way back on them. (Both Darvocets, and the occassional Percocet, contain a boat load of Tylenol - 625 mg per pill.) I am doing ok with a lot less of the meds and my temperature is a bit more stable.

I also know that some of this is due to the body healing from major surgery -- or at least that is what I've been told.

What have your experiences been? Did your temperature go kind of wacko for a while?

 

[OldManEmu]

Stable Temp

Stable Temp

I was in hospital for 10 days post AVR because the valve looked so bad and they were not certain that the endocarditis I had treated 4 months earlier was not still active, my temp was constantly checked. I can only relate it in Celsius because that is what is used in Australia, I was low 36c in the mornings and by the end of the day I tended to be normal around 37c, over 38c is considered a fever. I was on no pain meds other than paracetamol after the first day in ICU.

 

[Marguerite53]

funny you should mention that! It's 3am and I'm up to take a vicodin since the tylenol at bedtime wore off and kind of woke me up. Can only sleep sitting up and I get antsy (even sleeping, apparently) with too much sloped sitting.

I can't tell the difference between the general aches and pains of the recovery and a possible fever. I know that one of my "bullet holes" was starting to get infected so I kept a close watch on my temp. But my caregivers were insistent that I keep doses at 4 hours apart. How do you read your temp while you are on a steady stream of tylenol, basically??

I suspect that is what the first doctor visit next monday will be about. WHy else am I told to just see the general practitioner at one week out? (am starting a thread about post op doctor visits) (then going back to bed!!)

I'm basically trying to stretch out my dosing at this point since I'm only uncomfortable, not that much pain, really. Although it is weird how now I feel the different healings. Like there is wanting to be movement between the skin sutures and the bone wiring. Hard to explain. All in all, I just feel like I've swallowed a tiny litte birdcage. Does that make any sense??

Thanks, as always, for the timing of your questions, Der!!

Marguerite

 

[centuryltd]

Sounds like we're on the same meds. I monitor my temp closely since I am now a bit parenoid about a recurrance of endocarditis or new infection of the heart valve. My temp has always been in the 97.5 range and is now again. But post-op in the hospital I often had fevers as well as night sweats and what felt like hot flashes. The doctors said this happens to people after surgery at times. Best wishes for your continued recovery.

Steve

 

[Bryan B]

I had a slight fever (off and on) and night sweats for a few weeks after surgery. I was told that between the body healing and the anesthesia leaving your body that it was expected and normal unless the fever was 101 or above. I had endocarditis too, and to this day if I have any symptom that slightly resembles the symptoms of endocarditis (which is just about everything ) I get a little freaked out.

BTW...a friendly suggestion...get off the pain meds as soon as you feel you can do without them.

 

[roxdrop]

Yes, absolutely...in the beginning my temps were always all over the place. I never had any confirmed infection, but my body had trouble adjusting to ambient temperatures in general so I tended to feel either very hot or very cold for periods of time. My guess is that my body was putting so much energy towards healing that thermoregulation became a secondary concern.

I was also on Darvocet for awhile, and noticed that within 30 minutes of taking a dose, I got incredibly hot (almost sweaty) and this went away eventually and I became cold. Now that I am off all pain meds, this no longer happens.

And just in general, I feel more like my old self with respect to stable temperatures (among other things!)

 

[MikeHeim]

For 6-8 weeks after surgery, I would get a fever every single evening. Usually, it would be in the 99.5-100.0 range, but occasionally it would be higher. The fever would always break at about 2:00AM, and I would awaken drenched in sweat. I went to the Cardiologist one time for it (I had hit 101F one night), but eventually it all went away.

Getting back to the original point of your thread, I never blamed my pain meds. Actually, the only thing I found that counteracted the fever was the Tylenol (or the Vicodin when things were bad).

 

[Der Biermeister]

Thanks all

I guess it is kind of normal from your responses. I got through to my surgeon's PA an hour ago and she also said the same thing - not to worry, completely normal. She said it has to do with the body getting rid of ???? that also accumulate in the lungs???? (sorry, I didn't get the lingo). But that this could continue for a while longer and that everyone is different. The 101 criteria is where they get concerned with infection.

Right now (fingers crossed) I am typically riunning 99.6 and I can knock it down some with the Tylenol, in fact today it helped get me down to 98.4 for awhile. 99.6 apparently is not alarming, but it sure makes ME feel lousy - I can feel the burning in my lips and eyes and of course I feel HOT like having a fever of 102 or something. That is just me - I've always been that way.

 

[tobagotwo]

Don't forget that less than three weeks ago, your body was cooled down way below anyone's normal temp for the surgery. It's no surprise that it takes the body's thermostat quite a while to recover from that experience. My temperature was variable for almost a month, although I was off all pain meds by the second week.

Night sweats are very common also. I had horrible night sweats for more than a month after surgery. As in drenched and resulting in sheets cold and soggy. I agree with Bryan it's more likely the body trying to throw out the rest of the toxic anesthesia medications than caused by fever.

Best wishes,

 

[Der Biermeister]

Don't forget that less than three weeks ago, your body was cooled down way below anyone's normal temp for the surgery. It's no surprise that it takes the body's thermostat quite a while to recover from that experience. My temperature was variable for almost a month, although I was off all pain meds by the second week.

Night sweats are very common also. I had horrible night sweats for more than a month after surgery. As in drenched and resulting in sheets cold and soggy. I agree with Bryan it's more likely the body trying to throw out the rest of the toxic anesthesia medications than caused by fever.

Best wishes,

Thanks Bob - you've been a big help. I had no idea about this body cooling down stuff during surgery -- sounds s-e-r-i-o-u-s!! I guess an awful lot goes on in that operating theatre. I wonder if they had the viewing section like you see in the movies?

For some reason I haven't had any night sweats yet. And I guess I really don't want to find out, eay?

 

[sue943]

Der Biermeister, didn't they tell you before the operation that you would be cooled down then brought back up to normal in ICU?

Did anyone else get the conducted tour of ICU prior to surgery?

 

[Der Biermeister]

Der Biermeister, didn't they tell you before the operation that you would be cooled down then brought back up to normal in ICU?

Did anyone else get the conducted tour of ICU prior to surgery?

Sue - no one told me a thing about that. And no tour either. I think the doc told my wife just before they wheeled me in, because she knew all about it! Go figure