Just need a bit of reassurance, is this dangerous ??

[WhimsicalMoth]

I'm just posting here for traffic as I know this is unreasonable really.
I suffer with horrific health anxiety - my partner has been unwell with a chest infection for about 2 weeks. My child is just getting over a chesty cough.
I've stuck it out until now, but finally came down with something yesterday morning.
I've woken up multiple times in the night absolutely frozen to the bone - obviously a temperature. So I took it this morning and it said my temperature was 39.1. I've taken 2 paracetamol to bring it down and help the headache.
Please someone just reassure me that that temperature isn't life threatening to me.
I know that is a stupid thing to say, but I'm a chronic googler, and there's mixed info online (I know I shouldn't)
Be kind please 🩷

It’s high, but you’ll be fine. Keep a monitor on it, lots of fluids and lots of rest. You’ll live.

The problem with health anxiety is that reassurance is typically not helpful. It grants you a temporary relief and when it wears off, you will come back for more reassurance. You need to sit tight with being uncomfortable about your fears.
You know what the issues is -health anxiety which is fed by googling. So you need to break the cycle of this behavior. Block google site on your phone and laptop, do self-soothing practices.
If the fever persists, then contact your GP.
A short-term spike in fever is not inherently dangerous.

39 is not life threatening. It’s a totally normal high temperature for having a virus.

You know this is caused by googling not a temperature so stop it, it is a choice so choose not to do it

It’s a fever. It’s fighting infection. If you don’t feel particularly unwell, let the high temperature do its job and don’t take painkillers. Obviously if you have pain, take the medicine.

39 is fine. Keep taking paracetamol and alternate with ibuprofen (as per the timing instructions on the packets) as long as that combination is bringing it down you’re ok. Drink lots of fluid.

If the drugs aren’t bringing it down or you’re not better in a day or two (or you start coughing) then see your GP.

You will be fine love. Keep on with the paracetamols. Like previous person said - contact your GP if fever persists. It’s just a case of your illness taking its course. You should feel better in a few days or so.
Don’t ask Dr Google - worst thing you can do.
Be kind to yourself. ❤️

Don't Google, just check NHS. They only say to call GP for a temp of 39 if it's a baby if 3-6 months, so it's fine for an adult.

39 is not life threatening and is a totally normal temperature for a virus. You've obviously caught the one your partner and child had.

Google advises calling a doctor for a temperature over 40 if accompanied by a range of other (pretty extreme) symptoms such as fits and seizures, inability to urinate, loosing consciousness, severe swelling. In other words, signs of a dangerous illness. If you were suffering from any of these, you or your partner would have already called a doctor regardless of the temperature.

Drink plenty of fluids and if you feel like eating stick to something light like soup. A warm bath can also help with chills and muscle aches.

I had a recent really nasty infection (viral then bacterial), had a temp just under 40 for 10 days. It was unpleasant and I needed antibiotics eventually, but it was in no way dangerous.

A high temperature is actually positive in that it shows your immune system is doing its job properly-there’s nothing dangerous about a high temp that responds to paracetamol in a healthy adult. You will be fine.

Not at all life threatening.

Getting reassurance from people though will make your health anxiety worse. Are you seeing someone about it?

I've never used a thermometer on an adult apart from COVID put the thermometer away you will have been this hot many times before. Stop googling

Reassurance seeking is a classic part of health anxiety/ ocd. You must know , 100%, that you will be OK. You need absoloute certainty and will seek reassurance and evidence to find it. But we can’t give it to you, no one can. You will read these comments, they will make you feel better for 30 seconds, then you will re- enter the spiral.

I mean this in a very kind way, you need help for you anxiety, not your mild fever

It's fine - mild and short-lived fevers at that degree are not bad for you at all, they're actually a sign your body is effectively fighting your bug. Reiterate to yourself that this is normal, healthy and your body is doing exactly what it's supposed to do. Mantras help with health anxiety... at least in my own experience!

I am a registered nurse and can confirm that a high temperature is merely an indication that your body is fighting off the infection. It is not life threatening and you will be better within a day or two. I know it's difficult but step away from Dr Google. Teach yourself some coping strategies to manage your health anxiety, there are YouTube/Insta/TikTok tutorials that are really helpful.

You, your partner and your child have all presumably had fevers before and are still alive. As you rationally know, a fever is just a symptom of your immune system responding to an illness, likely a winter virus.

Stick to the NHS website "Many things can cause a high temperature. It's not usually a sign of anything serious." It's only a problem if you have a high temp for a long time or it won't go down with drugs.

Throw the bloody thermometer out!

It's fine, I wouldn't even take medication to bring it down (unless I needed it for other symptoms). We are meant to get fevers its part of our bodies defence system, if you take medication to bring it down it just takes longer for your body to fight it.

I'm going to contradict a few posters here as someone who dabbled in health anxiety a while ago following an unexpected cancer diagnosis for DH (he's fine now). If you don't feel like you have enough information to distinguish between health anxiety and something that actually needs checking out, use the NHS website. It is usually pretty clear on when you can self manage and when you should seek further advice, which is helpful if like me you worry about sticking your head in the sand and missing something important. And because it's not trying to sell you health insurance or unnecessary tests like all the US sites that come up on Google, it will tell you all the basically harmless things your symptoms are likely to be, rather than immediately jumping to the worst possible (and usually least likely) conclusion.

You do need to get comfortable with some uncertainty but I think it's reasonable to want some parameters for that.

If you aren’t able to get professional help for your health anxiety, maybe give this workbook a try: https://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/Resources/Looking-After-Yourself/Health-Anxiety

This.

I once took my temperature during a really bad cold/flu (christmas before the whole covid broke out really) and it was over 41C, middle of the night and feeling rubbish, so took two extra paracetamol (had worn off by then), shrugged off one of the 3 blankets I was under (as I had been so cold when I went to bed) and slept it off. Still here to tell the tale. Anything close to 42 I'd be worried, 39 is a fever, not life threatening high.

Hi, sorry to post but is anyone else feeling unwell? I have had a temp for 4 days now doc said I could have a water infection so prescribed nitrofuratoin but now I’m feeling chesty never felt so ill!!!

What do you call a fever? Most of the population has a cough and temperature at the moment your probably fine if you can use the internet.

Nitrofuratoin is incredibly strong. It can cause strong reactions including breathlessness & feeling fluey. Take some anti histamine and return to the docs for a different anti biotic.