Can’t get DH’s temperature down, any advice?

[MissyB1]

Dh started feeling really poorly yesterday, Covid test positive. He’s been in bed since 6pm yesterday. He’s looks awful, I’m giving him paracetamol every 4 hours, but can’t get his temp below 38.7. When the paracetamol is wearing off it goes up to 39.2. He’s sipping water but doesn’t have the energy to get out of bed or eat.

So I am thinking that I will see how he is overnight and if that temp isn’t down by morning ring the GP (almost impossible though!) or 111 is that an ok plan?

I think that's expected isn't if? Does he have any underlying conditions?

Also have you tried ibuprofen as that is sometimes better at getting a temp down

I had covid earlier in the year, took 48hrs for my temp to start dropping from 40.2, felt awful but ok. I don’t think the temperature alone is something you should be too concerned about. His overall illness is more important

Try ibuprofen too

Eh? You don't need to bring the temp down unless it's really high, which it's not. It's the body fighting the infection.

Sipping water and getting comfy as possible is fine unless he has underlying conditions

I thought a temperature (in an adult) wasn't necessarily a bad thing? I'd just leave him to sleep and get him to keep drinking water.

Its not excessively high, just keep doing what you're doing and see how he is in a week or so

I wouldn't worry too much at this stage. If it drags on a few days tho I'd speak to a doc, he may need antibiotics. DH had covid managed it well but then went right downhill. Had spiking temps and delirium but when I eventually spoke to a doc they thought it might be pneumonia and prescribed antibiotics. This was at the beginning of the pandemic when everyone was scared and you couldn't see a doc.

Alternative ibuprofen and paracetamol. What do you expect the doctor to do? He just has to ride through it. Takes a couple of days. No need for any drama.

Ibruprofen too and lots of fluids. It's

yes ibuprofen and keep hydrated

His body fighting the infection.

You can give nurofen in between the paracetamol.
I had covid earlier in the year and had a high temp for about 4 days. Could barely get out of bed, and definitely wasn't hungry. Just keep the fluids up.

If he's taking in fluids, as an adult I don't think you need a medical appointment after 24 hours.
Keep going with the paracetamol. Add in ibuprofen if you want to. Let him sleep.
I had covid for the first time this summer. I basically spent 3 days in bed, drinking water and eating pain killers. No idea what my temperature was.

Can alternate ibuprofen and paracetamol, just offset the dosing by at least an hour and make sure he is drinking loads so his liver can process it all. I suggest you write down what he has and when so you can keep a close eye on how much he takes and not over dose.

A temp at that level isnt in itself dangerous (unless he has other health issues) so if he can bear it, just keep going and monitor him. If it goes much above 39.4 I would be keeping a very close eye and checking an hour after taking a dose to make sure it does come down with the medicine. If his temp is that high and doesnt come down after an hour, maybe call the doctor.
I had covid a couple of months ago and had 3 days of really tricky high temperatures, but it did come down eventually

My sister had a full on fever with Covid for 3 days. Felt really I'll. Took paracetamol and ibuprofen and slept.

**ILL, sorry, my bloody phone!

Please make sure you are not giving more than four doses of paracetamol in 24 hours. I wouldn't be overly concerned about those temperatures, they are not particularly high and it is the body's way of killing the bug.

Agree with the points that a temperature isn't a catastrophe. Alternate paracetamol and ibuprofen, make sure you keep a log so there's no muddles or accidentally giving him too much.

If you have a pulse oximeter I would use that to keep an eye on oxygen levels but otherwise I don't think you need to call the doctor for a temperature specifically - you might do for that combined with other symptoms if you're worried about him being very short of breath or not getting enough oxygen. I would be tempted to prime myself a pulse oximeter if I were you but that's because I like data. If you think about Obs at a hospital they will take blood pressure, pulse, oxygen levels, temperature and breathing rate. Breathing rate you can do yourself at home (but the person mustn't know you are or their breathing will change).

www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/vital-signs-body-temperature-pulse-rate-respiration-rate-blood-pressure

A tepid bath or shower will help, but he may not be up for moving.

You don't need to bring it down, let him sleep, painkillers, wet flannel

There are plenty of tips online for helping to reduce fevers naturally, from a cool flannel on the forehead, to a tepid bath, to some bizarre trick involving two pairs of socks, one of which you wet...

Soup and light foods will also help give his body some energy without taxing digestion if he can manage it.

A cup of tea with paracetamol helps it to work quicker, it's the caffeine (part of the reason why they include caffeine in cold and flu remedies).

Those of you who've had 3 day covid fevers, I'm curious, did you recover quickly after this or did the infection drag on?

That's not worryingly high, my temp regularly goes up between 39-40 when fighting infections.
It's when it goes over 40 and stays there when you need to start worrying. If he is able to keep water down he should be ok.

Mine dragged on - I was pretty much in bed/sofa-bound for around 10 days. The fatigue took close to 3 months to fade, and I still got occasional aches and pains in my legs.

Great thanks. Can’t use ibuprofen at the moment as he hasn’t eaten in 24 hours. He can’t tolerate that on an empty stomach. Hopefully he will be a bit better tomorrow.