Your early RT memories

Do remember any occasions your temperature were taken rectally ?

The only thermometer in our house was rectal. My older brothers and I received rectal temps whenever mom thought we were running a fever or when we looked flushed. It didn't matter what age we were from the time we were young till the time we left for college when our temp needed to be taken it was pants and undies down and over her lap or lay on the bed or on your hands and knees. It got to be very embarrassing when we entered our teenage years and into our early 20's. Our mom and step-dad didn't t\ink anything of it butt as we became more aware of our bodies that's when it became more embarrassing.

When I got married I did the same thing to my kids. Nothing but rectal temps. They got embarrassed when they were in their teens and beyond, butt eventually got over it.

When I was a kid, the commonest method in France was rectal, for adults and children. However, insertion was normally done by the patient himself or herself once old enough: for instance I was in hospital at about age 9, the nurses would hand the thermometer, the young patient would roll on the side and insert the thermometer under bedsheets, and the nurses would come back to read it and put it away some minutes after. There is no way that a teenager would have the thermometer inserted by the nurse unless special circumstances.

Also in Sweden rectal thermometers were very common during the 70's and 80's. In my family we only had rectal thermometers and to the age of 10, my parents inserted the thermometer in me to check if I had a fever. At the age of 11 I was teached by my mom how to take my temp rectally by myself, so even when I was a teenager I always needed to take my temperature rectally...

That sounds the same way for me too, when I was growing up Mom always took our temps with a rectal thermometer instead of a oral one she said rectal temps were more accurate than oral temps. So me and my brothers always had our temps taken rectally even though there were a lot of complaining from us. 😃

Kid: My mother, as well, claimed that rectal was more reliable than oral or, worse, armpit. But at least she let us do it by ourselves. I mean, she brought the thermometer and came back to read and clean it, but did not insert it.

Can you please tell us how your mother would proceed?

My parents didn't take my temperature rectally past age 2/3

As a young teenager (I was 13) I got a suppository in the hospital. But my temperature was not taken there. I have been there after a car accident...

Rectal temps. weren't that common for teens and adults, when I was growing up, although I knew some friends who had their temp taken rectally, even through the teen years. I'm 60 now, and wouldn't imagine that happens much today. In these times of PC, and knee jerk reactions, taking a rectal temp., especially on a teen, would present a delicate situation. And with the advent of so much technology, temp. taking methods have drastically changed. Most young folks probably don't even understand the concept of a rectal temp., and might find the request bizarre and unacceptable. If the current PC trends continue, it's very probable that the rectal method will actually become outlawed, and viewed as sexual abuse.

Generally speaking, in the '70s and '80s in the U.S. only pre-school children had their temps taken rectally. I had mine taken rectally until age 6.

At age 6, when I went into the hospital to have my tonsils taken out, the nurse used a rectal thermometer on me. She slid her hand under the sheet to insert it, and I was amazed that she could aim so accurately without looking. My parents were standing at the end of my bed, watching, and I felt embarrassed by the procedure even though they couldn't see anything.

Even before that, my mother had used a rectal thermometer on me. When I was 5, she foolishly left the thermometer on the bedside table and put me down for a nap. I and my siblings had to take a nap every day so our mother would have time to clean house while we slept. That day, I got to nap in my parents' room. I wasn't sleepy, so as usual I got into mischief. I decided to take my own temperature rectally. When my mother came in to check on me, she spotted the empty container on the table and asked me where the thermometer was. I pleaded ignorance. She pulled back the sheet and rolled me over -- sure enough she found it in the first place she looked. Unfortunately, the glass tube had broken in half when I tried to hide what I was doing. She freaked. It was pure luck that I didn't cut myself, but I sure got a scolding.

Sally, although it seems pretty amazing, I cannot recall ever having a RT taken on me. I do remember a student nurse prepping me with an enema before an appendectomy at age 15. I fell in love with her, of course, she with her starched white uniform, kind of a working overalls type of thing, with a blue blouse beneath. She could have asked me to do anything and I would have willingly complied. I still remember her last name as Meanor, but never saw her again. Sad, I guess, but life goes on.

Back then the temperature was always taken rectally so my memories are pretty early...

When I was a youngster in New Jersey, the family pediatrician had a clock with a cat that moved his head one way and its tail another as a second hand. I can remember seeing this clock over the exam room door as I lay on my tummy with a thermometer sticking in my butt. think that was when I was up to age 11 or 12 back in the 50s-60s . Good ole Dr. Wolf and his cat clock.---Funny what you remember as a kid.

At age 10 when I had my tonsils out. The nurse came in even before the operation and told my mom they had to do it that way. She turned me over spread my cheeks and inserted one of those electric ones with the cord and probe.

A boy in the next bed later teased me about it saying that no way would he let them do that to him. Next vitals round that evening, my nurse came back with the same unit and used it on me. I could look over and see him grinning with glee. After she finished with me she turned to the other boy and told him his nurse was busy so she'd be getting his vitals.

The look on his face when she pulled down the covers and told him to roll over was priceless. He did as he was told and didn't say a word as she slipped the probe in Him. Later I teased him telling him how cute he looked with it in his butt. The difference was. that I actually, meant it.

I saw him get a suppository later and the next morning I heard his nurse tell his mom that he might need an enema. I was hoping to see that too, but I was wheeled to surgery and never knew if he did.

My mother always took our temperatures rectally, so I really have no early memories, if you mean pre-school ones.I have lots of other R/T memories, though, from my childhood and teen years!

Aside from having it taken at home by mom, the most frequent was at a physical or sick visit while visiting the doctor. It happened early in the exam once i had undressed and mom was sure to emphasize that it was going to take place on the ride over. What I hated the most was lying there with it inserted and having the nurse carry on a conversation with mom and then me as I got older and went in alone. It always felt odd chatting while this thing was registering. I was usually on my tummy but it has changed to now lying on my side and that position further intensifies feelings while talking. It's not that the temp taken hurts or is uncomfortable physically, it's clearly a psychological thing as its not something one discusses in general unless on zity. It's a small thing that doesn't take long but sure has lasting impact!

I do remember having my temperature taken by my mom. She put me on the couch and pulled my pants down slipping it in my fanny. I didn't like it. I like it now 😃

I don't think I've ever had my temperature taken rectally. It sounds interesting though.

DoctorJohnny2: Some people here mention rectal temperatures in the US in the 1970s in pediatric wards or doctors offices for children older than that, even teenagers,

When I was about 12 or 13 I spent three nights in the hospital. I recall several times being awoken in the middle of the night wondering what was going on. I would be on my side and would go to roll on my back. Thats when the nurse would stop me and tell me to stay on my side. This would freak me out at first but then I'd feel the glass thermometer in my ass.

I recently started to think back to this event and wondered if the nurse (always a different one each night) ever pre-lubed my rectum with her gloved finger or just shoved the greased thermometer in there.

It's a source of fond recollection for me as I recall seeing the pediatrician or my doctor as a teen. I most assuredly would be required to have a rectal temp taken as did everyone going into an exam room. While I had on occasion heard a small protest, there was no way to avoid it being done and what continues to stand out in my mind is the nurse telling my mom that one was required.

As I got older and required less supervision, I would be told to go provide a urine sample and overhear the nurse mention to my mom what was to happen upon my return and of course have to take off all my clothing. While I often anticipated it, the actual occurrence made me anxious and very self conscious, especially as my cheeks were spread and the insertion took place. Even now when the nurse offers casual conversation I remain very focused on what is taking place in my bottom. There has always been that momentary clenching before the final acceptance of the thermometer pushing beyond my initial expectations. My cheeks likely blushing as I try to hide my facial expressions.

I am sure now it probably contributes to some moistening below as well and surely influences the reactions I have like my nipples becoming more erect. Back then, the RT was a source of intimidation to some degree and experiencing an exam that I rarely looked forward to having while my mom usually looked on and reminded me to do as I was told. I never wished to be the one entering or leaving a room looking like I was too upset or embarrassed but I did! Like others, the necessity of receiving a shot was unpleasant and unwelcome but required and on occasion delivered in my bottom. Mom would most certainly mention that I had a physical to her friends and that i also had to get a shot for which she was sure to check my temp later that day or night.

Family traditions are wonderful as are these memories! All of them influence my preparation for future exams and hearing, "Let's get your temp dear. Turn over!"

I well remember the rectal temps I had on every visit to the doc or on home visits and by my mom. These ended before I was three, when my mom began using the underarm method. When I entered the hospital at age three for my tonsillectomy, the nurse immediately had me undress and, before giving me the hospital pajamas to wear, asked me to turn on my tummy face down. I knew what was coming and protested, trying to convince both her and my dad who, was in the room, that she should take it under my arm. My dad angrily told me to do as the nurse asked. "Knowing" RTs were for babies, I was embarrassed and angry at being treated like one.

No memories from the doctors office or from childhood. The first RT I remember was when playing doctor with a girlfriend. Actually I took hers first, that was the first time we ever played Doctor together and she wanted to be the patient. She wanted to lie on her back with her legs pulled up so she could watch me do it. The next time was my turn and I remember she had me lie flat on my stomach, used Vaseline to lube my anus first, very slowly and deep with her finger, then used a glass thermometer which she put in a glass of cold water. Wow I really felt how cold that was! She spoke very 'professional' the whole time. It was a mindblowing experience for both and we played Doctor many times after, always with multiple RTs, both on stomach and on back with legs pulled up.

The most memorable temperature taking was one my mother took of me and my sister when we were both home sick from school. Mom had me lay face down on her bed while my sister watched the procedure. I had my pajama bottoms and underpants pulled down and the rectal thermometer was slowly inserted and left in place for three minutes while my sister looked on from the corner of the bed.

Once the thermometer was withdrawn and read. My pajama bottoms and underpants were pulled up and I was told to sit up.

My sister then lay face down as she had seen me do. Mom warned her to be still like me while it was in her bottom. I then watched as my mother pulled down her pajama bottoms and panties. Then she parted her buttocks and paused for a moment before slowly inserting the lubricated rectal thermometer into her anus and up her rectum. The thermometer stuck out of her rear for three minutes before it was removed and read before mom dialed our family doctor to arrange a house call for us.

One of my most memorable temperature taking was as my sister was ill and my mom don´t believed the oral reading and so she took my sisters temp another time, but this time the rectal way. At this time normally we got our temp orally taken. We all was in the living room and so i had a perfect look as my sister got her temp measured in her butt. It was a very beautiful look for me to see my sisters naked ass and seeing a thermometer looking out of her butthole. And the newest temp taking was 2 years ago, as i was in Spain for holiday and it was the second day i was not feeling well, and so i went to a doctor. I told him i was not feeling well and think i have fever. For the exam i was sit on a exam table an so the doc looked at me whats wrong.

He told me, i maybe have a infect, to get sure he will look how high is my temp and asked me if it is ok. I answers, yes no problem and between the doc goes for thermometer i pulled down my shorts and lied on the table. As the doc went back with the thermometer he said surprised seeing me, normally temp will taking by oral way. I said i always do it rectally and he also should take it this way. After a little discussion between me and the doc and as i don´t standing up for oral temp he did it rectally.

THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME AS I GET MY RECTAL TEMP BY A DOC 😃

I remember two quite well. One was at our pediatrician's and it was traumatic. They gave me a shot in the rump which stung, and I cried the whole time the thermometer was registering. It left such a negative impression that I hoped I'd never have it taken that way again. They even made an exception a year later and took my temperature orally even though I was six and they didn't switch you over until you were seven. Then the doctor pulled my undershorts down slightly to check for hernias. I thought he was going to take my temp rectally and when I said I already had it taken orally, he calmly replied, "We're all done with that."

The second was by far the most memorable. The following year my mother took me to our neighborhood doctor when I came down with an ear infection. I wasn't expecting to have my temp taken at all and was surprised when the nurse said she was going to take it rectally. I had no time to react and the next thing I knew I was lying face down on the examining table, pants and underwear pulled down, and the thermometer was inserted. It felt wonderful and I just focused on the incredible sensation as my breathing grew heavy. I still remember gasping as it registered. The next thing I knew it was over. I never said anything to anyone and unfortunately never thought to ask for an r/t at our pediatrician's again. A missed opportunity, but the seeds of my r/t fetish had been planted.

I remember seeing one or other of my siblings having their rectal temperature taken although I don't remember it actually happening to me. After seeing it done though I always wanted to take somebody elses' temp myself. I think over the knee would be my favourite postion

When I was a toddler, my mom inserted the cold thermometer into my fanny and I did nothing but kick and squirmed.

During my infant and toddler years, when I felt hot, or did not look good in the face and just like what DST said on his post; it was pants down and over my mom's lap. Then toward the end of age 4 and after my recovery of my out patient surgery, my rectal temperature days stopped.