Hey Lisa, The temp that we learn as normal, "98.6" is a statistical average taking into acount those of us that run a little colder and those that run a little warmer. I don't have thyroid problems by my average temp has never reached 98.6, it runs in the 97+ range, If I go over 100 it effects me the same way someone with a temp of 101+, My dads even worse, he starts haulicinating when he goes over 100, His temp is never above 97-97.5, so a 3 degree rise effects him the say way a 3 degree rise would effect someone that naturally runs at 99.0. Wouldn't life be boring if we were all stamped out of the same cookie cutter and they take that into consideration when comparing clinical data. IF you look at max and minimimum blood serum ranges, , It's just that, a range. As long as you fall within that range the patch is considered working. Just as generics simply have to fall into those ranges. Not exact, but within the range of what's normal for that strength patch.
It's worth being reasured by your doc , but if you getting relief, why complain about a problem that's not effcting your pain relief.

This is all taken into consideration. What they want you to avoid are things like heating pads and saunas or applying a heating pad directly over the patch to give yourself a boost. You would probably have less adhesion problems running a little cooler and not sweating.

Worse case sceanrio, like anyone with a different metabolism, the med may have to be adjusted to suit you. There are folks that have portions of their stomach removed or bowels removed and they just compensate based on patient reporting, observation and vital signs.

As long as your functioning and your BP doesn't drop low enough to cause concern, there wouldn't be any reason for a doc not to continue to titrate you to an effective level just as they would anyone else.

If you were complainng of severe pain but your BP was botoming out like 70/40, rather than increase, they would likely switch you to a med that doesn't cause the same respirtory supresssion as the patch.

Your situation adds a small twist but really nothing that can't be overcome. In years of reading thusands of posts, I have neever seen someone with a problem with someone whos natural body temp is a bit higher or a bt lower than the old 98.6. You may find you temp rises a bit due to the patch or opiates in general. If it drops even lower, it may simply not be the right med for you, It wasn't for me and many other peolpe as we all repond differently to each med.

IN the clinical trials body temp variations were not the cause of any patients dropping out of the trials. A couple degrees isn't going to make a difference or there would be warnings in the southern states where folks walk outside and it's 100 degrees plus 90 days out of every year.

Just as a heating pad can burn you if you sleep on it, and I have the tiger stripes to prove it, a heating pad could cause a problem with the patch, It's just a standard warning as to what may effect the patch.

Having some gel left in the resevoir when you take it off is very normal so don't take that as a sign your not getting the dose, the level of relief you get is what's important, not a small amount of gel remaining in the patch when you remove it. Just be sure to safely dispose the old patch particlularly if you have children in the house or a pet that may chew something up they find in the garbage.

I hope that eases your mind untill you can confer with your doc.
Have a nice weekend
Dave