It can be hard enough to remember what you ate for lunch yesterday. Relying on memory to track multiple sclerosis might not be enough.

Keeping track diligently of MS symptoms, flares, and treatments are a crucial part of finding out what is working – and just as importantly, what isn’t working. Having reliable and clean logs will make it easier to share accurate and identical information with all members of your care team and any new doctors you may see. But what should you track?

Tracking MS Symptoms

If you are newly diagnosed or questioning if you have the disease, this is particularly important. Tracking your MS symptoms daily can help you identify patterns in how you are feeling. For example, it can be easy to remember having headaches last week. But, it may be harder to remember how many days you experienced headaches and information about the pain.

Common MS symptoms to track:

• Fatigue
• Difficulty walking
• Numbness
• Muscle Stiffness
• Vision
• Balance

When tracking MS symptoms, you should record:

• Start and stop dates / times
• Location
• New / Existing
• Severity
• Impact

Keep a medication log

When paired with the MS symptom tracking, a medication log can be an invaluable tool to determine potential side effects of medications. It can also help determine if a medication cocktail is having the desired impact, or if it may need to be adjusted.

A medication log should include:

• The day and time for which you are recording
• The name, strength, and dose of medication that WAS TAKEN
• For reference, the name, strength, dose, and schedule of the medication that WAS PRESCRIBED

Track your periods

For women that are still menstruating, tracking your periods can be an additional point of comparison to the symptom and medication logs. You may be able to identify additional patterns such as increased fatigue or soreness.

If the uptick in the symptoms is significant, your treatment team may be able to develop strategies or treatments to minimize symptoms throughout your cycle.

You can use Flutter on your smartphone to track this.

Monitor your diet

There is plenty of misinformation on the internet about miracle food cures for MS. While those are not to be trusted, tracking your food intake may help you identify which foods make you feel better or worse. Additionally, it is important to maintain a balanced diet to ensure proper health. Apps such as MyFitnessPal have large food directories. By tracking daily, you will be able to track your caloric intake and ensure you are getting enough of each essential element, like fats, proteins, sodium, carbs, and sugars. Without tracking, you may not realize how far off you are from the daily dietary guidelines.

Record your exercise

Exercise is all about goals. While you may not feel able to run a marathon, there are plenty of daily activities that keep you active and healthy. Tracking walking for five to ten minutes, climbing stairs, or full gym workouts can help you monitor your progress.

Yeah, but if I’m tracking every moment of my MS life, when do I have time to live?

There are apps for that.

SymTrac

MSAA – My MS Manager

We’re glad you are here! But, have you considered joining any support groups?

For many people, having multiple sclerosis (MS) can be an isolating and scary proposition. Your friends and loved ones may not understand what you are going through. Life with an invisible illness can be tough. Connecting with other people that understand can make it easier.

In the United States

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society  has many support groups across the country. Some the groups are general while other are focused on a specific population, for example, young adults with MS. In any case, all groups focus on support, education, and wellness.

You can find support groups near you by clicking on the button below:

Want to start your own group? Have a great idea for a group? You can talk to someone about establishing a group by contacting the National Multiple Sclerosis Society here

Online

If you can’t get to a local support group or would rather connect with other MS patients online, fortunately you have many options. Support groups, forums, even Facebook communities have been created to help you connect.

MSCorner

Our own MSCorner Facebook page allows you to interact with thousands of people with MS and their loved ones around the country.

MS Buddy

If you have an iPhone or iPad, you can download the MS Buddy app, which connects you directly with other people who have MS.

MS Connection

MS Connection has online forums divided in specific groups like “Healthy Despite MS” and “Over 40 and living with MS.” It is an easy way to share your story and get help from others.

MS World

If you are looking for a live chat room, MS World has you covered. Don’t worry about getting spammed, users need to have their account approved before they can join the conversation.

Be Careful with Online Resources:

Not all advice is created equal. As with all information you find online, make sure to do your own research and talk to your care team before stopping any current treatments or exploring new ones.

Happy Connecting!