Tracking MS symptoms?

[agate]

Do you keep track of your MS symptoms?

I see that the MS Association of America is offering a mobile app for keeping track of your MS symptoms.

Only registered and activated users can see links., Click Here To Register...

Since I habitually pass on anything involving a mobile phone, I wouldn't be getting this but even if it were available in some other form, I doubt that I'd want to bother with it. Many years ago when MS was quite new to me, I was keeping an eye on symptoms and trying to figure them out, as in when asking myself. "NOW what's going wrong with me?"

But since then I don't want to think too much about MS symptoms. You can overthink these things. Or am I in some sort of denial state? Maybe it's a good idea to keep a more careful record than I've been doing?

For my own record I've been keeping a Word file on my medical history and recording significant information in it but I Try to make sure that less important details don't swell that file. When nystagmus came back recently, I definitely would take note of that as it's a very troublesome problem and one I hadn't had for a long time. But the aches, pains, and numbness and stiffness episodes that happen quite often--I'd go out of my head if I tried to keep track of them. I chalk them up to aging/arthritis/osteopenia/diabetes and hope they'll go away.

Maybe the mobile app for MS tracking is a good idea for people with "early MS" or whatever it's called when you've been diagnosed recently or even when you're having symptoms and wondering if it might be MS?

[flatcap]

I'm the same way, agate. I don't track my MS symptoms. I gave it a half-hearted effort after I was diagnosed but gave it up almost immediately. It was much like a diary. I was never able to keep one of those, either.

Also, I never wanted to make MS a hobby. Taking a bath in them only makes my symptoms worse. The most I do when something new comes up is a little googling, and I almost always find the same thing: It's my MS again. I feel no need to memorialize it, particularly in this latter stage of my disease course. Maybe that's denial, but even if it is, it works for me.

It might be helpful to someone newly diagnosed, or to someone in limbo about their diagnosis, to keep a record of their symptoms. Dates seem particularly important to providers. That is about all I could offer in the way of advice to someone new.

Regarding the app, it's good to see there is one available. I'm sure many will find it useful.

[agate]

It might be especially handy for someone with bewildering symptoms who doesn't know just what to say to a neuro in the (usually limited) time available--someone still in limbo but with MS as a distinct possibility. I've noticed that people in that situation often don't think to mention some problems they've been having with their vision, their bladder, frequent falls, etc. --judging from their accounts of their neuro appointments. They fail to realize that all of those weird things add up to MS sometimes but they won't add up to MS unless the doctor realizes that the patient has them.