Why tracking your symptoms can make you feel worse

[anaishunter]

This article is not specific to MS by I'd love to get everybody's opinion on this. In my case, I certainly do better overall if I don't obsess about everything related to MS.

wired.com/story/why-trackin...

[Peruzzot]

I keep a journal to track any issues i notice and help me remember what the doctors said at appointments. But at the same time I don't obsess over every little thing. As long as you don't obsess over every little thing keeping a journal can help to remind you of the more important stuff.

[jimeka]

Good article. I don’t keep track of my symptoms, I just get on with it, Blessings Jimeka. They say ignorance is bliss. 😊

[Hidden]

The only thing I track or my falls where it happened, what was I doing when I fell.

[carolek572 CommunityAmbassador]

I agree with Peruzzot in that you should keep a journal so that it can serve as a reminder f things to address at any medical appointments. However, a journal can also keep track of the good stuff that happens as well.

[falalalala]

I don't keep a journal as I rely on my razor-sharp memory.

I can see how it might be a good way to track progress or decline with meds.

[kycmary]

I agree with Jimeka ignorance is bliss!!

[ahrogers]

I can see the benefit of tracking so when you see your doctor you have better objective data to share. However, I do not track and at the doctors appointment I always think I should have gone for a walk the week before to see how far I can walk before having to rest since I am asked that every time.

I finally started exercising again and hopefully will keep it up and be able to report how I am doing based on how well I can get through a work out.

[Elizt3 in reply to ahrogers]

Have you thought of tracking your exercise?

[ahrogers in reply to Elizt3]

I have been tracking with the myfitness pal app 😁 have only been exercising again for this past week

[goatgal]

I agree with you. For more than 50 years, I have had what I think of as glitches in the system, a sudden weakness in a knee, brief moments of feeling overheated for no reason, numbness or lack of feeling in an extremity, muscle spasms, tics and twitches. When they were brief, I ignored them, accepted them as part of me. If a glitch persisted for several days or was dramatic, I would consult my internist, who would run through the usual (temp, blood pressure, sometimes EKG) and pronounce me fine. So I didn't really worry much. This is probably why it took so long for MS to be diagnosed. The symptoms have been there for decades but not until I was retired and thought I had had a stroke or the onset of Parkinson's did I self refer to a neurologist...and was very quickly diagnosed after LP, MRIs, and blood work all confirmed MS. But all that changed for me was a label to explain what happens. I don't log an incident unless some glitch persists for a while. This doesn't mean that I am symptom free (one symptom or another is present every day), but just that I choose not to focus my attention there.

[erash]

I don’t track. Tracking just reminds me that I’m broken. I’d rather live in a healthy fantasy world 🌈

[anaishunter in reply to erash]

Agreed. This is the conclusion I came too. Now that I understand the ins and outs of MS, the ups and highs, I don't need to know all the details.