Many people have trouble remembering or even noticing all their symptoms and problems. Keeping a symptom diary can help you see things about your illness that you may not see yourself.
What’s a Symptom Diary?
Great advice from disability attorney Scott E. Davis:
“I advise clients to keep a short and simple diary one week before their visit with their doctor. For simplicity sake, the entries should be short and not detailed (otherwise you will not do it).
“On a day when you were unable to get out of bed due to pain or fatigue, document it. Or document when you slept for only three hours the night before and then took a couple of naps the next day. Or document the migraine headache that lasted for two days in spite of medication.
“Then, on your next doctor visit, when he/she asks “How are you doing?” you will have a laundry list of symptoms and limitations rather than giving them a blank stare!”
How Do I Use My Symptom Diary
Your symptom diary is for you. You use it to help you remember and see all your symptoms. You can look at it when getting ready for your hearing, when filling out paperwork for disability, or when you go to a hearing.
What Do I Put in My Symptom Diary?
This is a description of what to include in a symptom diary, from the Disability Help Center:
– You should include in your journal all the things that you cannot do now because of your disability. Any limitations or problems you are having throughout the day.
– You should also include the time and date of incidents/occurrences linked to your disability, for example, the occurrence of seizures, headaches or episodes of other weakening bodily pain.
– You should note how long the symptoms last and make sure to state what circumstances trigger your pain and if any medications you have been prescribed helps.
– Also, list the medicines that you have taken and mention whether they have caused any side effects.
– Writing down which parts of the body are aching as well as describing the nature of the pain can also help you effectively depict your pain.
What Type of Symptom Diary Can I Keep?
This is a list of examples of types of symptom diaries, from attorney Marc Sheffman:
– Asthma diary. An asthma diary is useful for recording asthma triggers and the duration and severity of any asthma-related events.
– Fatigue and/or sleep diary. Severe fatigue often is difficult to prove because it is so subjective. A daily diary will help you track when you feel fatigued, how long the fatigue lasts, and the impact of the fatigue. Similarly, a sleep diary will help you track your sleep patterns. Record when and for how long you sleep; when you try to sleep, but can’t; and when you slept even though you should have been (or wanted to be) awake.
– Headache diary. Use a monthly headache diary to track when (the date and time) you have a headache; where the pain is located; how long the pain lasts; and headache-related symptoms (e.g., sensitivity to light and sound).
– Medication or treatment diary. This diary can be useful for recording routine and emergency events. For example, a weekly nebulizer diary can be used to record scheduled and unscheduled treatments. This type of diary can be persuasive evidence that, despite having many “good days,” you have many (or many more) “bad” days on which you would not be able to work.
– Pain diary. Like fatigue, pain is subjective and difficult to prove. A monthly pain chart will allow you to record every day that you have pain and, specifically, the location, duration and intensity of the pain; the pain trigger; and the steps you took to remedy the pain. Sample of Symptom Diary for Headaches
Should I Give My Diary To Social Security?
There is no wrong or right answer to this question. Keep in mind that if your symptom diary is more than one or two pages, it may only be skimmed very quickly. Your medical evidence will be much more important. If your diary includes information on your activities, you may find this page helpful: How To Describe Your Activities When You Apply for Disability
Should I Give My Diary Doctor?
Most people keep a symptom diary for their own reference, to help them talk to their doctor or to look at when filling out forms. It doesn’t hurt to give things to your doctor, but many doctors will not read or look at papers, if you hand them a pile. Don’t be shocked if this happens. Also worth noting: Anything given to your doctor may be scanned into your medical records.
LEARN MORE
💮 The Sleepy Girl Guide to Social Security Disability
💮 How to Have Doctor Visits That Create Accurate Records
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How to Get On 
This is an awesome article!!! Thank you for posting.
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Hi
Thanks for posts they are really helpful. Wonder have you any sample of an activity diary, the layout etc.. struggling to create a simple one that I will use . The physiotherapist has asked me to record activities so she can establish my baseline?
Any suggestions welcome
Thank you 🤗
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Hi Suzanne,
Thank you for your note. I will update this post to make it clearer 🙂
The lawyers above are NOT recommending an activity diary.
They are recommending a symptom diary.
It is pretty much the opposite. “a journal of all the things that you cannot do now because of your disability.”
Here is a sample of a symptom diary for someone with headaches:
Click to access Monthly_Headache_Diary.pdf
This is a description of what to include in a symptom diary, from the Disability Help Center:
– You should include in your journal all the things that you cannot do now because of your disability.
– You should also include the time and date of incidents/occurrences linked to your disability, for example, the occurrence of seizures, headaches or episodes of other weakening bodily pain.
– You should note how long the events last and make sure to state what circumstances trigger your pain and if any medications you have been prescribed helps.
– Also, list the medicines that you have taken and mention whether they have caused any side effects.
– Writing down which parts of the body are aching as well as describing the nature of the pain can also help you effectively depict your pain.
This is a list of types of symptom diaries, from attorney Marc Sheffman:
– Asthma diary. An asthma diary is useful for recording asthma triggers and the duration and severity of any asthma-related events.
– Fatigue and/or sleep diary. Severe fatigue often is difficult to prove because it is so subjective. A daily diary will help you track when you feel fatigued, how long the fatigue lasts, and the impact of the fatigue. Similarly, a sleep diary will help you track your sleep patterns. Record when and for how long you sleep; when you try to sleep, but can’t; and when you slept even though you should have been (or wanted to be) awake.
– Headache diary. Use a monthly headache diary to track when (the date and time) you have a headache; where the pain is located; how long the pain lasts; and headache-related symptoms (e.g., sensitivity to light and sound).
– Medication or treatment diary. This diary can be useful for recording routine and emergency events. For example, a weekly nebulizer diary can be used to record scheduled and unscheduled treatments. This type of diary can be persuasive evidence that, despite having many “good days,” you have many (or many more) “bad” days on which you would not be able to work.
– Pain diary. Like fatigue, pain is subjective and difficult to prove. A monthly pain chart will allow you to record every day that you have pain and, specifically, the location, duration and intensity of the pain; the pain trigger; and the steps you took to remedy the pain.
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