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Re: Keeping Track of Progress?

Posted by medlib on April 7, 2000, at 19:02:09

In reply to Keeping Track of Progress, posted by MHK on April 3, 2000, at 18:41:38

MHK- Often I wish I had progress to keep track of! My short-term memory is virtually nonexistent; it is infuriating to me to be able to remember the quadratic equation or the Krebs cycle with perfect clarity and not be able to recall whether I took a pill ten minutes ago. I am so incredibly undisciplined that I could not possibly keep a journal--I'd lose it in my mess. "Canned" questionnaires often contain too many items I consider irrelevant and I lose my focus or temper before completing them--and then lose the papers themselves before pdoc appts.

Yet, keeping some sort of record is essential for those of us playing musical meds--and moods. In the spirit of "Keep it simple, stupid", I have resorted to a calendar with big blocks for each day. Each day I record a main number for mood, using a scale of -5 to +5. Most days that's all I put down. For med changes, I'll record +Effexor 37.5 or -Prozac 25. I represent new or strong symptoms with +s or up or down arrows, i.e. +4 nausea. With this system it's easy to plot results, if you wish (I use Excel when motivated, but graphing by hand would be just as easy). It's also simple to see the connections between med changes and symptoms. Best of all, it's quick, hard to forget and harder to lose (I keep it on the refrigerator.)

Best wishes, medlib



> One of the major problems I've had concerning medication use and depression in general is that I tend to "forget" how bad things were or how much better they can be. I'm an extremely adaptive personality and can get used to anything.
>
> So... by the time things get so bad that I notice, I've usually been going downhill for quite a while.
>
> For instance, right now I'm feeling pretty lousy -- colossally unmotivated, easily moved to tears, etc., and I realized due to an old post (to this very board) that I've been feeling this way on and off for about 6 months.
>
> I've been thinking that perhaps I should start using a weekly questionnaire or something similar in order to keep better track of my moods and experiences. (I've tried keeping a journal in the past, but I lack the discipline to write regularly.)
>
> I've seen some depression questionnaires on the 'net, and I was wondering if anybody out there uses them as tracking aids.
>
> Any thoughts?


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