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Keeping a journal to track your rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can help you treat it in 3 ways:
- It can help you recall how you've been feeling and how that's impacted your life since your last appointment.
- It can help give your rheumatologist a more detailed and accurate description of your symptoms and response to treatment.
- It can help evaluate how well your current treatment is working.
How to track
First, take notes. That way you won't forget what happens between your appointments. Second, make it part of your routine. You might consider devoting a specific time during the day or week to recap what's happened. And third, keep the following questions in mind. They can help you identify what to discuss with your rheumatologist.
- What symptoms are you experiencing? How severe are they?
- What areas on your body are being affected?
- Is RA limiting your activity in any way? How so?
- Are simple tasks like combing your hair or brushing your teeth as easy as you'd like? How about getting out of bed or up and down stairs? Are you having any trouble bending down to pick things up?
- Have you had to limit your activity or change your daily routine because of RA pain and symptoms?
- Are you able to keep plans and meet obligations (both socially and in the workplace)?
- How effective has your treatment been? Have you missed any treatments or experienced any side effects?
Next Be Involved: Do More Than Treat RA
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