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Symptom diary: write it down, show your doctor

“How often does it happen? When did it start? How bad is it?” Those are hard to answer from memory in a short appointment. Write down what you notice when it happens, with your own number from 0 to 10. Look back over the weeks, then print one sheet to hand over. For yourself, or for someone you look after.

Private by design. Nothing you type is sent anywhere. Your diary stays in this browser on this device, and one button erases it. This page runs no analytics or tracking. How we handle privacy. Anyone who uses this browser on this device can read the diary, so on a shared or public computer use Erase everything when you’re done.

Some things can’t wait for a diary. This page is for things you are watching over days or weeks. If something is sudden, severe or frightening, don’t stop to write it down: call 911. Not sure what you are looking at? First aid: what do you see? If you are thinking about ending your life, call or text 988 (in the U.S.), or see Get help now.

This tool needs JavaScript. You can do the same thing on paper: one line each time, with the day, the time, what you noticed, a number from 0 to 10, how long it lasted, what was happening around it, and what you did.

Good to know

What this page can’t do

It can’t tell you what a symptom means. It knows nothing about health. It stores what you type and shows it back.
It does not look for patterns. The picture in step 2 is your own numbers as dots. What they mean is for you and the person treating you to work out.
It can’t remind you to write. It does not ring or send a notification.
It does not move to another phone or computer by itself. Print it, download it, or use My data on this device to carry a backup across.

About the number

The 0 to 10 is yours. It is not a medical scale, and nobody can tell you that your 7 should have been a 4. Its use is comparing one of your days with another of your days. If numbers don’t suit you, choose “No number” and describe it in words instead.

Things people often find helpful

Write it down close to when it happens, while you still remember.
Use the same short name each time, so the entries line up. The page offers the names you used before.
A short entry you actually make is worth more than a long one you skip.
Take the printed sheet to the appointment, and write your questions on it first.

These are everyday ideas in our own words, not medical advice. If one does not suit you, leave it out.

Keeping the diary for someone else

You can keep this for a child, a parent or someone you care for. If they can take part, ask them for the number and the words: it is their body and their information. If you are writing what you saw, not what they told you, say so in the entry.

Guides and tools that go with this

Get ready for your appointment: one page to hand your doctor, with what you need from the visit.
My medicines: a medicine list and a daily check.
Mood and sleep diary: the same idea for mood, sleep and energy.
My emergency card: a wallet card with who to call, your allergies and your medicines.
A doctor when you can’t pay and looking after someone.
Save these tools on your phone so they open without a signal.

A notebook, not medical advice. This page stores and prints what you type. It does not replace a doctor, a nurse or a pharmacist, and nothing on it should be read as a diagnosis or as a reason to wait before getting help. If you are worried about a symptom, you do not need a full diary first: call your doctor or clinic. If you or someone with you is in danger, call 911.

The tool and its wording were written with AI (Claude) for Scarlet Beast (our AI policy). It was not reviewed by a doctor or a nurse. Also in Spanish: Diario de síntomas; both pages keep the same diary on this device. The diary holds up to 2,000 entries and keeps them until you delete them. Found a mistake? Email [email protected].