Menopause symptoms can sometimes be tricky to pin down. Perhaps your symptoms are subtle, or come and go. Perhaps they seem so odd that you struggle to believe what is happening.
This is why symptom tracking can be useful. Keeping a record of your symptoms is a great way to identify and understand the changes related to menopause.
Why should I track my menopause symptoms?
There are a few advantages to tracking your symptoms.
- Firstly, it allows you and your doctor to spot patterns in an objective way. Perhaps you have noticed that your hot flushes are much worse when you drink coffee, or that your mood swings are harder to manage during periods of stress. Understanding these patterns helps you to make simple lifestyle changes that can have profound results.
- Tracking your symptoms also allows you to be objective about how they are affecting you. For example, if you notice that your hot flushes are now happening twice as often and making you feel worse, perhaps it’s time to think about getting some treatment.
- Another advantage of tracking is that it gives you excellent insight into how well your treatment or lifestyle changes are working. For example, you are likely to see an improvement in your symptoms once you start HRT. This will hopefully give you some reassurance that your medication is doing its job.
On the other hand, perhaps you aren’t seeing any improvement and you can use the information from your tracker to discuss alternate strategies with your doctor.
Start your free online menopause assessment to see if HRT is right for you
Which menopause symptoms can be tracked?
Menopause commonly causes symptoms including hot flushes, night sweats and mood swings. However, these are just a few examples from a long list! Take a look at Stella’s list of 34 common menopause symptoms if you would like to learn more.
Everyone’s experience of menopause is unique, and your symptoms may be very different from those experienced by your friends. For this reason it’s important to track the symptoms which are affecting you the most.
Whether that means hot flushes or sleepless nights, make sure that you are tracking in the way that serves you the best.
Which is the best way to track menopause symptoms?
Track your symptoms in a way that is convenient and feels natural to you. The most important thing is to be consistent with it.
If you like using paper calendars and journals, stick with this method. You may choose to use a diary, notebook or wall chart. This can be quite a creative and fun process, especially if you have an artistic streak!
If you prefer to keep it digital, there are a number of options. These include:
- Online calendars
- Digital notebooks and word processors
- Smartphone apps
If you’ve got the Stella app, it includes a handy symptom tracker (as well as lots of other help for your menopause journey).
How should I track my menopause symptoms?
This varies depending on the method you are using. Many apps will prompt you to enter specific information about the symptoms you are tracking.
If you are going it alone, think about the symptom you are tracking and how it affects you before recording any relevant details.
For example, if you are tracking your hot flushes, think about:
- How often they happen
- How intense they are (on a scale of 1-10)
- How long they last
- Where they happen
- What time of day they happen
- Any other possible links (stress, coffee, alcohol, weather, etc)
- How it impacted your day
Other symptoms – like mood swings – can be more difficult to pin down. The same categories would be useful, but you may also choose to include feedback from others. For example, what is your partner saying about your mood swings? And your co-workers?
The exact method you use to track your symptoms may be a work in progress – and that’s okay! As you learn more about your symptoms, it’s natural to change the way you record them.
When should I start tracking my menopause symptoms?
This is a personal choice. You may decide to start tracking your symptoms as soon as you notice the first signs of menopause. This can be helpful as it allows you to spot patterns and gain insight into your menopause earlier.
This approach isn’t for everyone. Many women want to pay as little attention as possible to their menopause, and may find the act of tracking in itself somewhat stressful. If this is the case for you, it’s absolutely fine to start tracking only if your symptoms become troublesome.
It’s also fine to never track your symptoms! Symptom tracking is simply a tool to be used if you need it.
Final word
Symptom tracking is a simple way to gain insight into your menopause. It can help with lifestyle changes, treatments (including HRT) and even simply feeling empowered to cope with this period of change.
Take Stella’s free assessment today to find out your stage of menopause and what treatments may work for you.
Find out more about menopause on our blog or in our symptoms library.
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