monitoring diary
Keeping a simple diary to note down symptoms is a simple but practical way to keep track of any changes which otherwise would be missed. For each symptom, the PwP should specify which side of the body is involved and assign a score based on its intensity (e.g. a scale from “0 to 5”, from “–“ to “+++++”, from “absent” to “mild”, “moderate” and “severe”).
High expectations of improvement may determine symptom improvement in some PwP (read more about the placebo effect in the section on “The Scientific Evidence”). Therefore, after finding the right dose, monitoring should continue at least monthly, with 6-monthy visits by the physician or neurologist.
Symptoms which are present – before starting a specific dose of B1 - should be listed first in the diary monitoring sheet. Some blank spaces should be left for recording new symptoms, e.g. symptoms which are not present at the start of therapy but may appear later.
Some of the signs may consist of several components, each of which should be monitored individually. For example, sleeping problems are characterized by difficulty in falling asleep, wakening up early, sleeping only few hours per night, staying asleep, feeling sleeping during the day. Constipation includes having less than three bowel movements a week, passing stools with straining, feeling of incomplete bowel emptying at the end of the evacuation. In those cases, the monitoring list can be made more detailed.
Table. Below is an example of a simple monitoring spreadsheet, with a sample of a few symptoms to show how to record severity. In the first column, symptoms present before the start of a specific dose of B1 are listed. Videos can be taken once a week.
High expectations of improvement may determine symptom improvement in some PwP (read more about the placebo effect in the section on “The Scientific Evidence”). Therefore, after finding the right dose, monitoring should continue at least monthly, with 6-monthy visits by the physician or neurologist.
Symptoms which are present – before starting a specific dose of B1 - should be listed first in the diary monitoring sheet. Some blank spaces should be left for recording new symptoms, e.g. symptoms which are not present at the start of therapy but may appear later.
Some of the signs may consist of several components, each of which should be monitored individually. For example, sleeping problems are characterized by difficulty in falling asleep, wakening up early, sleeping only few hours per night, staying asleep, feeling sleeping during the day. Constipation includes having less than three bowel movements a week, passing stools with straining, feeling of incomplete bowel emptying at the end of the evacuation. In those cases, the monitoring list can be made more detailed.
Table. Below is an example of a simple monitoring spreadsheet, with a sample of a few symptoms to show how to record severity. In the first column, symptoms present before the start of a specific dose of B1 are listed. Videos can be taken once a week.
Text author: Sergio Pièche
Page updated - 24/04/23
Page updated - 24/04/23