Chart Your Pain

 
To help you better understand how your endometriosis works and provide this information for your healthcare provider, it is important to track your symptoms and cycles.  Below are some wonderful tools to keep you well informed and organized dealing with your endometriosis.
 

Pain and Symptom Tracker

BY CENTER FOR YOUNG WOMEN’S HEALTH

Keeping track of pelvic pain, menstrual cramps, and other symptoms such as pain when you pass urine or when you have a bowel movement is important. When you use this tracker, be sure to write down any symptoms you have, the number from 1–10 that describes the degree of pain, and where it is located. If you are taking continuous hormone pills and you do not have periods, you can use the chart to track any other symptoms, including breakthrough bleeding.

Instructions:

  1. Be sure to check out the Sample Pain and Symptom Tracker, and carefully read the keys at the bottom before you start filling out your own.
  2. Download “My Pain and Symptom Tracker” (including the sample) here. Make a few copies.
  3. Write the name of the month at the top of the page and begin tracking your pain and symptoms.
  4. To fill in the bleeding “Amount” row, look at the Blood Flow Amount Key at the bottom of the page to figure out which letter (S, L, N, or H) best describes your flow.
  5. Figure out which letter best describes the location of your pain (M, L, or R), by taking a look at the “Pelvic Pain Location Key” at the bottom of the page. Write it down in the Pelvic Pain “Location/Intensity” row.
  6. Decide which number best describes your pain (0= no pain, 10 = the worst pain you’ve ever had) by looking at the Pelvic Pain Numerical Rating Scale at the bottom of the page. Write that number down in the same row. Example = M/5.
  7. If you don’t have any pain symptoms or breakthrough bleeding on any given day, just leave the box empty.
  8. Remember to bring your completed Pain and Symptom Tracker with you to your medical appointments.

Pain Mapping Worksheet

BY CENTER FOR YOUNG WOMEN’S HEALTH

Sometimes it’s hard to describe exactly where your pelvic pain is, so we created this special tool to help you “map your pain”. Pain mapping using colored pencils or markers is a unique way to show your medical team the location of your pain. Simply color in the area where you have pain. You can create your own “key” using different colors. For example; you may use the color red to show the location of severe pain, while you may choose the color orange to indicate moderate pain—it’s up to you, you’re the artist. We’ve included a sample pain mapping worksheet to show you an example of how to map your pain.

Download the Pain Mapping Worksheet & sample sheet here.

Iphone Apps

 

The listed iphone apps have been used by members to easily keep track of their cycles and symptoms effortlessly:

Pink Pad

iPeriod

Period Tracker

Find a way that works for you to take control of what is happening to your body. Being able to identify any possible triggers or patterns is an effective way to ensure you can minimize symptoms and choose a treatment plan that will work best for you. Being organized and aware is very helpful for you to present a more complete picture of how endometriosis really affects you to your healthcare practitioner.

References:
Center For Young Women’s Health

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