For those who are responsible for managing the medications of their loved ones, there can be a lot of stress in the process. It’s easy to accidentally forget to take your meds, or to take too much and get sick.
Fortunately, there are apps that can help you keep track of your medication schedule and make sure that you’re taking the right dose at the right time.
Here are five of our favorite apps for tracking medications:
Best Apps For Tracking Medical Symptoms
There is an incredible range of options available when it comes to phone or tablet apps that can help you better live with chronic pain. It can be daunting to face an app store with a hundred different variations of the type of app you want–even worse, there might be something that would really help you, but you don’t know to even look for it!
Here are the 10 best apps to make life with chronic pain or other chronic health issues a little bit easier. They range from symptom trackers to mindfulness apps and beyond. Many are free, but some require a subscription or offer a paid version with more features.
- Ouchie (soon to be known as “Branch”)
Ouchie, which will be changing its name to “Branch,” is a platform and associated app that offers people with chronic pain conditions a wide variety of ways to track and record different aspects of their treatment, all while connecting to a user’s personal medical professionals, a medical resource team, and a supportive community. The app also offers evidence-backed tools that encourage functional improvements using techniques like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
Branch is available on iOS and Android operating systems and is free to users.
- ReLeaf
With so many different strains, doses, and delivery methods, purchasing medical cannabis can be an overwhelming experience. ReLeaf grew out of the founder Brockelman Franco’s experience trying to find relief for his mother, who felt frustrated by the lack of information and intimidated by the stigma around medical marijuana. ReLeaf empowers users to detail what they’re trying, track their own successes with specific treatment methods, and share their results.
ReLeaf is free and available on iOS and Android.
- Pathways Pain Relief
Pathways is an app specifically designed for people who have been in chronic pain for over three months. This pain therapy program addresses the physical and mental aspects of chronic pain, with different sections for mindfulness/meditation, physical therapy, as well as a pain and wellbeing tracker and “masterclasses” about different aspects of chronic pain. Pathways also offers meditations specifically designed for pain relief, as well as physiotherapy, yoga, and exercise routines ranging from beginner to expert.
Pathways is available on iOS and Android, with a web version coming soon. Memberships range from one month ($14.99) to the rest of your life ($89.99).
- mySymptoms Food Diary and Symptom Tracker
Patients with gastrointestinal issues like IBS, IBD, GERD, celiac, dyspepsia, or food intolerances quickly find out how crucial it is to track their food intake. mySymptoms lets users record food, drink, medication, stress, exercise, environmental factors, energy, sleep quality, bowel movements, and other specific symptoms (including intensity, duration, and other notes), and can export that data in a variety of formats.
mySymptoms is available on iOS and Android. The full version of the app is $3.99; a “lite” version that is free and ad-supported is also available.
- Curable
Curable is a pain psychology program that uses a biopsychosocial approach to help users better manage their pain. Users of the app are introduced to a virtual pain coach named Clara, who asks a series of questions to get insight into your pain and its causes. She then presents 5-20-minute exercises, like guided meditations and visualizations, and lessons, like creating a pain plan, that aim to help you better manage your health.
The free version of Curable offers 13 free introductory audio lessons, while the paid version, currently $4.99 a month, features a wider variety of exercises building skills in four key areas: pain education, brain training, meditation, and expressive writing.
- Bearable
The health tracker Bearable aims to collect all your medical data in one place. Like all trackers, this app allows the user to record health data. But in addition to general mental and physical health data, Bearable lets you set additional personalized factors like sleep or diet to keep track of. This encrypted data can be searched, used to create graphs and interactive calendars, to recognize trends and stats, and other advanced data insights. It’s also easy to export your data for your own use or to share with your doctor or medical team. Bearable was created by someone with chronic health conditions who found that none of the existing apps offered the kind of wide overall tracking of mood and symptom entries together with other health factors.
Bearable is available on iOS and Android. A free version is available, a monthly premium subscription is $4.49 and an annual subscription is $27.99.
- Health Storylines
Health Storylines has supercharged the idea of a chronic health app that tracks health data and breaks down care plans and interventions into smaller, simple, personalized tools. It can sync with over 300 mobile devices to integrate the health data they provide. Another thing that sets Health Storylines apart is their partnership and integration with patient organizations. Using the Health Storylines platform, organizations like the Allergy and Asthma Network or the Carcinoid Cancer Foundation design and release organization-specific versions of the app that are customized for the condition they focus on.
Health Storylines is free and available on iOS, Android, and as a web app.
- Flowly
The virtual reality app Flowly is an amazing example of how cutting-edge technology can be used to benefit pain patients. Flowly uses interactive experiences to engage users in biofeedback training, which can teach them to monitor and adjust breathing patterns, focus, and learn how to better regulate their nervous system. The app also keeps track of the user’s progress and offers connections to experts and community forums.
You can try a couple of modules for free, but the service is subscription-based. Flowly offers a few different pricing options based on whether you’re using an iPhone or a VR headset to experience the app. (Note: the app is only available for iPhone; it does not currently support iPads or Android devices.)
- Wave
Wave was originally designed for cancer treatment, but has been expanded for anyone battling chronic medical conditions. The app is described as “a virtual health advocate that uses Artificial Intelligence to help you track symptoms, medications, and important daily activities to generate your own personal insights that help you take control.” It tracks condition-related information like medications and pain scale numbers, as well as more general information like water consumption, sleep, and a step counter. It also uses AI to identify correlations that “help you do more of what helps you feel better, and less of what makes you feel worse,” by identifying and highlighting how specific behaviors, activities, and experiences are related to symptom occurrences, moods, and how you feel.
Wave is free. Wave Pro, which is $4.99 a month, also gives users a weekly summary of their data with insights and trends to help take control and get better care.
- What’s Up? A Mental Health App
What’s Up combines aspects of CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) and ACT (Acceptance Commitment Therapy) to help users tackle depression, anxiety, anger, and other emotional issues. The app can help point out negative thinking patterns and simple methods to overcome them, like grounding games and breathing exercises. It also features a diary, a habit tracker, and a catastrophe scale to help record problems and keep them in perspective. There are also quotes, useful metaphors, and a forum for users to connect with each other.
What’s Up? Is free (supported by donations) and available for iOS and Android.
About Janet Jay:
Janet Jay has been dealing with chronic pain and depression since she was in early high school. Despite these challenges, she’s spent over a decade working in communications and freelance journalism, where she has been published in outlets like Maxim, Vice Motherboard, and Popular Science. She’s also a writer for U.S. Pain Foundation and the INvisible Project.
chronic illness symptom tracker app
We all need some help managing aspects of chronic illness and I believe it’s worth taking advantage of any tech that enables this process. But it’s time-consuming to find what’s worth your time and what isn’t.
That’s where I come in. I’ve done the work and tested at least 30 different apps designed to help with chronic illnesses or general life management. And I’m sharing the best ones in this article.
The top 13 apps that I’ve listed as the best options for anyone with a chronic illness in 2022 all fulfil a different purpose in disease management. From monitoring symptoms to demonstrating coping techniques – I’m covering it all.
I’ve reviewed each app on the following criteria:
User-journey;
Simplicity;
Relevance;
Value; and
Popular opinion.
Managing a Chronic Illness with Mobile Apps
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Apps for chronic illness management came into use a few years after I had already been diagnosed. At that point, I had put manual monitoring systems into place and I was happy.
If you’re anything like me – you still enjoy putting pen to paper and writing your thoughts down in the old fashioned way. There’s nothing wrong with it and you shouldn’t stop if you enjoy it.
I love staying organised and I found it really hard after my diagnosis because of brain fog.
Before we get into how technology can help, here’s something that will really benefit you: 11 Tips for Staying Organised with Brain Fog
It’s worth knowing that when you start using apps as online medical assistants – you might need to change your mindset and strategy a little, but the reward is tenfold in comparison.
So there’s nothing wrong with downloading an app to try it out. However, to really benefit from its functions, you need to shift the way you think about documenting information and interacting with your phone.
You need to create a digital medical ecosystem.
Creating a Digital Medical Ecosystem
Initially, I thought I was a diehard analogue supporter – but when chronic illness management apps started to come into use it really changed the way I monitored my life for the better.
I already have an automated online system with my pharmacy that allows them to deliver all my meds at the start of each month without me needing to lift a finger.
I also submit all medical insurance claims via my phone and use a loyalty programme to earn money back from making healthy eating or fitness choices etc.
And when I started to see how much chronic illness lifestyle apps had evolved – I jumped on that bandwagon too. Pretty much everything I do is online now. And it’s such a pleasure to make these changes.
3 benefits of integrating into a digital medical ecosystem:
Many medical systems, like pharmacies and insurance companies, have apps in place that you can use to automate your communication to make life easier for you as a spoonie.
Look into the medical systems you use (eg. pharmacy or insurance) to see what they offer digitally. It’s a pleasure not to have to worry about repeat scripts, claims or even surgery forms.
You are often rewarded for being part of a specific system. Most apps run by medical companies want to encourage the use of their online platforms.
So they offer loyalty programmes that you could really benefit from. When my medical insurance started repaying me for keeping physically active – trust me it was worth my while to have their app.
Online medical assistance apps are often a lot cheaper than the alternative options. So if you want to save money – going digital will help you here.
This brings us to the next question: Is it worth paying for online apps?
Paid vs Unpaid Apps – What is Better?
I’m sure you know the feeling of finding an awesome app, downloading it and filling in your necessary details – only to be left with a “Choose your subscription plan now” page.
You hesitate. Your finger hovers over the button. Your mind repeats the question: “Yeah, it’s cool but is it worth paying actual money for?”
I know this feeling so well.
I also know that when you have a chronic illness or struggle with a disability – money is not something you can afford to throw around. Your medical bills are expensive and are the first priority.
So in response, I don’t want to give you a stupid answer, like “it all depends”. So here’s what I can tell you instead:
Consider your financial priorities. If you’re more comfortable using a real notebook and pen to manage your daily life, then it’s unlikely that buying an app would feel like an investment for you.
Check its trial period. If it’s a paid-for app without any free benefits or even a trial period – I don’t give it the time of day. Before buying anything online you should trust and like who you’re buying from.
Consider your own pocket. If the app is way out of your budget, with no decent monthly instalment options – it’s not worth it. Using a paid-for app is a luxury that can be replaced less conveniently.
Only consider it when there’s nothing good for free. You may find an app you really like, but I highly recommend digging around to see if there’s a free option first. If you can find something equally good for free – why not go for that?
Wait 3 days before making the purchase. If there’s a paid-for app that you want but you’re not sure if it’s worth it – wait a few days before making a decision. If it’s on your mind and you keep thinking how useful it would be, then chances are it’ll be a good purchase.
I know how difficult finances get when you have a chronic illness. The minute you think you know what to budget for – another medical cost whacks you across the face.
That’s why I have created a FREE 7-day programme to help you work through the daily logistics you face as a spoonie and get your life back from chronic illness (without any added costs).
It even comes with a free medical binder that you can use to complete all your activities. You can find it here: 7 Days to Happiness Programme
My Top 13 Apps
Here are my top 13 favourite apps that encompass quite a broad range of chronic illness management aspects.
In each review, I will tell you:
What it does for you;
Why I like it;
Why I don’t like it;
Cost; and
The overall ranking I give it.
Flaredown
flaredown-apps-for-people-with-a-chronic-illness
What it does for you: Flaredown is an app where you “check-in” daily to give a brief update on your conditions, symptoms, treatments, the health factors that have affected you and to give a final summary of that day.
Why I like it: This is a clean and simple app that makes basic chronic illness documentation super easy. Everything from trigger tracking, medication management and symptom tracking takes under 5 minutes to record.
Why I don’t like it: I’d have to say that the apps “health factors” section is a little too simple. While the rest of the app is well structured – I feel that this page hasn’t been built up well and lacks direction or detail. So it can feel a little pointless to use every day.
Cost: Free
Overall ranking: 7/10
Manage My Pain
manage-my-pain-app-apps-for-people-with-a-chronic-illness
What it does for you: MMP is a great app if you suffer from any form of chronic pain. You use it to document your conditions, medications and then report on the severity of your pain when you want. More than that, you can also:
Document where it hurts;
What could have made it worse;
How long it lasted;
Where you were while you were in pain;
What medication you used; and
Besides medication, what else did you try?
Once you’ve recorded all the information that you found relevant, the results are all documented and can be downloaded into reports.
Why I like it: Beyond the fact that it makes record-taking super easy. I really like the fact that all your data can be instantly downloaded into reports and used when you get to any of your doctor’s appointments.
I also love the level of detail you can dive into. This app really takes so many medical factors into consideration that it’s a pleasure to report back on every unusual but important part of your day.
Why I don’t like it: There’s hardly anything I can fault this app on. It does exactly what I need it to and fulfils all my criteria. I think it’s an essential app for all chronic pain patients to have.
Cost: Free for overall use, some reports requiring a small fee for download.
Overall ranking: 9/10
If you’re interested in using the best symptom trackers out there to help you manage your chronic illness – you need to use these apps: Top 7 Best Chronic Illness Symptom Tracker Apps in 2022
SuperBetter
superbetter-apps-for-people-with-a-chronic-illness
What it does for you: SuperBetter is such a refreshing app that helps you work on your mental health.
If you’re feeling down, battling internal demons, or need some motivation – this app gives you easy activities that you can do whenever you need.
Each activity is aligned with a goal that you want to reach and helps you take small steps towards achieving it. It celebrates your achievements in a proactive way.
Why I like it: This app is awesome! The minute I logged into it I got excited. I love to have small challenges sent my way that help me build my self-esteem and work on myself in a way that doesn’t feel overwhelming.
Being kind to yourself is a fundamental part of working on your mental health and this app is so effective at helping you build this quality.
Why I don’t like it: There’s so much jaw-dropping science behind all the features that this app has and, although there is a section dedicated to its scientific backing, I think it’s a little dry.
The whole app is super fun and easy to use and I think it would be nice for it to speak a bit more about its scientific backing in a fun and easy-to-read way as well.
Cost: Free 🙂
Overall ranking: 7/10
Stop.Breath.Think
stop-breath-think-apps-for-people-with-a-chronic-illness
What it does for you: This is another awesome but simple app that can help with mental health management. Stop.Breath.Think takes you through a 4-step evaluation that helps you document exactly how YOU are feeling.
When you’re done, it gives you 3 free meditations that you can do to work on the things that are troubling you at that time. Each one is short-and-sweet (no more than 10 minutes usually).
Why I like it: This is another really refreshing mental health management app that gives you simple coping techniques that are actually so easy to implement.
The app works you through its suggestions, step-by-step, and gives you such awesome words of encouragement when you need them most.
Why I don’t like it: Yet another stellar app that’s hard to fault. The biggest issue I have with it is that the free version adds so much value – I struggle to see the point in upgrading to premium? Especially since the monthly subscription fee is about $8,50.
Cost: Free with an option to upgrade to premium features.
Overall ranking: 8/10
My Medical ID
my-ID-medical-apps-for-people-with-a-chronic-illness
What it does for you: This is a great basic medical app to keep on your smartphone. It allows you to store all your relevant medical information, including your conditions, medications, insurance information etc.
You can also do things like schedule any medical reminders or join their community to connect with others.
Why I like it: The main reason My ID appeals to me is its simplicity and relevance. It’s so useful to have your medical information on your phone at all times.
Not to mention it makes filling out forms a breeze – especially when my brain fog kicks in!
Why I don’t like it: For its overall function, this is a great app. I think it it’s “community” feature is a little pointless. It allows you to review medical professionals – which is good. However, it doesn’t categorise this list at all.
You can’t search the list by specialisation, nor are the doctor’s details provided, or the country they are based in. It’s basically just a page of doctor’s names with a patient’s rating.
Cost: Free with an option to upgrade to premium features.
Overall ranking: 6/10
Happify
happify-apps-for-people-with-a-chronic-illness
What it does for you: Much like its name, this app is designed to “happify” you. It helps you work on six important aspects of training yourself to be happy from within: Savour, Thank, Aspire, Give, Empathise and Revive.
It takes you through a guided assessment to help you better understand your strengths, how to harness them and it also releases regular articles on the science behind being happy for you to read.
Why I like it: Honestly Happify encompasses so many core values I live by. It uses knowledge, science and simple strategies to help you find your way around the elusive emotion of “happiness”.
Why I don’t like it: I don’t want to sound cheap when I say this, but I do feel this app doesn’t offer as much value as it should for its free version. It’s more frustrating than usual to do anything on the app as so many features are unavailable if you don’t pay.
Cost: Basic features for free with the option to upgrade to full access.
Overall ranking: 7/10 (I’d give it a 9/10 if it made a few more features available for free.)
Gratitude
gratitude-apps-for-people-with-a-chronic-illness
What it does for you: This is a very simple app that allows you to document something that you’re grateful for every day. It’s useful if you’re not interested in writing out journal entries and prefer to diarise random thoughts.
Why I like it: Managing mental health is super hard and we all need different coping strategies. I like using Gratitude because I can be a bit of a creative (slightly scattered) thinker sometimes. And this is something I can use whenever a random thought of kindness or gratitude enters my mind.
No funny business or procedure – when I feel like writing anything good I can go here.
Why I don’t like it: There’s nothing bad I can say about this app. I really do like all its features and I feel it achieves its goal. The only upgrade I could suggest is that it could consider people’s journeys.
Everyone has chosen to download the app for a reason (in your case its health) and it would be nice for the app to take that information and use it to coach and direct in a more personalised way.
Cost: Free with an option to upgrade to premium features.
Overall ranking: 7/10
Daylio
daylio-apps-for-people-with-a-chronic-illness
What it does for you: Daylio is an app that you can use to report on what you did that day and your overall mood.
It’s appealing because it uses a simple documenting process where you don’t even type your answers – just click a few buttons and all your data gets stored and presented on a graph.
Why I like it: To be honest I just like this app because it makes reporting on your daily activities super easy – just under 3 minutes. And once you’re done clicking the right buttons, it shows you how much you actually achieved. More often than not I surprise myself in a good way!
Why I don’t like it: Beyond recording the type of activity you’ve done (e.g. sport, cooking, shopping etc.) the app doesn’t really let you add any additional information on what you did. So any special occasions can’t really be documented here.
Cost: Free, free, free 🙂
Overall ranking: 6/10
Conclusion
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