How to keep a personal injection and medication history

What to record

• Medication name as it appears on the label.
• Prescribed dose, copied from your prescription, and the actual dose taken if it was different for any reason.
• Scheduled date and actual date and time.
• Injection site, if applicable.
• Notes: side effects, a new pen, anything you want to ask about.

Write doses in the same units your prescription uses. Don't convert between milligrams and other units yourself; if something is unclear, ask your pharmacist.

Injection sites: follow your product's instructions

Different medications and devices list different approved injection areas, and instructions can vary by product and country. Check the instructions for use that came with your medication (or the official prescribing information on DailyMed in the U.S.) for the areas you can use and how to rotate. A log helps you see which site you used last. It shouldn't be used to try sites your instructions don't list.

In Sturdy's optional medication log, site history is only available for injectable medications, and only for the areas you confirm from your own product's instructions.

If you miss a dose

Missed-dose instructions are different for every medication, and applying one product's rules to another can be unsafe. Check your product's official instructions or ask your pharmacist or prescriber. A log helps by showing exactly when your last dose was.

Bringing it to appointments

Along with your log, it helps to bring:

• Side effects or symptoms, with rough dates.
• What exercise you've been doing, and anything that caused pain or dizziness.
• Your questions, written down in advance.

Our printable medication history template and appointment question worksheet are free, with no email needed. In the app, the appointment summary puts the sections you choose into one PDF, labeled as self-reported.

What a log can't do

A log is a memory aid. It can't tell you whether a dose is right, when to change it, or whether a symptom is caused by your medication. Sturdy never suggests doses, schedules or changes. If you have concerning symptoms, contact your healthcare professional or emergency services.