Lupus? There's an App for That
Remember that 2009 Apple catchphrase? “There’s an app for that.” When it comes to lupus, it isn’t wrong.
In fact, there are several apps for lupus that you can use to help keep track of your symptoms and keep your condition under control. What did we do before technology?
The Lupus Companion
The Lupus Companion, created by The Lupus Initiative, is a tool to help you and your rheumatologist stay on the same page. This free app (which appears to be only available for Apple users) allows you to keep track of your symptoms and their severity, doctor’s appointments, medication and dosages, doctor’s names and contact information and get answers to simple questions about lupus.
You can choose to share this information with your doctor, who can view your disease activity on a graph. The app will also ask you to monitor your lupus activity every three months in order to help you stay on top of its progression and regression.
It can also be helpful in emergencies as it allows you to store all of your medical information in one place — in your phone that you always keep with you. I haven’t tried it personally, but the general consensus in the App Store is that it works well, but could use some improvement.
My Lupus Log
As The Lupus Companion seems to only be available for Apple users, it is only fair to include an app that is only available for Android users. My Lupus Log operates similarly to The Lupus Companion and has received mostly positive reviews. Developed by GlaxoSmithKline, a British pharmaceutical company, it attempts to empower lupus patients to take control over their symptoms.
With this app, you can both log your symptoms and record how they affected your daily life in a separate comments section. The app will present you with an easy to read graph, highlighting when you’ve had particular symptoms, like lupus foot pain for example, throughout a specific time period.
Each symptom can be rated on a scale of 1 to 5 in terms of severity. You can also set alerts and reminders to ensure that you log your symptoms.
The app contains a dictionary of lupus symptoms and key words to help you more accurately explain your illness to your friends and family.
Period Tracker
While this doesn’t specifically have to do with monitoring your lupus, keeping track of your periods can be incredibly helpful. When used in tandem with a lupus app, you can figure out which symptoms may be attributed to your monthly cycle and which are attributed to lupus. You may even find that your lupus symptoms are exacerbated at certain times of the month.
With Period Tracker (available for both Android and Apple devices), you can take daily notes of symptoms, weight and moods. You can also keep track of when you have been intimate and when you are most fertile.
