Printable Parkinson’s ON/OFF Diary: Free Symptom & Medication Log (PDF)
Educational only, not medical advice. Definitions follow the American Parkinson Disease Association and the Parkinson’s Foundation. Follow your own neurologist’s advice, and use their diary if they give you one.
Your neurologist may ask you to keep a symptom diary to track the timing and pattern of your symptoms. This free diary gives you three days of half-hour charts, from 6 am to midnight, to mark when you are ON, OFF, ON with dyskinesia or asleep, and when you took each dose.
Key takeaways
- Free printable Parkinson’s ON/OFF diary: 7 pages, with no sign-up.
- Three days of half-hour charts, 6 am to midnight: asleep, OFF, ON or ON with dyskinesia, and a box for each dose.
- OFF is when you are no longer getting the benefit of your last dose (APDA).
- A My Medicines page for every medicine and the exact time of each dose.
- Fill it in on screen or print it. US Letter and A4.
Quick answer
Where can I get a free printable Parkinson’s ON/OFF diary?
Download it free here: the Parkinson’s ON/OFF diary (PDF) has three days of half-hour charts from 6 am to midnight, a page that explains ON, OFF and dyskinesia, and a page for your medicines and their exact times. There is an A4 edition too. You can type into it on screen or print it. No email or sign-up is needed.
Download the free Parkinson’s ON/OFF diary
Both files have the same 7 pages. Pick the paper size you use: US Letter in the US and Canada, A4 almost everywhere else. The A4 edition says “your local emergency number” instead of 911.
Filling it in on screen
Open the PDF in Chrome, Edge or Adobe Acrobat Reader, click any box and type or tick. When you are done, download or save the file so your entries are kept, or print it. On a phone, Adobe Acrobat Reader works best.
An ElderlyDaily original
Keeping track of ON and OFF times?
Parkinson’s Medication & Symptom Diary
- 12 half-hour ON/OFF diary days, 6 am to midnight, for four visits
- 12 months of medicine charts: one row for each dose time, a box for every day
- A monthly check of 19 symptoms, plus a falls and freezing log
One-time purchase · Instant download · Fillable PDF · 65 pages · US Letter + A4
What is inside
- Page 2, How to use it: set up your medicines once, then three days of half-hour marks before your visit.
- Page 3, ON, OFF and dyskinesia: the words your care team uses, in plain language, with dystonia and freezing.
- Page 4, My medicines and exact times: every medicine as printed on the pharmacy label, how much, the exact time of each dose and what it is for.
- Pages 5 to 7, ON/OFF diary: one page a day, every half-hour from 6 am to midnight, with a box for each dose and a notes column for meals and symptoms.
How to fill in an ON/OFF diary
The American Parkinson Disease Association says your doctor may ask you to keep a symptom diary to track the timing and pattern of your symptoms. If your neurologist gives you a diary of their own, use theirs.
- 1
Write down your medicines and times
Copy each medicine from the pharmacy label onto page 4, with the exact clock time of every dose.
- 2
Pick three days just before your visit
Write the date at the top of each page.
- 3
Every half-hour, check one box
Asleep, OFF, ON, or ON with dyskinesia. A care partner can help fill it in.
- 4
Check “Medicine” when you take a dose
and use the notes column for meals and anything else you notice.
- 5
Bring it to your appointment
so your neurologist can see when your symptoms come and go through the day.
ON, OFF and dyskinesia: what the words mean
- ON: your medicine is working and your symptoms are controlled (APDA).
- OFF: you are no longer getting the benefit of your most recent dose, and symptoms come back (APDA).
- Dyskinesia: involuntary, erratic, writhing movements of the face, arms, legs or trunk (Parkinson’s Foundation). Peak-dose dyskinesia happens when levodopa levels are highest, usually one to two hours after you take it.
- Freezing: a temporary, involuntary inability to move, more common at transitions such as starting to walk, turning or going through doorways. Many people freeze when their next dose is due (Parkinson’s Foundation).
Never change your medicines on your own
Do not change, skip or stop a Parkinson’s medicine because of what you see in the diary without talking to your neurologist first. Freezing is often linked to falls when turning (Parkinson’s Foundation): note every fall or near-fall, and tell your care team. In an emergency, call 911.
Tell your neurologist the whole picture
Your doctor needs to hear from you and your care partner about all the ways OFF symptoms affect you, and may ask about symptoms you might not link to Parkinson’s, such as depression, anxiety and pain (APDA). Your care partner may notice things you do not, so bring them along if you can.
Want the whole year?
The free diary covers one visit. Our Parkinson’s Medication & Symptom Diary has 12 ON/OFF diary days for four visits, 12 months of medicine check-off charts with one row for each dose time, a monthly check of 19 symptoms, a falls and freezing log, a hospital page with two wallet cards and four doctor-visit pages.
An ElderlyDaily original
Parkinson’s Medication & Symptom Diary
$12One-time purchase · Instant download · Fillable PDF · 65 pages · US Letter + A4
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Frequently asked questions
Is this Parkinson’s diary really free?
Yes. Both PDFs download directly, with no email address, sign-up or payment. Print or fill in as many copies as you like for personal use.
What does OFF mean in Parkinson’s?
OFF is when you are no longer getting the benefit of your most recent dose of medicine, and symptoms come back (American Parkinson Disease Association). ON is when your medicine is working and your symptoms are controlled.
How many days should I keep an ON/OFF diary?
Ask your neurologist: they may give you their own diary and tell you how many days they want. This free version has three days, for the days just before a visit.
Can a care partner fill it in?
Yes. A care partner often notices things the person with Parkinson’s does not, and your doctor may want to hear from them too (APDA).
Should I change my medicine times based on the diary?
No. Bring the diary to your neurologist and let them decide. Never change, skip or stop a Parkinson’s medicine without talking to your neurologist first.
