ADHD Dose Journal Template: What to Track During Titration
A printable daily and weekly dose journal template for ADHD medication titration — plus a one-page prescriber report format and how to track stimulant and non-stimulant switches.
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Disclaimer: This article provides a template for tracking ADHD medication use. It is not a medical record, a diagnostic tool, or a substitute for instructions from your licensed prescriber. Always follow your prescriber's directions regarding dose changes, timing, and urgent reporting of side effects.
A dose journal is the single most useful tool in ADHD medication titration. Whether you are starting your first stimulant, switching to a new medication, or adjusting a non-stimulant over weeks, the patterns live in the data — not in your memory.
The ADHD brain is especially bad at retrospective recall. A week that felt "mostly fine" may have included three days of missed doses, two nights of poor sleep, and one day of significant anxiety. Without a log, those details disappear into a general impression. With a log, you and your prescriber can make precise, evidence-based decisions.
This guide gives you a complete, printable dose journal template, explains what to track and why, and shows how to turn daily entries into a report your prescriber can use in under a minute.
What a dose journal is for
A dose journal is not a diary of feelings. It is a structured record designed to answer specific clinical questions:
- Is this dose working?
- What time of day is the effect strongest?
- What side effects appear, and when?
- Is the side-effect/benefit trade-off improving or worsening?
- What happened before the medication review appointment?
The goal is to convert your lived experience into data your prescriber can act on.
What to track: the core variables
Track only what you can sustain. A journal you abandon after three days is worse than a simpler one you keep for three weeks. The core variables are:
1. Dose and timing
| Field | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Medication name | Different medications have different curves |
| Dose (mg) | The independent variable in any titration |
| Time taken | Timing determines sleep, peak effect, and rebound |
| Taken with food? | Affects onset and GI side effects |
| Missed or delayed? | Missed doses create inconsistent data |
2. Effect curve ratings
Rate at 3 set times per day. For stimulants, typical times are 9 AM, 1 PM, and 5 PM. For non-stimulants, once per day is enough because there is no same-day peak.
| Metric | 1 = low, 5 = high |
|---|---|
| Focus / attention | 1 = can't sustain, 5 = fully engaged |
| Energy / motivation | 1 = exhausted, 5 = energized and purposeful |
| Irritability / anxiety | 1 = calm, 5 = very irritable or anxious |
3. Side effects
Use a simple checklist each day:
| Side effect | Severity (0 = none, 3 = severe) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Reduced appetite | 0 / 1 / 2 / 3 | |
| Dry mouth | 0 / 1 / 2 / 3 | |
| Headache | 0 / 1 / 2 / 3 | When did it start? |
| Insomnia / delayed sleep | 0 / 1 / 2 / 3 | Time you fell asleep |
| Anxiety / jitteriness | 0 / 1 / 2 / 3 | When did it peak? |
| Heart racing / palpitations | 0 / 1 / 2 / 3 | Measure if you have a cuff |
| Afternoon crash / rebound | 0 / 1 / 2 / 3 | Time it started |
| Nausea / GI upset | 0 / 1 / 2 / 3 | Non-stimulants especially |
| Other: __________ | 0 / 1 / 2 / 3 |
4. Sleep
| Field | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Bedtime | Distinguishes insomnia from late bedtime |
| Sleep onset | The key metric for sleep delay |
| Wake-ups | Fragmentation is a different problem |
| Total hours | Sleep volume affects next-day function |
| Restorative quality | 1 = exhausted, 5 = refreshed |
5. Functional outcomes
Symptom ratings are only part of the story. Functional outcomes show whether the medication is improving real life:
| Area | 1–5 rating or notes |
|---|---|
| Work / school tasks completed | |
| Deadlines met | |
| Household responsibilities | |
| Social interactions | |
| Exercise / self-care | |
| Overall day productivity |
6. Notes
A one-sentence note per day captures context that numbers miss:
- "Took dose 2 hours late because of travel"
- "Had a stressful meeting at 11 AM — focus low despite medication"
- "Slept poorly last night — may explain low energy"
Printable daily dose journal template
Use this template as a paper log or as a model for your digital tracker.
Daily Dose Journal — ADHD Medication Titration
Date: ___________________
Medication today
| Medication | Dose (mg) | Time taken | With food? |
|---|---|---|---|
| □ Yes □ No |
| Missed or delayed? | □ No □ Yes — reason: ___________________ |
Effect curve (1 = low, 5 = high)
| Time | Focus | Energy | Irritability/Anxiety | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 AM | 1 2 3 4 5 | 1 2 3 4 5 | 1 2 3 4 5 | |
| 1 PM | 1 2 3 4 5 | 1 2 3 4 5 | 1 2 3 4 5 | |
| 5 PM | 1 2 3 4 5 | 1 2 3 4 5 | 1 2 3 4 5 |
Side effects (0 = none, 3 = severe)
| Side effect | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reduced appetite | □ | □ | □ | □ | |
| Dry mouth | □ | □ | □ | □ | |
| Headache | □ | □ | □ | □ | |
| Insomnia | □ | □ | □ | □ | |
| Anxiety / jitteriness | □ | □ | □ | □ | |
| Heart racing | □ | □ | □ | □ | |
| Afternoon crash | □ | □ | □ | □ | |
| Nausea / GI upset | □ | □ | □ | □ | |
| Other: __________ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Sleep
| Bedtime | Sleep onset | Wake-ups | Total hours | Quality (1–5) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 2 3 4 5 |
Functional outcomes (1–5 or notes)
| Area | Rating/Notes |
|---|---|
| Work / school | |
| Home responsibilities | |
| Social | |
| Self-care | |
| Overall productivity |
One-sentence daily note
Weekly summary template
At the end of each week, spend 5 minutes summarizing the pattern. This is what your prescriber actually wants to see.
Week of ___________________
Medication and dose: ___________________
Days tracked: ___________________
Average ratings this week
| Metric | Average (1–5) | Compared to last week |
|---|---|---|
| Morning focus | □ Better □ Same □ Worse | |
| Afternoon focus | □ Better □ Same □ Worse | |
| Evening focus | □ Better □ Same □ Worse | |
| Energy / motivation | □ Better □ Same □ Worse | |
| Irritability / anxiety | □ Better □ Same □ Worse | |
| Sleep quality | □ Better □ Same □ Worse | |
| Appetite | □ Better □ Same □ Worse |
Side effect pattern this week
| Side effect | Most severe day | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Reduced appetite | □ Improving □ Same □ Worsening | |
| Dry mouth | □ Improving □ Same □ Worsening | |
| Headache | □ Improving □ Same □ Worsening | |
| Insomnia | □ Improving □ Same □ Worsening | |
| Anxiety | □ Improving □ Same □ Worsening | |
| Heart racing | □ Improving □ Same □ Worsening | |
| Afternoon crash | □ Improving □ Same □ Worsening | |
| Nausea/GI | □ Improving □ Same □ Worsening |
What worked this week
What didn't work this week
One thing I want to ask my prescriber
How to use the journal during a medication switch
A switch is a before-and-after experiment. The journal becomes even more important because you are comparing two different medications with different curves. See our stimulant switch guide and report template for a full comparison format.
For a switch, add these columns to your weekly summary:
- Old medication average focus vs. new medication average focus
- Old medication sleep vs. new medication sleep
- Old medication appetite vs. new medication appetite
- Old medication rebound vs. new medication rebound
Keep the dose times, rating times, and side-effect checklist identical on both medications so the comparison is valid.
How to turn the journal into a prescriber report
Your prescriber has 10–15 minutes for your appointment. A dense daily log is less useful than a one-page summary. After 2–4 weeks of tracking, create a summary with:
- Dose history — what dose each week, and any timing changes
- Average effect curve — focus/energy at each time point
- Side-effect trends — which side effects appeared, at what dose, and whether they improved
- Sleep summary — average onset time, total hours, quality
- Functional outcomes — what got easier in real life
- Your recommendation — stay, increase, decrease, switch, or discuss
Bring the full journal as backup, but lead with the summary. The summary is what drives the decision.
Digital vs. paper tracking
Paper works if you are consistent and prefer not to use an app. The downside is that paper journals are harder to summarize and easier to lose.
A digital tracker has three advantages:
- Structured data — it forces consistent fields and ratings
- Automatic summaries — it averages your ratings and flags trends
- Shareable reports — it generates a one-page summary your prescriber can read instantly
The best tracker is the one you will actually use. Start with whichever is easiest, and switch to a digital tool if you find yourself missing days or struggling to summarize.
Track your dose journal with Titrate
Titrate is built around this exact template. The daily check-in takes under two minutes and captures the variables that matter most during titration: dose, timing, effect curve, side effects, sleep, and functional outcomes.
After a few weeks, Titrate turns your entries into a structured report — the same one-page summary format described above — that you can share with your prescriber before your appointment. No manual averaging, no copying spreadsheets, no trying to remember what happened three Tuesdays ago.
→ Start a free dose journal in Titrate ← → See how prescribers view Titrate reports ←
Also see our guides on stimulant titration timelines, Concerta titration, and medication review prep.
FAQ
Q: How long should I keep a dose journal before a prescriber appointment? Two weeks is the minimum useful window. Four weeks is better because it captures dose adjustments and trend changes. For non-stimulants like atomoxetine, 6–8 weeks is ideal because the effect builds slowly.
Q: Do I need to track every single day? No. Consistency is more important than perfection. Missing a day or two does not ruin the data. Aim for at least 5 out of 7 days each week, and note any missed days so they don't look like missing data.
Q: What if I forget to log? Forgetting is the default for the ADHD brain. The best solution is to reduce friction: set a phone reminder, keep the journal next to your medication, or use an app with notifications. If you remember after the fact, log what you can rather than skipping it entirely.
Q: Should I use the same rating scale every day? Yes. The value of a journal comes from comparing days and weeks. If your 3/5 focus on Monday is different from your 3/5 focus on Friday, the data is meaningless. Pick anchors and stick to them.
Q: What is the most important thing to track? For stimulants, the effect curve (focus/energy at set times) and the afternoon rebound. For non-stimulants, sleep and side effects matter more than same-day effect because the benefit is gradual. Your specific medication determines the priority.
Q: Can my prescriber use a journal from an app? Yes. Most prescribers are happy to review a structured report, especially one that shows dose, timing, and side effects over time. Bring a printed summary if your prescriber prefers paper.
Q: Should I track my heart rate and blood pressure? If you have a home blood pressure cuff, yes — especially during stimulant titration. Track resting heart rate and blood pressure at the same time each morning. Contact your prescriber if your resting heart rate is consistently above 100–120 bpm or your blood pressure is above 140/90.
Key takeaways
- A dose journal converts your lived experience into data your prescriber can use.
- The core variables are dose, timing, effect curve, side effects, sleep, and functional outcomes.
- Track at the same times every day so the data is comparable.
- A weekly summary is more useful than a dense daily log for prescriber appointments.
- Medication switches need a before-and-after comparison using the same metrics on both medications.
- Digital tools reduce friction and generate shareable reports automatically.
- Titrate is built around this exact dose-journal workflow and produces a prescriber-ready report.
References
- Barkley RA, Murphy KR. Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Clinical Workbook. 4th ed. Guilford Press; 2022.
- Weiss M, Murray C. Assessment and management of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in adults. CMAJ. 2003;168(6):715-722.
- Adler LA, et al. Validating the Adult ADHD Investigator Symptom Rating Scale (AISRS) and the ADHD Rating Scale (ADHD-RS). J Atten Disord. 2019;23(10):1107-1117.
- NICE Guideline NG87 — Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: diagnosis and management (2018, updated 2019).
- CADDRA — Canadian ADHD Practice Guidelines, 4th edition.
This article is for educational purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice. Always consult your licensed healthcare provider about medication decisions.