Side-effect notes capture what changed, when, and how strongly, so later signals remain actionable.
Why it matters
Unstructured notes rarely support reliable ranking; structured notes can.
Structured side-effect taxonomy
- GI: bloating, nausea, diarrhea, constipation
- nervous system: jitter, headache, dizziness, anxiety, insomnia
- cardiometabolic: palpitations, BP shifts, edema
- skin/systemic: rash, itching, severe fatigue
Timeline expectations
- immediate effects (minutes to hours) often indicate direct sensitivity
- delayed effects (1–5 days) often require trend review
- persistent effects beyond expected windows should prompt review
Required fields for high-confidence reports
- start time and relation to dose
- intensity scale (for example 1 to 10)
- duration and co-factors
- current medications and hydration state
Practical action step
Use a fixed format for every entry to avoid losing patterns to memory bias.
Uncertainty and limits
- Evidence is limited on symptom causality with mixed stacks and delayed onset.
- Evidence is limited on consistent reporting quality without clear templates.
Cross-site references
How this appears in Unfair
Detailed side-effect notes improve signal clarity for ranking, guardrails, and recommendation confidence.
Clinical safety note
For persistent severe GI, neurologic, or cardiometabolic effects, stop optimization and get urgent care review.