More Online Resources for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia are very complex, disabling illnesses that are still largely misunderstood. Both illnesses have baffled the medical community for years. There is also a social stigma surround Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia that these patients are not physically sick. Many very ill patients are accused of "faking it" and are labeled "attention seekers".

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia patients often find themselves isolated and alone with no one to understand them, including their physicians. Thankfully the Internet is available and there are many good research and support blogs and websites available. What I enjoy the most from the personal patient blogs is that they are written by ill people who relate to me. Their daily struggles are my daily struggles. They are able to write about treatments, symptoms, research and medication in layman's terms. I don't need a dictionary to get through and comprehend the content. For my own personal use, I have compiled a list of some of my favorite Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia blogs and websites that I would like to share with others. Hopefully this list will provide help to you or someone you know with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia. I previously wrote an article for Associated Content, Online Support for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia, which lists message boards and forums where you can go for support.

Some of the major CFS and Fibromyalgia websites include:

CFIDS Association of America, http://www.cfids.org/

The CFIDS Association of America is probably the most well known website dedicated to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. The organization was founded over 20 years ago and they have invested over $22 million to raise awareness and research funds for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. The website is very informative, easy to read, and you can subscribe for their monthly email newsletter for the most recent information on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

National Fibromyalgia Association, http://www.fmaware.org/site/PageServer

The NFA is still a fairly young organization that has been in operation for a decade. The NFA is the largest non-profit organization available today for Fibromyalgia and chronic pain patients. The website provides support and the latest research information available on Fibromyalgia. The site also is well known for raising awareness for Fibromyalgia through their online efforts and international conferences they sponsor.

ImmuneSupport, http://www.immunesupport.com

ImmuneSupport is the largest CFS and Fibromyalgia website in the world. They also have message boards and forums for many chronic illnesses. ImmuneSupport is patient owned and the website provides the most recent research news on CFS and Fibromyalgia. ImmuneSupport is also well known for their exclusive interviews with leading physicians who specialize in treating CFS and Fibromyalgia. They have an extensive library full of great information and resources.

Fibromyalgia Network, http://www.fmnetnews.com

The Fibromyalgia Network was created 20 years ago with the goal to educate and help patients with up to date information on Fibromyalgia without using ads to promote any one particular product. The Fibromyalgia Network attends medical conferences and interviews experts on Fibromyalgia for their website. The Fibromyalgia Network works hard to find information and tips that cannot be found elsewhere on the Internet.

Some of the most popular patient-owned blogs include:

CFS Squared, http://www.cfssquared.com/

The author of CFS Squared tends to steer away from research information on CFS, as she has found her readers like a more personal approach. The author typically writes about her own day-to-day struggles with CFS and adds a sense of humor to her posts. I always enjoy reading her blog and check in everyday to see what's new.

Living With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, http://livingwithcfs.wordpress.com/

The author of Living With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is a writer and nurse. She is also a patient of CFS and other chronic illnesses. She provides research information, support and writes about her own struggles with chronic illness. She provides tips, informative videos and has a section dedicated to information to give to your doctor. What has always attracted me to this site is the beautiful artwork that she has posted on her posts.

Fighting Fatigue, http://www.fightingfatigue.org

The Fighting Fatigue blog has been in existence for almost two years. The site started out mainly as a therapeutic outlet for the owner, but she became passionate about raising awareness and providing resources and support to patients. The main focus on Fighting Fatigue is Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, but she also posts about another chronic condition, Interstitial Cystitis. This website has a good balance of personal struggles the owner faces and the latest in research information on both illnesses.

Living With Fibromyalgia, http://linzworld.wordpress.com/

The author of the Living With Fibromyalgia blog was a former weather forecaster and a yacht racer before she became severely ill with Fibromyalgia. She is very active on her own blog, which is fairly new but filled with great information, and with moderating online forums for chronic illness. She is from the United Kingdom so I enjoy reading her blog to get a different perspective of how these illnesses are treated in other countries.

The Fibromyalgia Research Blog, http://fibroresearch.blogspot.com/

This blog is strictly research information related to Fibromyalgia. It does not have a personal touch to it, but if you are just looking for information and up to date facts about Fibromyalgia, this is where you want to look. The blog owner generally posts once a month with several posts each month. This blog is packed with great Fibromyalgia research data.

If you have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and/or Fibromyalgia, knowledge will be your greatest weapon in learning how to cope with this illness. I hope these resources are a help to everyone suffering.