email: listserv@vmd.cso.uiuc.edu
In the body of the message, enter: subscribe fibrom-l firstname lastname
newsgroup: alt.med.fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a syndrome which represents a cluster of symptoms and medical conditions including severe fatigue, pain and other disease manifestations. Fibromyalgia often lingers for many years or for the balance of a patient's life. Individuals with fibromyalgia, their family members, health-care professionals, and any other interested persons are welcome to join this group. Because fibromyalgia has only recently been recognized as an illness, people who have had to deal alone with many problems unique to their condition, which makes turning to each other via the Net that much more compelling and necessary. There is much talk of endless "doctor-shopping" to find a knowledgeable practitioner, wrangles with insurance companies who make disability claims difficult, phony "cures" and scams, misunderstandings from friends and family -- all at a time when physical endurance is minimal. Participants support each other with information about doctors, medical research, remedies for symptoms and by listening carefully and offering empathy. An online gathering place is ideal for those with fibromyalgia as they are often housebound and never know when they will have the energy to be with others. For those who wish to talk about their illness with a bit more privacy, there is an accompanying mailing list that isn't broadcast as a newsgroup (as is the main Fibrom-L list). Information about it is sent out with the Fibrom-L mailing list information. - E.L.

subject matter: health

regional affiliation: global

format: mailing list, newsgroup

language: English

cost: no cost