Finding Support Online - Connecting with other PWCs

Pen Pals

1. Try our Pen Pals & Relationships area - you can search for only pen pals, romantic relationships, men, women, and healthies or disabled folks!

2. Or try the PWC Address Book to find a pen pal or to list yourself.

Online Chat and Message Boards

1. Try our message boards! You can respond to individual messages, leave an introduction, ask questions, or tell your story with CFIDS.

2. There's a 24-hour IRC chat channel for PWCs. Point your IRC software toward an Undernet server, and look for channel #cfs. More info here.

3. Sapient Health Network has online chat and message boards on their CFIDS/FM site.

4. The Mining Company's CFIDS site has chat, bulletin boards and tons of links! Lisa Lorden is your guide.

5. These folks are looking for people wishing to participate in IRC chat. For more info, email dotpm@dnet.net.

Mailing Lists

An electronic mailing list is method for a group of people to keep in touch with one another via email. All mail is sent to a central address, and from there is distributed to everyone on the list. When a reader receives the mail, he or she has the choice to respond privately to the sender or publicly to the central address, which sends the mail out to everyone subscribed. A great way to stay in touch!

1. Join WECAN, an electronic organization whose mission is to campaign against negative bias and irresponsibility regarding CFIDS/ME and to inform and educate about CFIDS/ME.

2. Subscribe to SASYFRAS, a discussion list about the disease variously known as M.E. (myalgic encephalomyelitis), CFIDS (chronic fatigue and immune dysfunction syndrome), or CFS (chronic fatigue syndrome) -- as well as related conditions such as fibromyalgia and multiple chemical sensitivities. Subscriptions are open, but only subscribers can receive or send mail. It is not gated to USENET.

   To sign up for Sasyfras, send a message to: listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com
   That says: subscribe Sasyfras Your Name
   Or you can always write to the list administrators at:
   Sasyfras-Request@home.ease.lsoft.com

3. DISINISSUES is designed to be a list for the exchange of information and advice about the process of applying for, appealing, and renewing disability insurance from private long-term disability insurors and the U.S. Social Security Administration.

   The list is particularly targeted toward those patients suffering from CFIDS/M.E. (chronic fatigue and immune dysfunction syndrome, or Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, or chronic fatigue syndrome), Fibromyalgia, Multiple Chemical Sensitivities, Gulf War Syndrome, Post-Polio Syndrome, Multiple Sclerosis, Lupus, and other similar diseases.

   To sign up for Disinissues, send a message to: listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com
   That says: subscribe Disinissues Your Name
   Or you can always write to the list administrators at:
   Disinissues-Request@home.ease.lsoft.com

4. There are many, many other CFIDS mailing lists and/or newsgroups.

Newsgroups

Some mailing lists are also "gated" to Usenet Newsgroups - some people prefer the convenience of not receiving list posts via email, but sometimes mailing lists are more "private" as anyone can read Newsgroup posts but only subscribers receive mailing list messages.

Some CFS-related newsgroups:

alt.med.cfs

patient discussion, linked to CFS-L

alt.med.fibromyalgia

patient discussion, linked to FIBROM-L

alt.med.cfs.info

CFS-NEWS, CFS-WIRE and other periodicals.

sci.med.immunology

gen'l discussion on immunology

sci.med.diseases.lyme

Lyme disease

misc.health.alternative

alternative health

alt.health.cfids-action

CFS political action issues (CFIDS-L)

bit.listserv.cfs.newsletter

CFS-NEWS electronic newsletter

alt.med.cfs.open

Unmoderated, linked to CFS-OPEN

news.announce.newusers

info for those new to Usenet

news.newsusers.questions

Q&A about Usenet