In my previous post I listed the main social networking sites available if you are looking to to join an online community for support, encouragement, camaraderie, or just to have a place to vent. My inspiration for putting these posts together is to help alleviate the potential for isolation if you are living with Fibromyalgia or most any chronic illness. For this post I am going to focus on the many online forums and support groups available. Again, this is just a partial list of what is out there, so feel free to leave recommendations in the comments if you know of a forum or support group I did not cover.

I do not have firsthand knowledge of most of these site, so please note my inclusion of them is not an endorsement, it is for informational purposes. The description after each link is taken from the sites own tag line.

Online Forums/Support Groups

Daily Strength – Free, anonymous support from people just like you

Fibromyalgia Support Form – The Official Fibro-Support Center

Fibro 360 – A community of Hope and Understanding for People suffering from Fibromyalgia

FibroHugs – Support for Fibromyalgia

FibroTalk – Online Community Support

Flickr – Simple Pleasures with Fibromyalgia

Healing Well – On Diseases, Disorders and Chronic Illness

Health Boards – Health Message Boards

Live Journal – Express Yourself, Share Your Life, Connect with Friends Online

MD Junction – people helping people

Patients Like Me – Share your experiences, learn from others, and connect with patients just like you

Pro Health – Commerce with Compassion

UK Fibromyalgia Forum – The new discussion forums for those with Fibromyalgia in the UK

We Are Fibro – The Social Support Network for those Living with Fibromyalgia

WebMD – Better Information. Better Health.

As you can see the options are many. I have spent time on a few of these boards and I can say some were simply too negative for me, while others were full of inspiration and hope. If you make the decision to become involved, take your time to find the community that is best suited for your needs. Do not get discouraged if the first board you try does not suit you. Just come back to this list and pick another. I would love to hear your thoughts and experiences.

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