Finding info about weird symptoms when you can't see a doctor

[Guest guest]

My doc has warned me to be careful about blaming new symptoms on my Fibro/CFS.

We can really hurt ourselves by making those assumptions. I'm blessed to be

covered by good health insurance but many of us are not. And even though going

to the doc is an option for me, knowing whether or not the problem is worth the

time and effort to go is an issue.

I have often googled about medical problems, symptoms and med side effects when

I needed information. Medical sites like WebMD or Mayo Clinic are great, but

often the best or most useful info comes from others who are or were in the same

boat. Sometimes this has been a site setup by someone with the problem but I

have also found postings to various forums where people are discussing a

problem.

So, when you are googling for info, don't skip over things that look like they

will take you to a forum discussion. They can be great sources of info!

I just had a minor surgery this morning and I got a lot more about what to

expect during recovery from postings to a forum than I got from the doc!

HTH,

Margie