Frequently Asked Questions

What are Treatment Protocols?

Treatment Protocols are basically any organized, thought out approach to solving a medical problem. They can include protocols that doctors recommend or patients or other interested parties have come up with. They can simply include a list of different approaches to a problem (try these things and hope one will work) or a step by step protocol to solving one.

You can find different protocols in the Resource Manager by clicking on Treatment Protocols in the main Forum menu bar.

All treatment protocols will show up in a thread in the appropriate Forum (i.e. protocols addressing gut problems will create a thread in the gut forum).

How do I go straight to the most recent news/posts posted on the Forums?

Simply click on the New Posts button on the second menu from the top. If you'd like you can bookmark this page and go right to it.

How do I save a post with a lot of really good information?

Bookmark it!

Bookmarking allows you to collect posts you may want to refer to again. Simply hover over the bottom of the post and the Bookmark Icon will appear. Click on that add a note to yourself about it if you wish and that post will show up in your Bookmarks section in your profile. (Or you can add a note to self and click on 'QuickLink' for easier access to your bookmarks. You bookmark will then show up if you click on the Bookmark tab on the main Forum menu.

How do I keep up with a thread that particularly interests me?

Watch Threads

You can 'Watch' the thread (a string of posts) by clicking on "Watch this thread" on the upper right hand side of the first post in a thread. Depending on which you want you can have a link to the next new post in that thread delivered to the "Watched Thread" section in your profile or sent to your email address.

How can I keep an eye on the action in a Forum I'm particularly interested in?

Follow a Forum - Click on the Forum you're interested in and then click on "Watch Forum' on the upper right hand side of the Forum. Then choose whether you'd like links to new threads or new messages sent to your email box or the "Watch Forum" box in your Forum profile (or both).

Why have you put Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in one Forum?

We think people with either disorder (and many have both) have a lot to teach each other. Whether you've diagnosed with ME/CFS or FM sometimes simply depends on which doctor you saw first.

On the edges the two disorders definitely have differences; the extreme weakness and debility found in really severe ME/CFS patients doesn't show up in FM and the excruciating pain and allodynia in severe FM patients rarely shows up in ME/CFS - but in thelarge middle ground there's a huge overlap in symptoms, research findings and treatments. As researchers uncover more muscular problems in ME/CFS they're uncovering more immune abnormalities in FM; the disorders are moving closer to each - not further apart.

Unfortunately, research for the two has been largely 'siloed' with FM and ME/CFS researchers having little to do with each other. Hopefully that will change. Physicians who treat both tend to see the two disorders occurring on a continuim of pain, fatigue and other symptoms.

Do I need experience to be a moderator for the Forums?

No! All you need is the desire to keep the conversations on the Health Rising Forums productive and positive.

Which Forums can everyone see and which ones are members only?

The Introduce Yourself and Chit Chat Forums are for members only. The Caregivers Forum is only for caregivers. All the other Forums are viewable by everyone and searchable by Google and other search engines.

I'm registered - why can't I see and participate in the Caregivers Forum?

In order to give them full freedom to express themselves, only people who registered as caregivers are given access to the Caregivers Forum. If you are a caregiver contact us and we'll change your status.

Where are the Forum Rules?

What Forum rules? (We're working on them .)

The basic rules are to treat people with respect, don't get personal and if you feel like you want to reach into the computer and pull someone's head off - it's probably time to take a break and reflect on the fact that everyone's opinion is valid (even if its wrong, wrong wrong! They think you're wrong, wrong, wrong! as well ). What's not valid is expressing an opinion in a demeaning or overly aggressive way.

Your opinion (probably) won't get you into trouble but the way you deliver it may. All opinions are valid but if a person is continuously stirring things up and causing a lot grief on the Forums we'll take a look at that.

One ID per person please. Don't slam ME/CFS organizations in your signature. Representatives of companies are welcome if you identify yourself as such. Spammers will be eradicated upon contact.

Only caregivers are allowed in the Caregiver Forum. This is so they have the freedom to express themselve fully with other caregivers. Please respect this.

Once you put your content on Health Rising it's basically ours. You're free to modify it if you wish, but we will not eliminate whole threads and we won't eliminate all your posts. If you made a mistake in your post you can click on the edit button and fix it. We're very conscious of the need to maintain privacy; if something comes up that you feel transgresses the level of privacy you wish to maintain, let us know.

How do I report a post that I feel is inappropriate?

Hovering over the bottom of a post will allow a Report Post button to show up. Click on that and let us know what's up.

How do I suggest a change or register a complaint regarding the Forums?

Click on the Contact Us link at the bottom of the page.

Are you looking for volunteers?

Absolutely, we're always looking for bloggers, people who can help us out with social media, the website and sales and marketing. Please use the contact form on the website to contact us.

How do I use the Resource Manager?

We hope you will use the Resource Manager (and find new ways to use it - we are open to suggestions). We're currently using the RM to display support groups, websites, blogs, books and recovery stories. (Video's are posted in our Media section)

There are two ways to add a resource:

1. Click on the Resources tab on the main Forum menu bar at the top of the page, click on the type of resource you want to add and then provide information on that resource, a url, phone number, video - whatever is applicable.
2. in the applicable Forum click on the add a Resource tab in the upper right hand section of a thread.

Once a resource is added registered Forum members can comment on and rate it.
Any resource you add to the Resource Manager automatically shows up in a thread in the applicable Forum. For instance providing a resource for Pain Relief will show up in the Pain Relief Forum (as well as in the Pain Resources section).
*If you manage a resource which has already been listed and would like to modify it -please let us know and we'll make that happen.

How do I add a video to Health Rising's video collection?

1. Find the video you want to add. If it's on Youtube click the Share button and then copy the url provided.
2. Click on on the Media button on the main Forum menu bar
3. Scroll down on the left hand side of the page and click on the major category (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, Mind/Body Approaches) the video best fits and then pick the subcategory (if there is one).
4. Then click on Add Media in the gray menu bar near the top of the page. (It's a little hard to find).
5. Then click on Embed Media (the default is Add a Picture), add the URL to the box and click on the plus sign.
6. If you want to change the title of the video click on the pencil sign below the picture of the video. (I often remove the You Tube designation)
7. Click on Save Media and you're done! Thanks for helping building Health Rising's video library

What is a Resource? What is the difference between a Resource and a Regular Forum Post?

I think of a resource as a document someone can refer back to for something which describes how to do something or what something is. In the Health Rising Forum resources include websites, testing and treatment protocols, recovery stories, advocacy reports, definitions, etc. Resources are more than a post - they are foundational documents and anchor points for discussions taking place on the Forums.

Examples of Resource Pages include antiviral protocols, how to Combat SIBO, How to do a paleo diet, NIH spending on ME/CFS or FM, what the Canadian Consensus Definition is, how to test for thyroid deficiency, etc. They do not organizations that have physical location - see Reviews (and their mapping feature) for that.

Whether you decide to do a post in the Forums or a Resource both end up as threads in the Forums. One advantage of posting a Resource is that it's held in the Resource Manager which makes it easier to find again.

How recovered should I be to add my story to the Recovery Stories section?

When you've been stable at about 75% of your former functioning for about six months is the cutoff point we'd like to use. If you've recovered for six months in the past and then relapsed please add your story to our database - and note that you relapsed at some point.

Can I add a recovery story if I mostly recovered but then relapsed at some point?

Absolutely - if you recovered to about 75% of normal functioning for at least six months - please add your story (and note that you later relapsed.)

Can I add other peoples recovery stories to the recovery stories section?

Yes - if you find a recovery story on the internet please add it and note that you're adding it.

Why do you use "Chronic Fatigue Syndrome" in the title and in some places in your blogs when better names are available?

I don't like the name but the term "Chronic Fatigue Syndrome" shows up much (much) better in search engines than ME/CFS or ME or myalgic encephalomyeltis. Therefore I tend to us it in titles and in the upper portions of blogs and use ME/CFS elsewhere.

Is Health Rising A Non-Profit?

No, Health Rising is 'for-profit' (ha ha) organization. Donations to HR are greatly appreciated but they are not tax deductible.