Online Drug Resources for Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Thursday January 1, 2009

Whether you're taking medications for fibromyalgia (FMS), chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS or ME/CFS) or anything else, it pays to know where to look online for reliable drug information.

Why? Two major reasons. First, you should be familiar with side effects. My memory is impaired enough that glancing over them once or twice isn't enough - I need a list I can refer back to. Second, you need to watch out for drug interactions. Your pharmacist is the best source of information on what doesn't play nicely with what, but you probably can't call at 2 a.m. when you need something to relieve cold symptoms so you can sleep.

There are a few sites you should bookmark so you can check this information quickly whenever you need to:

All of them have information on FDA approved drugs and many supplements. You'll find side effects lists, possible interactions, pill identifiers (for those loose pills you find in the back of the medicine cabinet) and much more. I rely on these resources every time I introduce something new, whether it's a prescription drug, over-the-counter medication, or supplement. They've stopped me from making a few mistakes that I could've really regretted.

If you have a negative side effect to a drug, you can report it to the FDA for tracking at MedWatch.

What resources have helped you with drug information? Share them here or in About.com's Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome community forum.

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