ME/CFS Phone Support Group

The ME/CFS Phone Support Group is a patient-organized support group started in June 2016. This ME/CFS support group hosts free weekly conference calls designed to provide peer-to-peer support by listening and sharing experiences with other participants. Most participants have ME/CFS, but the calls are also open to family, friends, other caregivers and advocates in an effort to share different perspectives and information.

Aims
The weekly calls and the group’s Facebook page aim to provide support and social interactions to individuals affected by ME/CFS. The conference call format was chosen to provide another avenue of support, recognizing that in-person events and online-only forums may be difficult for individuals with ME/CFS to take advantage of. Topics vary each call, based on what participants want to talk about during that call. Discussions can cover a wide range of matters, including symptoms, socializing, research, treatments, diet, the isolation and stigma of this disease and advocacy efforts.

Weekly Call Details

 * Every Saturday at 8:00 p.m. ET (year-round, including holidays)
 * Dial-In Number: (712) 770-4700 (U.S. based phone number)
 * Enter Access Code: 915110 followed by # sign
 * Participants outside of the United States can join a call by (i) downloading the Free Conference Call application to connect via the Internet or (ii) contacting the group administrators through the group’s Facebook page to see if a local in-country dial-in number is available
 * Participants who join the Facebook group receive reminders for the weekly calls
 * The group’s Facebook page describes other tips and guidelines for joining the weekly calls (see “DESCRIPTION” on the group’s Facebook page)
 * A typical call runs 1-1.5 hours, but participants can join for a shorter period

Online Presence

 * Facebook