A REMINDER FROM MED HELP

[CGTMHI]

Our Heart Forum can support only 2 new questions each day.  Therefore, we ask that you limit your questions to 2 per 6 month period. We do this so that all in need will have a chance at getting their questions asked and answered by the wonderful cardiologists at The Cleveland Clinic.

We appreciate everyone's cooperation.

Cindy Thompson
Med Help International

[CCF-M.D.-MJM]

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[hbp702]

Perhaps putting a reminder when people press "Post" but before a question slot is reserved would be helpful. It would remind people that forgot and inform people that were unaware of the policy.

That would also be useful since this reminder will slowly fall down the list of questions/posts and possibly eventually off it (unless you have a way to make it "sticky", i.e. stay on the top).

Perhaps allowing people to buy a question if they can't get a question slot might work, you could use the money to pay for the resources needed for the additional questions.

This would be very useful since most of us never get a chance to even ask our doctor's a question - they fly out of the room before you can even open your mouth.

I'd likely pay up to $50 or so to get an real answer from a trustworthy doctor who actually listened to what I asked.

I know there is that other service, but that appears separate from both the CCF and this forum.

[labrat]

Cindy,
Thank you for the reminder.

[mmfd]

Thank you!  This makes it more fair for the whole wide world.  Eveyone thinks that their question is the most important one.

[pms_barbie]

It may be helpfule if you added that to your guide lines or something.  Because so many hvae said they cant find it in the rules any where.  Thanks for such a wonderful sight.

[Christie2004]

Be careful when you offer to pay up to $50 for a "real" answer.  Slowly but surely, many of the forums has changed from free to pay.  There are only a couple left that are free.  Granted, most of the fees are not high, but enough to discourage some from asking questions.

Look around at the advice received on some of the pay forums.  It is very general, as internet advice usually is.  No doctor on earth can give anyone specific advice pertaining to their problem without examining them.  The pay forums have limits on the number of questions each day, too.

I appreciate greatly what MedHelp has and is doing, and read through most of the forums each week.  I think it is a great thing, but I am afraid the entire site will be pay one of these days.  Maybe it is financially necessary, but that doesn't make it easier to accept.
Till then, Med Help is great, and I'll keep enjoying it.

[Erik36]

Don't go suggesting that you'd pay $50 for a question. You might but 99.9% of the other people wouldn't. This is one of the only free forums left. I used to frequent other forums but had to stop because they added fees. Let's just take Cindy's advice and limit our questions and talk amongst each other for information and guidance. All of us together have a vast knowledge we're not aware of.

[Momto3]

Thanks for the information Cindy!!  

Thanks for providing such a great forum!!  It is a great place to gather information, find comfort and make some new friends :)

Connie

[hbp702]

I was suggesting the best of both worlds.

2 free questions a day, anyway missing that narrow window of opportunity could pay $50 to get to ask a question anyway.

That is still cheaper than a $150 doctor visit where they don't give you any answers, or explain scary changes in test results as "normal variation".

Should I believe an EF dropping from 66% to 56% in 5 years is normal? Right. Even though I work out, and have my BP mostly under control? (*) Even though I am only 31 years old? A drop in performance like that in my car's engine would get me concerned enough to get it checked out and dealt with, and worst case - if I didn't/couldn't get it fixed and the worst happened, I could always get a new car/engine. It's not like I can just get a new heart, if it fails quickly I'm dead, and even if I do get a new one via a transplant, that is still a very bad lifelong situation. And I've read how horrible life is and how bad you feel with heart failure, and I REALLY don't want to go there.

And doctors DON'T take the time to explain. I get way more information on the health of my car and what we will do about problems from my mechanic than I do from my doctor about my body. Something is wrong with this picture! And when I pay my mechanic for a hour of labor, I get an hour of labor. When I pay for a "one hour" office visit, I'm lucky if I get 10 minutes! And these are the good doctors!

* It is somewhat treatment resistant - I got it at 25 years old - and they haven't been able to find out what is causing it - it is too resistant and too early onset to be primary hypertension - but that is what they treat it as.

[Christie2004]

I agree with you on a lot of points, but paying won't get you any different or better answers.  They'll still be general, as they must be from a doctor who hasn't examined you.

The pay forums have very few questions each day, too.  And no free ones at all.
-------------------------------------------------------------

I always say this to those who feel that their doctors rush them out of the office (and I am a cancer survivor and have been to lots of docs!).

Just sit there.  Keep asking questions until you have all the info you want.  Go in there with a notebook and write down the answers to your questions.  The doc will undoubtably start getting up and moving to the door in order to limit your questions.  In this case, simply tell him "I'm not finished yet", meeting his gaze with a determined look.  DON'T GET UP UNTIL YOU HAVE HAD ALL YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED.  If he tells you that you have to make another appt to get in all your questions, MAKE ANOTHER APPT.  But YOUR doctor should be the one answering your questions.  If he won't, let him know you'll be getting another opinion elsewhere.

Be determined and be proactive regarding your own health.  Ask all the questions you want.  If you don't ask them, it is mainly your fault for letting the doctor make you feel like you are not worth his time.  YOU'RE PAYING!  ASK AWAY!

[Dynomite]

I often wonder how anyone gets to post a question.  I have been trying for months to ask a question with no sucess. It always says all questions for the day have been taken.  I have tried in the afternoon, evening, night, early morning with no luck.  what is the secret to posting.

[~*CaMeO*~]

Kudo's to you!!!  I have preached this to my hubby and kids for too long and finally took hubby to the Doc's with me a couple of years back to witness what a hard-butt I can be when I NEED to get answers to my health questions.  He was embarrassed, the Doc was antsy and I walked out of there satisfied!  Hubby now has me go with him when he needs to be seen and all questions are answered to my satisfaction (plus, 4 ears are better than 2 when your gathering information anyway).  BTW - my Doc has me labeled as "a difficult patient" ------ oh well!!

Please keep this site FREE!  Best one on the Web!!

[Christie2004]

The best times to post are between 8am-10am EST, though this can vary from time to time.  Those are the most common times people get through.

[x_k_c_x]

I managed to post a question after trying for a while, at 8am EST on the dot ....a minute later at 8;01am and it doesnt let you post

[Kristin391]

I see you guys pick on Toby and Dotty and now I found Cookie2 who posted on 9/16 and 10/1 about PVCs basically the same question.  No one said anything about that or is it that PVCs are more interesting than congestive heart failure and some of those kind of problems.

[pms_barbie]

How can you call it picking on anyone?    It was a reminder of what the forum requested of us.  In my post I said 4 people had posted too soon.  Since you posted on this thread I know you see what the forum request.  If you have a problem with their request take it up with them instead of trying to stir the pot and cause hard feelings.  I DONT THINK ANYONES questions are boring or any less important than anyone elses.  We are all here to learn what we can.  With that said we all know what the forum request and the matter should be put to rest.