GRAPHICS

Dear Friends,

Med Help received e-mail from people telling us that we are being unfair when we ask people to stop posting graphics (icons) in the forum.  Our reasons are:

1) It's not fair for people who don't have high speed Internet. They have to sit and wait quite awhile for all these graphics to load.

2)Some of the graphics are taking up excessive amounts of space. Space that might be better used for sharing information & support.


Med Help International

[mikesimon]

I couldn't agree more. They are so very over done that it is just a distraction. Mike

[GreatBird]

Thank you! I feel they were counter communicative since they made the posts very difficult to read.

[Space Coast]

Darn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[willing]

with a little effort we really can all get along...Ever since I've been participating in this forum I've been struck by the different needs it serves. The need for day-to-day contact and shared humor with others serving the same "jail sentence" is as important as the need for technical information or emotional support at difficult times. The mixture can be a little jarring, as in the "great eyelashes" food fight a while back. The forum can feel like  a noisy party with one group laughing and horsing around in one corner and somene else crying their eyes out in another. Two suggestions: threads are a great way of localizing posts to others in a similar mood and <em>moderate</em> use of graphics is not a performance issue. For example this <a href="http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/23/23_2_24.gif">gif</a> takes up 1417 bytes, which is as long as a long post.
Personally I think the forum is impoverished if off-the-wall humor or occasional graphics are discouraged or, on the other hand, if it become so silly it can't help those with more serious issues.

[DownThisRoad]

Hey BeFUDD
Nothing personal?  I DO BELIEVE that several times that the point WAS made to drop all the little **** that goes along with your postings; graphics, pictures or otherwise.  Now this site administrator has rephrased the request, in a very nice way.

Did I read somewhere that you are only in the beginning stages with taking this medicine.   You should read and absorb the information that you can find on this site from others regarding hepC treatment.  You may not feel like all the pictures and **** as time goes on and can really make yourself aware and abreast of the situation that you are currently in with treatment.

You really should find another site to play around on.  This site is basically for research and sharing information and should be used for that purpose, keeping that in mind.

Oh and by the way, no one is doing a personal battle on this site.  Are you?

[Space Coast]

It's so nice to be loved!

[BobK]

I agree with willing that without the humor and sidecomments this would be a pretty boring site.  If all your interested in is the cold unemotional facts then perhaps more time should be spent searching pubmed or an number of CME (continuing medical education) sites.  There are scads of sites that are info only but to tell you the truth I enjoy the humor and off-topic conversations...to a point...and that point is typing abuse of the people on the forum.  I think spacecoast posts were a good example of what should be avoided at all costs.

enjoy and realize that even with the straying within the threads it isn't like your trying to read War and Peace once you log on to the site.....

regards,
BobK

[Space Coast]

Why not avoid all the little games they play! Cause if you don't want to hear it, then, you darn sure don't be dishing it out! It's a simple concept I know, but real world!

[_sherr]

Ya know Bedud....pee...chevy...ya'll really make me nervous. Everytime I check this site you are like asking for people to get upset with you and your stupid juvinille comments are upsetting alot of us trying to desperatly get info, and learn to deal with something life changing to our families.That is why I am here along with the majority.Any newbies that are following your lead are misled. You are poison bedud, to our forum. SHUT UP and LISTEN

[GI.PA]

I have becoming increasingly disappointed by the quality of conversation on this board.  Lets stick to the topic guys.  Its much more productive than ranting and raving.  And frankly, gives me very little to work with as far as questions to answer.

GI.PA

[Space Coast]

I have a question for you? I read a report recently that used 38 weeks full dose as the baseline to show results of treatment in type 1, the results where the same as what I've read for 48 weeks, so how exact can 48 weeks be in determing the outcome?

"Patients who took 80% or more of their medication doses and completed at least 38 weeks of therapy, which was defined as "full dose", and who also had an EVR ultimately had a SVR of 75%. In genotype 1 patients, the group with an EVR and meeting the full dose criteria had a SVR of 67%"

http://www.natap.org/2002/june/062802_1.htm

[Eyedeas]

Okay gang-sters!  I like the humor, and like having fun as much as nearly anybody.  First of all, it looks like we've grown to fill this house of ours to where we'are feeling the crowding.  A lot more people coming online and that means more people wanting to post.

I have an idea.  For those who want to chatter and joke around a lot more there is another site some of us visit that gets little use, but has more available posts and could probably handle some winky-blinky things.  This is by no means saying "go away" just an idea for a second site that can be used almost like a chat.  When the posts here are used up, or full, you can post serious questions, but since they not only limit the number of threads here, but the number of replies, this site will let us spread out while leaving this for mainly serious posts and replies to them. The extra room will allow those who want to throw out more subjects that some here might find not to the Hep point.

http://groups.msn.com/HotHeps/messages.msnw

The funny thing I see with all the back and forth is how similar everyone is in their own unique way.  I believe that everyone here and that includes all of those who've been fighting and those offended want the same things from this forum, if in somewhat different quantities and formats.

HotHeps will give everyone a chance to spread their elbows a little bit and more people popping in there will give added support to those who go there, but don't come here as well.  I've hung around both sites the last couple years and with maintenence starting will be around a lot longer.

Come on along...

Kim

[Space Coast]

It looks as though I don't need that book to push your buttons! Your to easy! :)

[Space Coast]

Look, everyone has problems, I asked GIPA a question, you acted silly, not me, but I'll dance with you if you want!

[cuteus]

well said willing and bobk.  sherr and others, chill out please as this would be an unbearable site if all we saw was the same information typed over and over. boring and repetetive.once you gather all the info on hcv, mostly outdated, there is nothing but waiting for the new, which might take years.  in the interim ADULT humor is a welcome reprieve, if not offensive. I enjoy sharing with others like me, in an informative way and yes sometimes in alight and fun way.  we might as well be dead if we can not laugh in the face of adversity.  I don't want to read all doom and gloom posts, i did that 7 mo ago and almost became suicidal.  let's lighten up each others load, please.

[Eyedeas]

All right Kids, QUIT IT!!!!! ANd I do mean NOW!!!

You started it,  Nor you did...

Please stop this nonsense and start acting like adults.  Will all of those involved in this stupid and childish sniping please quit posting to and about each other.  It's gotta be both, just stopping one wont do. If the other posts something you don't like ignore it.  I dont expect anyone to ignore personal attacks.  If there is a personal attack and you can't shrug it off, report it to med help but for crying out loud quit acting like babies and using up posts.  

This is my last post on this subject and I'll ignore anymore of the childish posts until you can all make nice!  I really do welcome everyone here and know that everyone wants a friendly board.  If problems persist and enough people file compalints, I'm pretty sure that you can be bounced from this board.

Sheeeesh!

Kim

[Tallblonde]

I'm guess I'm surprise at your tolerance.  Read above what PeeBee just wrote to GI.PA.  This is okay with you?  This same gang was calling a newbie in crisis a "*****" on Christmas day.  Every other word out of their mouths is an obscenity. Hey, we all love a good joke and some good-hearted humor, but this gang is offensive on almost every level.  

It's beyond me why anyone would find them endearing or acceptable for this forum.

Susan

[Indiana]

Hey...Send me your e-mail address at...***@****
I want to tell ya something. Nothing bad....just some stuff.

[cuteus]

we were talking about humor, not attacks or insults, don't get it confused please.

[_sherr]

Do you know what GI PA does here?

[justhinkn]

GI.PA is our Gastrointerologist Physician's Assistant that comes here on her own time and shares her knowledge with us.  She's the only truly trained professional that takes the time to come on this site (no offense to the many with lived-through experiences).  Her time is pretty limited and we appreciate the time she spends here.  I think if anyone has some right in saying that she has to wade through the increased traffic and insults to get to a medical question to answer, it would be her.

[_sherr]

And you told her to shove it!

[_sherr]

IT WAS RUDE!! WE are very lucky to have her and everything I've learned about this disease was in this dry, boring place as you call it.And I appreciate all that took the time to teach and share with me. I can't do this for awhile and just when my family was getting close to Tx day and I need you the most. Good night everyone.

[Sioux]

Wow, what a headache I have after reading all the bologna, Personal attacks, talking out the wrong end of your anatomy. Let's all just stick to the way it was before this happened. It was much more helpful. I may wait for a few days and check back again. Let's just go with what we learned growing up. If you don't have anything nice to say.....say nothing at all....

[Tallblonde]

No confusion here.  I don't object to humor.  Never said I did. I do object to foul-mouthed, rude, offensive, insulting behavior.  That's been my point from the beginning.  

Susan

[TomWill]

Riba rage is real folks and affects our emotions in more ways than one. I always tended to just see my little temper tantrums as riba rage. It didn

[GI.PA]

No offense taken.  Lets just tone it down and make this a more productive forum for patient-patient interaction versus flaming, name calling, and outbursts.

This disease is bad enough, treatment is tough.  This needs to be a place where questions are answered, one doesnt feel alone, and all opinions are respected.

GI.PA

[GI.PA]

I know exactly the study you are quoting, we call it the "80/80/80 study".  It is not meant to say that "only 38 weeks of treatment" is neccessary.  The standard of care is still 48 weeks (geno 1).  The study is meant to show the importance of compliance.

Of those patients who had an EVR who took took at least 80% of their meds (avoided dosage reduction), 80% of the days (avoided skipping days), for 80% of the duration (80% of 48 weeks is 38 weeks), the SVR is definately higher than the standard statistics (65-75% for geno 1).  

This study just emphasizes the need for avoiding dosage reduction, avoiding skipped dosages, and making the goal 48 weeks (or as close as possible).  This proves that compliance/dosage maximizing increases SVR, a pivital study when getting the insurance companies to pay for Procrit (instead of dosage reducing).

Hope this clarifies!

GI.PA

[Space Coast]

Thanks!!

[Sambone Martian Ambassador To the moon]

I am a geno 1b. 6.5 million ant start of tx. 5,000 at 12 weeks
<5 at 6 months 9 months and at 56 weeks. what are the chances of it coming back on me now ( I have my 6 month post tx labs in the morning). That will also be my first labs since stopping tx.

[DonL]

Is there a mechanism for us to post our email addresses or write to others without knowing their email addresses? I would welcome the ability to talk one on one with people, in a friendly not a flamey way.