This certainly turned into quite the discussion! There was never any question about the posting on THIS forum...it was all about whether or not the 2 questions allowed per day on the DOCTOR forum should go to those who have been diagnosed with ovarian cancer. To say you feel unwelcome on this side...well, I'm sorry you got that impression. Like I said earlier, I understand why you post here and would hope you continue to do so.
Becky
I agree with you puppyluv which is why women with cancer should have those two questions. There may be something you forgot to ask your oncologist or there is something for which you want a 2nd opinion and Dr. Goodman, God bless her, gives her time and can make that a reality. No offense to those who are not diagnosed but it is really importnat to reserve those questions for women who are fighting for their life.
What we need to remember is that medhelp is trying to make rules that it thinks is best for the majority of the people here. They do not know each member's personal situation...so they are trying to help as many people as possible. But truthfully..I am here looking for some answers for someone I really care about who does have OVCA and the help I find on that side is minimal.
When I read the posts on this side of the forum I find it so much more informative, helpful and supportive than the expert site. The doctor may say you should investigate further your symptoms, but the women on this side will say get your butt into a doctor and you are not wrong to try to find more answers. Isn't that what the women with cysts looking for...that it is ok to make noise and say listen to me because I am scared.
I was on the border of this issue until I remembered a recent situation I have read about here. There was a member looking for some answers, when another person here...someone who has NOT been diagnosed....said you need to do something NOW. That person finally did and found out indeed they had stage 4 OVCA. Without that help from a very valuable non-ovca person who is suffering from cysts...who knows how long before this person would have been diagnosed. Each and every members post is valuable here whether or not they have OVCA...so Colleen to say you shouldn't post...please that would be a grave mistake. Everyone is needed so that everyone's questions can be answered.
The other thing to remember is quickness....I feel like people have their questions answered in a more timely manner over here. You can post a question and receive many answers within minutes or hours but at very least a day. But the poor doctor is one person...not many people, so she only has so much time and if you look some of the questions on the expert forum are sometimes not answered for up to a week. If I were looking for quick answers..then the people here would be my first choice.
I think the question of how terrible the or good the policy is becomes a mute point...it should be how strong will all you remain together to fight this illness no matter what your diagnosis. Fighting over this policy is not going to bring about awareness to this disease. Fighting only takes away from the best thing about this place...the love, support and information it offers.
Sorry if I have offended anyone with my comments. I truly value you all and thank you all for helping women like me.
:)
God Bless
To: All
I think that this post has turned into something more or something it was not meant to be. I have been reading a couple of past threads and as Jan214 said there is some"divisiveness". This debate has now turned into whether or not some of us belong here or not. I know alot of you are saying that those who have not been dx with OVCA can post here but I still feel like there is way more to this thread than we are admitting. I for one can say when I first posted here I was terrified, confused, and alone. My Dr. was throwing the "C word" around and he gave me the CA 125 and was scheduling me for an emegency lap. I had no one to talk to, not even my own DR. I came here and I found peace from so many of you. I was a bit hesitant to post so that is why in caps I put that I was not yet dx. I feared rejection from those who were dx with OVCA. But the first person who wrote to me was Shelly. Then so many more,Lori.Jan, Carol, Gia, Donna. You all made more sense than my own DR. Without you I would have never known that cysts hurt, can cause pain on opposite side, etc. I am forever grateful to you all. I do not think that I have OVCA, there is only a 1% chance I do. But now I am calm, I went and got a second opinion, and I know that I am not crazy.
I will say one thing. Some women do come in throwing the C word around over a simple cyst with no other symptoms. I have not even been dx with OVCA and I find those posts annoying! So imagine how the women who have been dx feel. No offense. It is important that women also do their own research. I did. This forum is so necessary women like Kimmie are a perfect example of the power of the women on this forum.
Love
Marge
I lurked before diagnosis and did not want to post so I would not take away from others with ovarian cancer. It was weird for me to really think I did have ovarian cancer so I did not even post on this board because I did not want to take up the time of those who were going through so much. Since that is the case I think MedHelp did the right thing and that the two questions should be for those who have ovarian cancer since like someone said noone is a fortune teller and the ones with ovarian cancer do need timely postings. Just my opinion.