That wasn't directed at birdy. It was to anyone who finds guilt in the meaning. You know who you are. 

"Please explain how you would feel" if after explaining your opinion on a support board, you were told "you [were] not needed here anymore."

You're asking another person, right here, right now, to have empathy... and then pretty much telling her to go away. I KNOW you know from personal experience what it's like to think (correctly or no) that your own opinion is unnecessary.

Not cool, sister.

Are we even talking about the same post? Most of the comments on the ER thread (if memory serves) were those that said, more or less, that the OP should try drinking more water through several suggested methods or consider getting IV treatment from a non-emergency medical provider. And the angry replies amounted to, "you don't know my story, it's complicated," with no further elaboration nor appreciation for attempts to help with a problem that can be very serious.

There's a wealth of literature examining "peer support" programs for patients with chronic illness such as renal failure, heart issues, etc. I'm at work and can't pull up a full list of citations at the moment, but IIRC the most successful relationships (i.e. those with the highest satisfaction ratings in reported outcomes for the mentee at subsequent medical follow-up visits) are those in which the mentor is most open in regards to their experiences, and the patient is most willing to change his/her habits and attitudes based on the mentor's advice.