Question:
Have you searched the Libary for your answer?
I often come to the Q and A board to answer questions for others or to get validation that I am just like others with concerns etc. of my Post-op journey. This site has a "LIBRARY" section to look up if the question has already been asked, when and also many times by hundreds of people - not just those who log on each day. If you would go to the Library FIRST instead of asking the same questions - it would help save time and space. What to eat - what a psych consult is- what to do if you're in pain (call your DR!!)- why you are losing so slow or can't stop etc etc-- Have been asked already and sometimes within the last 24-48 hrs. Thank you and please use the Library page FIRST. — Sally P. (posted on May 17, 2003)
May 17, 2003
come on some of the people that come to q and a are real new, give them a
little grace. when I first came to this site about 18 months ago I did not
know how to navigate the different areas.
— ChristineB
May 17, 2003
I think sometimes people just want a personal answer to their question.
This website is sometimes the only real support a person has and, while the
library might be helpful, an answer to your specific question seems more
personal and interactive. Also, it isn't all that easy to search the huge
database for a similar question.
— jm3218
May 17, 2003
I must admit too that the library can be hard to navigate. They only want
you to put in a one word search which can cause so many messages to appear.
If you do a search by category, again it causes a great deal of research
to find what is needed. It would be great if the library would allow a
search using a phrase of words. I agree too that the site can be
overwhelming to many. There is so much information here. I have 2 friends
that won't use the site because it is too confusing for them to find
things. I think the site is wonderful and filled with so many caring and
giving individuals.
— [Deactivated Member]
May 17, 2003
I think it's up to the Obesityhelp.com mods to make this point - not yours.
I'm out here multiple times a day answering questions and I have no
problems with people posing questions that have been asked before. I'd
rather see a new thread than an 4-year-old one dredged up with a new
angle...JR
— John Rushton
May 17, 2003
It's funny that you wrote this, b/c this post itself is a duplicate. lol
People have posted complaining of this before, so in a sense, you're doing
what you don't want to be done. That wasn't meant to be mean, and I
understand your comments and feelings. I think many times we see the same
question and just shrug. But, as said before, some people want personal
answers and there is nothing wrong with that. And you can simply ignore it
as well, no harm done there. Goodluck to you all!
— Lezlie Y.
May 17, 2003
I'm sorry to be so forward here but I think its comments like this that
make new people afraid to ask questions on here. I too feel it is not your
place to tell others to look in the library first it is the people that
monitor this site. The library is very difficult to navigate and many
people do prefer a personal answer to THEIR questions. Fear of receiving
comments like this has kept me from asking questions (many times) that
could have been answered quickly rather then trying to navigate the
library, ending up with a migraine, and still not finding the answer.
— Nancy S.
May 17, 2003
I use the library often in my search for insurance appeal information, diet
histories, personal experiences, etc...Try looking up Aetna and you will
get answers to a question you may have, but the answer is no longer valid
as the information has changed. Insurance company policies change overnight
it seems; so what was true one day, may no longer apply the next.
Also, the simple fact that there are willing people to offer support and
advice in "REAL TIME," means more to the person asking the
question. It seems there is a more genuine, more comforting feeling,
knowing that someone can relate to what I am going through TODAY as
compared to someone in 1999. Furthermore, there is a sense of comfort in
the kind words of encouragement & support freely exchanged amongst AMOS
members. It just has a greater effect to me...Besides, the interaction
amongst AMOS members is what makes this site special(IMHO.) God Bless!
— Shayla527
May 17, 2003
MY PERSONAL OPINION. Repeat questions are often about more than getting a
answer to a specific question. They are often about knowing that someone
else has been in the same position as you. Much of it is about
support.<P> With my mod hat on lets treat everyone nice. The site is
about supporting one another Thanks very much.
— bob-haller
May 17, 2003
you know what the cool thing is here..... if you dont feel like answering..
or reading the question for that matter.. then dont.... but if you want to
remember how it felt in the begging.. how much comfort you got in getting
answers to your exact wording.. then answer... who cares if it is a
duplicate question.. it is a different person.. your the leader of
yourself... just pass it on.. go to the next question... there are sooo
many posters here that i see in at least 1 in 5 posts... thats what makes
this site what it is... a family...... keep it up you guys.... i know when
i post a question who is going to answer me... :) thank you... ( that was
suppossed to sound just a little tiny itsy bitsy mean.. ) not to much
though.. just a tad....
— Erinn M.
May 17, 2003
thank all of you for responding to this. i am fairly new here, and when i
read this i was like OMG i will never ask another question again! but my
new family pulled through to let us newbies its o.k! yall are awesome!
— TIFFANY R.
May 17, 2003
JMO..but I have to agree with the posters here, since there are so many
"helpers" out there it shouldnt be an issue of weather someone
duplicates a question or not but rather a nice gester that someone out
there wants to help the individual with a personal response, which might i
add, gives the individual a sense of support from all of us that have gone
though what they are about to go through or just need our support in
general...i use the search and there have many of times the answer i am
looking for does not meet my specific needs and so asking and getting a
personal response makes me feel supported and in return i support those
that need it as well......
— Deanna Wise
May 17, 2003
that was kind of a mean post... most of the Q&A are for the newbies...
they are new to the sight, and after they are here awhile I think they will
be able to explore the sight and use it as perfect as you do, one day...
and also know how to navigate it without problems or repeats (as if that is
a major problem?). everything takes time. I do agree, libraries with info
like this sight offers, and the knowledge, needs to be continuously
updated... not kept around for 2 or 3 years!! things change monthly in WLS!
*that's just my $.02*
— heather S.
May 17, 2003
MY FIRST REACTION TO THIS POST WAS "CAN SOMEONE SPELL PMS?" I
WAS, HOWEVER, *REALLY* HAPPY TO READ THE REPLIES MOST PPL WROTE. WE ARE
HERE AS A FAMILY TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER. AND SOMETIMES U JUST NEED TO REACH
OUT FOR HELP. NOW, AS A *READER*, YOU DON'T HAVE TO ACCEPT OTHERS'
OUTSTRETCHED HANDS. BUT WHO GIVES YOU THE RIGHT TO TELL THEM NOT TO ASK FOR
HELP...NOT TO VENTILATE...NOT TO SEARCH FOR SUPPORT AMONGS *FRIENDS*??!!
AFTER THE GRACIOUS HELP I RECIEVED HERE WHEN I FIRST JOINED, I'M NOW MORE
THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER ALL THE QS FROM NEWBIES...I WAS IN THEIR SHOES ONE
DAY. AND DON'T GET ME WRONG, YOU *ARE* ENTITLED TO YOUR OPINION. BUT SAVE
YOURSELF THE HEADACHE AND STEER CLEAR AWAY FROM THE Q & A SECTION....I
HEAR THE LIBRARY IS LESS OF A HEADACHE. (NB: EXCUSE ME IF I SOUND OFFENSIVE
BUT THE POST ITSELF IS REAAALLY OFFESIVE AS WELL.)
— Laura R.
May 17, 2003
Well - I got put in my place!!!! I'm talking about the questions that are
the same in the last 24-48 hours. When I was new (Nov.2002) I too read the
Q&A's and got alot of information to what a pre-op feels, thinks and
wants to find out. But I read the questions and answers and didn't need to
ask them myself that day. I explored this site and found the Library page
that too gave alot of information on some of the same topics. I too feel
that after a while it would be wise to save space to eliminate the
Q&A's that are more than a couple years old - to keep them current due
to changes in policies or coverages of insurances. My point is ask all you
want and need but use the Library, scroll down the 300 question list, etc
-- your answer may sitting right there. We need to help each other by
letting the pre-ops know there are many ways to find their answers and then
if they post an important question to THEM, give them a personal heartfelt
answer. By the way - this post was not put on someones question - now that
would have been offensive!!!
— Sally P.
May 17, 2003
Give a man a fish and he will eat today teach him to fish and he will eat
for a lifetime. I love to respond to newbies, but when they sound like
they want all the work done for them, I refer them to places to find the
answers. When they sound like they need a hug and attention, I try to give
a hug and attention. My first time posting I said, I am interested in
surgery, tell me about it. Got no response. Forced me to patroll the
site. Had someone answered all my needs, I would never have learned so
much from so many.
— faybay
May 18, 2003
goodness.. nothing wrong with repeat questions, sometimes new insight is
gained that way... if you've got a problem with it.. just skip it and move
on...
— Lisa C.
May 18, 2003
The "library" needs a serious overhaul -- it's almost unusable in
its current state. Which is too bad, because it could be an extremely
useful feature.
— Tally
May 18, 2003
I know as a semi-new member I had asked a question and didn't get any
response, becuase I was asking about a really rare condition. But when I
searched the library I did find some old post that helped me and I was able
to e-mail those old members who don't visit the site as often.
— Sarahlicious
May 18, 2003
When I first was researching WLS (November 2001) I read all Q&As every
day and also read the entire library. At the bottom of the initial page
you can access sections of the library starting with learning about the
surgery through the enitre procedure. I read everything. If someone
referenced a site, I read it. By the time I was through I had a pretty
good overall knowledge of WLS from start to finish. Any questions I asked
were specific (such as the effect of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome). Last week
I had a hernia repaired and the library had a wealth of information; first
I checked "hernia" and then I checked "mesh," and I had
no need to ask a question here. I'm an independent old woman and I try to
do everything I can for myself. I agree with Fay about the
"support" questions but expecting others to hand feed you
suggests an immaturity inappropriate to understanding the scope of WLS and
the responisbility you are undertaking. Nina in Maine
— [Deactivated Member]
May 18, 2003
Sally, I thought you were just being helpful to the newbies by advising
them to look in the Library first before posting questions that the rest of
us see over and over again. I, too, have answered some of those repeat
questions by tactfully "suggesting" that the poster search the
library for more answers to their question, however, after reading the
responses from others, I can understand that some posters may just want to
reach out to us for some personal attention, and in some cases, we are all
they have. Faye makes a good point though that we should still inspire
newbies to check out the library as they still need to do some work on
their own to stay up on WLS, as we all do!
— Cindy R.
May 18, 2003
Sally, I read your re-post below (and have already posted on this) and I
totally understand what you mean now, by the repeats within 24-48 hours. I
think a main reason that happens, I don't think anyone mentioned this
already, is b/c it takes a few hours for your question to show up. So, two
people could ask it around the same time and not even know it, or the same
person might post the same question twice b/c he/she didn't see it show up,
when in fact, it just takes a few hours, not minutes. So, in that sense,
not something we can fix.
— Lezlie Y.
May 18, 2003
Lezlie, you beat me to my point:~) I have noticed several questions that
are similar in nature that are so close to each other and just shrug,
thinking that they were posted in a clump, and didn't know that the other
was posting the same thing. That should be an area for the moderators to
fix. I am assuming that they view the questions before they are posted, so
why are the duplicates posted?? And the Library is exhausting with a
terrible search engine. I don't even have the patience to navigate it.
This is such an AWESOME website, I really wish they would put some more
work into the library. I have posted questions that could possibly have
been in the library, I just didn't have the time to do the searching. Yes,
I wanted to be hand fed my answer. But I also hand feed many others. Its
all about support!!
— Cheri M.
May 18, 2003
AMOS MOD HERE<P> A long time ago the members here were asked about
duplicates. Over 99% said they wanted all duplicates approved. Since the
answer questions but provide support as well. This is the policy we have
today. Not everyone agrees with it but I would rather approve 1000
duplicates before saying to someone in need of support go look in the
library. The MB and Q&A are different. But some posters never visit the
MB, others hang out on the MB all the time. Myself I prefer the order of
Q&A over the chaotic jumble of the busy MB, but thats MY personal
preference.
— bob-haller
May 18, 2003
I just came across this comment/question. And let me say WOW!!!! I am
still pre-op and find myself going to the Q&A section at least 4 times
a day, during the week. On Sunday I usually catch up on the questions that
had been asked over the last 48 hours. I see a TON of questions that are
asked over and over again. You know what I do when I see that? I go right
past them. If it is not something I am interested in, I do not waste my
time looking at it. Why can't everyone else do that? I have learned so
much from this website. I have asked a few questions, and even answered a
few. But I do most of my research in the library or by emailing people. I
try to post as few questions as possible on the Q&A board. To be
honest, I do not always like the responses I get. Sometimes I feel like
people are rude with their replys. It makes me feel like I am totally
clueless when all I am trying to do is get a little bit of advice. Yes we
can all ask our doctors. I know that. But maybe I want to talk to someone
who has had the surgery and has been through everything I will be going
through soon. I guess all I am trying to say is, thank you to all of you
out there who take the time to answer all of our questions! Without all of
you, I would not be as well informed as I am now. Keep up the good work!
And once I am post-op I plan on helping as many newbies as I can, even if I
have already answered the same question 50 times before.
— Maria S
May 18, 2003
This has been a deep question that has brought out some VERY good
discussion about our thoughts and how deep we feel for each other and want
to help make the pre-op journey easier. Gosh, I lived on this site when I
first joined - hung on every word as truth from those that have gone before
me. I couldn't get enough! This may have open some discussion by the
Moderators and site Web People - how we can improve the Q&A section and
how we can improve/update the Library, so it's user friendly. But it has
also brought out (1) how we can misunderstand each other (2) How if you
poise a question incorrectly or not worded right, it can be misunderstood
and (3) how we all need to be nicer to everyone - new, old and inbetween.
New/Pre-ops - We want you to ask away - no matter how silly it sounds to
you, someone is feeling the same thing in their mind and may be afraid to
ask it. Please do not be afraid of any of us- we've been there before too.
Older members/post-ops - we need to give alot more love to our member
"babies" - and give them an answer to whatever they feel. This
site has alot to offer - check out all the pages, and don't limit
yourselves to just the top 10 questions -- look at the last 300 questions
asked to see if you can get some FRESH imformation that has already been
asked in the last couple of days - then check the library to see what else
you can learn. Then if you can't find what you need - ask that question --
because we're here for you!! Love, Sally
— Sally P.
May 18, 2003
While I do agree that some questions coud be answered in the Library. I
felt the same way you do. However, the closer I get to surgery (18 days) .
. . I see that the Q&A board is also a place of support. Many Post-Ops
with tons of knowledge are here to help us through. I want their answers .
. . Also I have printed pagers of info for after surgery, but as I read the
Q&A's many people need the support of a personal answer or bit of
experience that comes from the friendly post -ops. I agree sometimes ...
people could look up the answer . . . but I would hate to lose all the
friendly and personal help and comfort I see many people get . . . Michele
:)
— Michele D.
December 22, 2005
i was a member cant sign in because of new email address old one was
[email protected] and [email protected] dont remember username
and password please help
— pamelajohnson
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