Diabetes Type 2 Support Group

Good questions, Hathani. It should also be asked is this what DS meant when it formed the support group.

First change would have to be better treatment of new people. It was very upsetting to see how some were treated. Often they were just diagnosed and are in an emotional place anyway. To come here for support and get the opposite.

I was unaware of the group at the time, but at least 40 people left to try to form a more friendly support group. They are doing great, but THIS is where the new people come.

I know I'm new here, but have been reading and keeping up since July, so my suggestions are not just coming from a few days of info.

Anyway...new people...maybe a few volunteer welcomers? One suggestion at a time for me :-)

Yes Bobbi I know you are new to the group but not to DS and not to diabetes either.
And yes this IS the place that the internet does send them when they search for help/support for T2.
AND most people are going through so many emotions with a diagnosis including shock, denial, depression, confusion and others.
They need support and a gentle hand to guide them, to let them know that they are NOT alone in their struggle that we have all been through it.
Yes people to welcome (it was used in another group for a while but there were too many people coming to keep up) , I do not think that there is a way that you can have people notified of new members like you can in the member groups, would make it easier if you could that is for sure.

I just want to see harmony and genuine discussions for people struggling with Type 2 diabetes or its onslaught....
Thats all.. a comminity or family where we are not treated like brainless morons and bembarded with googled literature and dangerous advice...

Thats all...
As it should be a support group
BUZZ

Hathani, Andy and all. I know it's impossible to know all the newcomers, but a post devoted to an honest open welcome, encouraging them to introduce themselves and tell their story, would be a huge improvement. There's enough people here to keep it bumped to the first page. Just an idea.

The thing is...they have to feel safe posting. There can be no accusing them of being someone else or telling them their medications are wrong.

I wanted to catch up on the Metformin debate, but think I've got a fairly good idea now. And I gather every one is sick of it already :-) I just have one addition that may or may not have been said before. Metformin is also used to control weight gain from certain meds that CAUSE weight gain....who'd a thunk it? LOL

Support is a two way street...as soon as I feel comfortable, I WILL be seeking support for my husband with an A1c of 11.5 last month. Support "should' go both ways.
Hugs,
Bobbi

I would like to see openminded, mature, educated conversation. With support comes knowledge. Most issues are multifaceted. Meaning that there is more than one way to approach diagnosis, treatment and coping. I would also like to see better monitoring/censorship as a whole on DS. As for the new, actual members, definitely WELCOME, please post more.

I will.....

I have a question....what constitutes an "actual" member?

I know it can't be that you must have diabetes type 2 for obvious reasons. I also know that we can't write off newbies as trolls just because we are paranoid and think they might be someone else. So exactly how do you tell a real member and what is a fake member?

As for DS censorship, they have been through this board thoroughly twice now and said there is nothing here to censor. If you don't like what someone says, then just put them on ignore.
THAT was their advice both times.

There are such a wide variety of people here on DS that not everyone is going to agree with you. It's completely natural and expected. But to put someone down, simply because the do NOT agree with you is highly unappropriate. The thing to do in these situations is to agree to disagree. That way both opinions are still respected and no one comes off as a "know-it-all" with a god complex.

I guess the above would be my second "want to see". Respect for differing opinions.

Oh, and one more thing....we may learn a thing or two here, but this is not an educational group. It's a support group. If people want to learn more about diabetes there are a million sites to go to. They don't come here for "knowledge". They come here to know they are not alone and to share their good and bad experiences.

Her " knowledge" and "facts" could scare a newbie to death.....
Life is hard enough with T2D with out the holier than thou attitude...
Put a sock in it "SOCK"

I have to agree with that last post. I remember a newbie and she was just dx and asked about taking Metformin.
Out came Socks with her black death label posting all the horrible things it could do to her. I felt so sorry for her, she didn't post again!
I thought that was not called for and I said so but nothing was said. She continues to scare people like that. I think were all adults here but I don't think it's right to scare someone who is already scared about just dealing with diabetes.... let alone the person who acts like they are in charge here taking matters into her own hands posting that information. In time mention it gently.... possibly but dam not like she does.
I don't mind some cut and paste inofrmation but not every single day anything you can manage to find you put up here, that is boring also. Just too much sometimes.
Obviously the people here don't care too much because the regular posters aren't posting anything.
No one is in charge here,but there is always someone who wants to be Queen Bee. That is fine till you start acting like your better then all of us. There is no reason we shouldn't all get along and be supporative of one another. And try not to think your an MD when your not. We learn from everyone and their experience too. Is it so hard to be nice?

Well I think we all know people who can't take some of the drugs - including metformin - others can and find it the best thing to help them. I am one who can't, my mum is one who can.
Yeah go figure I got the short straw on that one.
It worked really well but also got me extremely sick. Stupid allergies.
There is only one drug that I would ever tell someone to talk to their dr and educator about before using - and most here no longer prescribe it as even though it is very good it also very dangerous. But if someone on here mentioned they were using it or were thinking of doing so I would message them and not bounce them around on the board.

To be honest Sunnie I hope this will settle down and we can have peace and just be here to help the newbies - they have probably already heard all the scare tales about potential long-term problems.
We even have TV ads showing them - thing is I think it does the opposite to what they want and people think that if they have that IS what will happen when it is the exception rather than the rule.
I would love to go back to taking a back seat here again, I really would.
Most would have family and friends with all the miracle cures. This is not the place for that. We should only ever be a support and help and only give them information IF and WHEN they ask for it and not bombard them with all the stuff they should do.
Their drs have probably already done ALL that.

I think letting the newbie - after they have been welcomed - set the pace at which THEY want to go would be a good idea too.
Some will post like there is no tomorrow with questions. Others will just sit back and read. And those are a concern because some of what has been put up here might give them ideas that are probably not going to be true in their situation.
Hard to know the answer but I guess trying to welcome them as they join might be the way to go - but then it depends who does the welcoming...........
And Bobbi you are right - this group has been checked out thoroughly and there is nothing that has been posted that DS would address as a problem.