Information please people!

I've been around the OH forums for probably close to 8 years now and I can't tell you how much this irks me. Please for the love of all that is holy give us enough information to help you! I know newbies aren't pros at this but come on at least tell us which surgery you are having or have had and when, at the very least. There are many vets here that are more than happy to help but not one of us is psychic that I know of. We don't know you and probably don't remember what surgery you had when you posted 6 weeks ago so tell us again. It also depends on when you had your surgery if you are having problems, because what is a problem at 2 weeks out may not be the same problem at 6 mos. out. So do us all a big favor and at the very least always include which surgery you are having and when sowe can give you our very best advice. Most of us aren't going to bother going to your profile to try to find out and many of you don't have it on your profile either so we are at a loss to help you. We want to help but you have to do your part too.

Amen sister!

I'd like to add:  it would be VERY helpful also if folks titled their thread with some sort of hint as to the content.  I rarely even open threads anymore with generic titles like  "help me please" or even "desperate, need advice".

or "Information please people!"

Please, please, please don't post a serious question asking for help or information and IMMEDIATELY deactivate your membership.

You hit the nail on the head there, Bette! I can't imagine why people deactivate, especially without getting even ONE reply.

Spemd 5 minutes on your account profile and it will be there forever and ever ...   An avatar and a meaningful name is always helpful because no one is going to remember Kath23978 or sa0987 but we *might* remember a picture of you or your dog 

Hey all , 

I have to say , I find this post quite aggresive and really condescending . I am a fairly new 'Newbie' , if that is what people who have recently signed up to gather info and chat with people on this board are called . I find the notion that there is some sort of hierarchy on these boards slightly off putting if im honest . Mostly everyone who is joining is fairly new and (in my opinion) probably nervous and hesitant and above all , more or less clueless about their prospective surgeries. And to then read that they are posting wrong or ..whatever ...would be awful . If I had posted my first post , and had not posted these correct details , then read this post ...I'd be kinda mortified ! Probably hesitant to post again . Actually ...im already thinking about all my own posts and now feeling like an idiot as I probably didnt post any info or details . 

Just saying ....let people be .....we are all learning here and last thing we need is to be made to feel like the new kids on the block who know nothing . Its a public forum , open to all ......even dafties like me ! 

On July 9, 2014 at 8:05 PM Pacific Time, jaxie77 wrote:

Hey all , 

I have to say , I find this post quite aggresive and really condescending . I am a fairly new 'Newbie' , if that is what people who have recently signed up to gather info and chat with people on this board are called . I find the notion that there is some sort of hierarchy on these boards slightly off putting if im honest . Mostly everyone who is joining is fairly new and (in my opinion) probably nervous and hesitant and above all , more or less clueless about their prospective surgeries. And to then read that they are posting wrong or ..whatever ...would be awful . If I had posted my first post , and had not posted these correct details , then read this post ...I'd be kinda mortified ! Probably hesitant to post again . Actually ...im already thinking about all my own posts and now feeling like an idiot as I probably didnt post any info or details . 

Just saying ....let people be .....we are all learning here and last thing we need is to be made to feel like the new kids on the block who know nothing . Its a public forum , open to all ......even dafties like me ! 

If people take this as aggressive, they are wrong! Vets like those posting on here spend literally hours answering questions. We get no benefit to ourselves from this. We genuinely do it to help. Newbie is not a derogatory term, it simply means what it says, someone who is new to surgery. We were all newbies once, many posters happily introduce  themselves by saying "Hi, I am a newbie".  I did it myself eight years ago. 

I have lost count of the number of times threads have to be answered by respondents asking the poster which surgery they have had. It makes an enormous difference to how things should be answered. Computer savvy people know they simply add profile details but those not familiar with boards should have the common sense simply to start their post by saying "I have had X surgery and am Y weeks post-op". 

Look at it from our perspective! We are not being critical of newcomers. We try to help. But we are less likely to  bother if we have to ask again and again for basic information.

People also open and answer threads which interest them. If a title simply says "Help", I don't bother opening it. If it said " help with indigestion" or " help needed with fills" I know I might be able to contribute.

so this thread is to HELP newbies. And as newbie is a standard, non-judgemental internet term, I am still using it.

edited for typos.

Oh for crying out loud.  I guess we should have seen this coming.

You may want to re-read the responses.  We are attemptingto make it easier and faster for newbies to get more than a general answer to their questions.  Please quote those responses you deem "quite aggressive", and also those than imply this "hierarchy".  I'll be waiting; because you can't.

As for letting people be.  Have you considered that none of us "bother" anyone with answers unless they post a question or comment?  I've yet to see anyone swoop in generate a thread calling out a lurker for ANYTHING.

(BTW, this post  is an example of condescending. Can you quote another one besides mine in this thread?)

Just a littlebit tired of these types of ridiculous jumps to judgement by admitted newbies and completely owning it.