Several weeks ago a member - I can't remember who - mentioned that a lot of questions get few or no answers. I had to agree with that. Since then I have been thinking quite a lot about it. Is it because we can't be bothered to answer? I don't think so. Is it because we don't know the answers? Probably.
Now this raises the question of whether we try to give an answer even if we don't know a lot about the question and we could give the asker a bum steer as the Americans say. Or do we just ignore it?
So, do we ignore or try?
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phillips1
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Hmmmmmmm - can only speak for me Bobby - if I can actually add something I will answer; if I can't through lack of knowledge I don't - unless it is someone new who I welcome to the site. If there are lots of replies all saying the same thing, I don't tend to as it seems overkill to keep stating the same. The questions side can throw up some really interesting things so that is first tab I go to in all honesty. xx
For me, I wont duplicate what has already been said. Give a newby a welcome. It would have been nice if BLF had made the helpline tel. no visible to all. I am always forgetting it.
Annieseed I know you often say you have no knowledge but just wanted to say hello and "£someone else will probably be along" - and I think that is lovely as it lets people know they are not being ignored. I agree that the helpline should be up there.
Before now if someone hasn't had an answer I have replied just to let them know I know nothing about the subject but sure someone will be along shortly with an answer.
Lib x
Only speaking for myself, if the question is one I feel knowledgeable about, I will answer, otherwise I leave alone. As I see it, a little knowledge can do more harm than good.
Like Scrobbitty, if there are lots of answers all the same, I cannot see the point in adding to it, nor continuing to give the BLF phone number, after it's been given once
I agree completely Sandra. A specific question has a specific answer, there is not much point in 20 people giving the same answer. On the other hand there could be many different opinions or experiences. Support is fantastic but sometimes a quick answer does it if you know the answer! Xx Alison
I think it was me who made that point. At that time, there were hardly any replies to serious questions yet maybe 40 to a joke. I'm not saying that is wrong, but I felt it was a real shame for people looking for answers, especially if new.
Personally, I will reply to give a view, or share what knowledge I have. If I can't do that, and the person is new, I will say hello and give them the helpline number. If the person is not new I might just sympathise and offer the BLF helpline number.
I know if I ask a question I appreciate every response even if it repeats replies made by others. One way to look at it is that it gives greater confidence in a reply, if several say the same thing.
Lynne xx
I too only go into questions I can help with. Most of them I can't but I always try to welcome newcomers. I usually help with questions about COPD and asthma as thats what I know about. But if someone asks about oxygen or PF, I know nothing about these. Don't forget though some of the questions are very specific. The more general ones are easier to help with and will get more response.
The posts will usually get more replies because they are more general and often something we can all relate to ie memories or jokes. I have always thought that most questions do get at least half a dozen responses which is sufficient.
Bev x
The same here Bobby,I'm not a doctor,and I'm certainly not qualified to give an answer to others problems.I say nothing because I know others have maybe gone through the same,and they certainly would know better than me
I don't have answers to anyone's questions, but I can let people know how I coped or dealt with a similar situation. Any advice I give isn't really advice either, it's only a suggestion as to how I might deal with a subject. As I have said before, sometimes hearing others experiences or opinions helps me to make up my own mind, even things I don't agree with can help.
When someone asks questions I know nothing about, or don't have a clue as to what they're referring to, I generally don't comment unless no-one else has. Any response, even hello, is surely better than thinking no-one cares about answering you.
One of the things I have most trouble in responding to is bereavement or really bad news. I write so many responses, then delete them before posting, because I think they always sound so trite. One of the problems with the written word against the spoken!
• in reply to
Hi CarrieMe!
I think your reply is the best, most thoughtful reply I have read since joining Blf. I wholeheartedly agree with you.
None of us are telling anyone what to do. Merely offering suggestions and/or our experiences.
I've had some great ideas from here for ie; Vitamin D, Vitamin B12, Manuka honey, pulmonary rehab not to mention encouragement.
You're right about the writtten word and you wouldn't seem trite - I've done the same in writing a word of sympathy then deleting it, then I try to just say a few words to acknowledge someones pain. I remember how it felt when my brother was killed at 21 & I was 27. It added to the pain at the time although of course I now know they just didn't know what to say.
In reality we might give a person a hug, here it has to be a verbal one xxxx
Hi Bobby, speaking from a nursing point of view, I feel unless it is a question of just support or welcome, we could actually do harm in passing on to much information, I can say this is what I take for my COPD, but I also have a heart condition, & my medication needs to be tailored to that as well,
I will welcome new members & support those having a bad time, but I would never try to interpret their results as like you I am an individual, & it is the place of their GP or Consultant to pass on this information
Karen
xxxx
Hi Bobby.
Working in health care for 20 years my training is not to give any kind of advice because I am not qualified to do that. I will welcome a newbie (I was one once) and tell them that I have had COPD for last 5 years, but unless someone asks me what medication I am on, I don't discuss it because as Karen said we are all different.
The reason why jokes/lighthearted posts get more answers than serious questions is because everyone joins in and back and forth banter develops. With serious medical questions, once 2 or 3 people have given similar answers and given the helpline details, it seems pointless giving the same information all over again. I know if I've given an answer together with the helpline info before anyone else has done so, then to see 7 or 8 posts all the same is just pointless, it's as though some posters read the question but not the replies that have already been .given. If I see an answer I know to be fundamentally wrong, I will post my own reply giving my knowledge of it and suggesting they contact the helpline or their gp though. Libby
As I do not have copd per se then I tend to leave those questions to the hundreds who do. As others have said if someone is new then I will answer and give the BLF advice.
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xx 
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