PLEASE STOP!

[DianeArnold]

Hi Everyone. I seem to be reminding people all too often NOT to mention clinics by name, or their specialists. This is seen as advertising. Please see conditions of membership. Likewise, the naming of medication and apparatus too, is seen as advertising. Should this continue, myself or one of the other administrators will delete the post. Likewise pictures of blood clots are offensive and cause upset. Sorry to be so abrupt, but we get so many reports of abuse, which we don't need. Take care all of you. Diane

[ttcemmie]

Hi Diane. This might be a ridiculous question, but is it "advertising" if you're not saying anything positive about them? Serious question.

[DianeArnold Partner Nurse Fertility Network UK in reply to ttcemmie]

Hi. If you need t mention a clinic, then ask any responders to reply via a private message to you. Diane

[ttcemmie in reply to DianeArnold]

Okay, thank you Diane.

[Peony85]

Hi Diane, just curious - is this a Fertility Network rule or a Health Unlocked rule? I ask as it has genuinely been helpful for me in the past to understand that I was not the only one who reacted in certain ways to certain drugs, and to learn about specific branded procedures.

[DianeArnold Partner Nurse Fertility Network UK in reply to Peony85]

Hi. It really applies to unusual medications such as teas and powders. Any medication that is being taken and not in a patients' treatment protocol, should be discussed with their specialist before continuing with them. Hope that helps. Diane

[hifer in reply to DianeArnold]

Hi Diane. Sorry if we’ve caused you extra work. Are you saying we are not allowed to ask questions about supplements too? X

[Peony85 in reply to DianeArnold]

Thanks Diane, this is helpful.

[Italy300618]

Hi Diane, I do totally understand, but what do you mean by apparatus? Thanks x

[DianeArnold Partner Nurse Fertility Network UK in reply to Italy300618]

Hi. Specific testing kits, Doppler scanners etc. Diane

[Ivf2020A]

Is naming supliments ok? Also due to pcos its helpful to know what medications ppl took are ppl allowed to pm this information?

[DianeArnold Partner Nurse Fertility Network UK in reply to Ivf2020A]

Hi. People can PM you information, that's fine. It's brand names. You can say perhaps take a "multivitamin specific for pre-conception" and not the brand name. people can inform you of a particular treatment regime they used, for information. Diane

[LizzieBW]

Sorry Diane, I definitely have mentioned my clinic and someone mentioned that it would be okay to talk about nhs clinics since they're not for profit? So sorry if I've created more work for you. Totally understand the rules are in place for a reason. Thanks so much for your support & all the work you do x

[DianeArnold Partner Nurse Fertility Network UK in reply to LizzieBW]

Hi. No worries. Diane xx

[FertileMind]

Dear Diane

Thank you for moderating this forum. I appreciate that someone has set the rules of this forum and if people don’t abide by them, then posts as you say are deleted. A question if I may, who says “mentioning clinics, supplements by name” Is advertising? Surely this is sharing experiences?

And if drug names can be named... but supplements can’t, how can that not be double standards? We shouldn’t be able to name a drug either then, because this too would be seen as advertising. Or can we name a supplement if our doctor prescribes it as part of our protocol?

Isn’t the whole purpose of an open forum to share information and experiences freely? Freedom of speech and lack of censorship surely is the backbone of honest discourse & democracy.

[DianeArnold Partner Nurse Fertility Network UK in reply to FertileMind]

Hi. Yes, I admit I put this request in quickly. Just a bit fed up with clinic names and specialists being mentioned. Specific fertility drugs would be OK to name, but not advertising teas and unprescribed drugs. Vitamins etc., I always advise to run past your specialist, just in case any should clash with prescribed medication. I even get white witches trying to get people to buy their mixtures etc., so just trying to protect you as best as I can. Some ladies are very vulnerable and easily coerced into spending lots of money with no foundation as to whether the medication is truly beneficial or not. Diane

[FertileMind]

Hi Diane

Thanks for this. It's a tricky one isn't it. We know that many women will not have fallen pregnant without supplements and nutrition advice, and there's more and more scientific evidence around the body mind connection and supporting the body to be its own healer. I have many friends who wouldn't be alive today if they'd only listened to their doctors.

Eastern medicine has been around for thousands of years. Mainstream Western medicine universities are funded by Pharmaceutical companies. Psychoneuroimmunoendocrinology has been around for many years....Perhaps the answer to perfect health lies in a combination of many different modalities ...and now targeted bespoke individualised treatment is gaining ground. perhaps we should be embracing everything and seeing what works for each of us?

In order for people to be able to make informed decisions, it's my personal belief that information needs to be accessible. Then the person reading it, needs to do their own research and decide what resonates with them, and yes take that information to their specialist and review it. You rightly say that it may clash with medication, or be doing the very same thing and doubling up...

The reason why people come to these forums is to get information from others going through similar experiences...we are seekers of information. We are not victims, we are in control of our own health and new discoveries are happening every day. If a patient, after reading lots of information and evidence, believes in one approach and their specialist doesn't, then it's time to change specialists. Each clinic has their own approach to fertility and this forum provides evidence from other women, who have "been there, done that" which is brilliant to help people decide what's best for them.

It's a fine line between protection and censoring information in a democratic country... thank you for being open to the discussion, and enjoy this beautiful sunshine!