July 2, 2014 10:58 AM BST
Yes that is correct! You have read the title "A pack of Peanuts please" . So what have peanuts got to do with hormones? Well there is a warning on them saying they may contian nut traces , I would like to think there are some traces of nuts in my pack of peanuts.
So what happens if you put those peanuts in a plain pack? Does the warning still count for anything? Yes if you have an allergy to nuts it does count for a lot "They can harm or even kill you".
The same goes for hormones . The hormones you buy from the internet may not be what you think they are , I have even read experiences of some getting them with no instructions or some in the wrong language. Instructions?????? Stupid word! The only person who can instruct you on how to take them is your doctor or gender specialist.
There is no person on this website qualified to tell you what is best for you "Fact" . They do not have your medical history or have a list of any medication that you are currently taking , they have no access to your medical files.
Every hormone can be a risk , any person here telling you or advising you it is ok to take that risk is wrong . Even if that person is not directly saying its ok it could be taken as advice by a naive person.
This website needs a disclaimer ASP . I am sure Crissie could research that . One day some person here is going to harm themselves by bad advice given here. It needs to be made clear that this website holds no responsibility for advice offered by members not qualified to do so , it is the member who gets sued not this website.
Even if this website had a doctor here it would be ilegal for that doctor to say it is ok to take this medication or that medication.
Peanuts can kill! Peanuts are food hormones are not.
Take care , and I do mean take care.
July 2, 2014 12:03 PM BST
We should all be careful about the advice we give and take. There's so much helpful advice, support, and friendship here at GS it's amazing. As much as we are all responsible for whatever advice we give, we are equally responsible for what we do with whatever advice we take.
July 2, 2014 12:26 PM BST
I agree with everything you say Julia. May I please now add to that without you thinking I am disagreeing with you, because I AM NOT DISAGREEING WITH YOU!
We did used to have a disclaimer on the old TW site, we should certainly re-instate it.
I think everyone has got the message now; you don't see anyone going around saying, "Take these tablets twice a day after food..." Which is as it should be as you rightly point out Julia.
But we must be able to discuss hormones and not reduce threads on this forum to an automated response of, "Go to your doctor and don't dare ask anything here".
There are many forms of hormones out there, some proven to be more dangerous than others, there are many ways of administering them, some proven to be safer than others. There are many androgen blockers out there, some possibly more dangerous than any hormone, but do people above a certain age need blockers at all..?
There are many questions, subjects for debate, we must be allowed to speak freely on our own regimes, our experiences good or bad. People need to talk about this, and if we don't allow discussion they will just go elsewhere.
As you often point out Julia, not many GP's are experts on trans issues, and that includes hormones prescribed for feminisation. It's a slightly different kettle of fish to HRT, and I believe individuals need to know what they are doing as much as their doctor does. For anyone using hormones, a lot of knowledge on the subject is better than a little, or none at all.
So let's get on with some discussion without simply pouncing on people who dare to ask. Yes, they must see their doctor, yes they must get regular blood tests, and no-one here should be advising them what exactly they should be taking.
When all's said and done, everything posted in this forum, including this post, is just the opinion of an individual, and should not be construed as medical advice. But that doesn't mean we can't talk about it.
We all have to start somewhere, I found information on this and other sites invaluable in all aspects of my transition, including the use of hormones, when in those days I knew nothing.
Let's help others get to where you and I are Julia, without scaring them off or refusing to discuss it.
Again, just my opinions...
xx
July 2, 2014 12:43 PM BST
Devil and deep blue sea, situation. Some things I am adamant about, unsuported blurbs about certain ''Natural'' products. Now we come to an advice scenario, someone is intending to self medicate what ever we say, there is only one on here who I think has done enough research and knows enough to guide people, in a way to keep them safe, as safe as they can be, She is pretty astute. thats why she was made moderator of the Hormones city forum, Note she always advises caution and insists anyone should do their own research and seek medical support. there are a lot of desperate and needy people out there, some, who will only take in what they want to hear.
I posted this at the wrong time , it is looking like I am having a go at Lucy because of somethiing I posted this morning in another thread. I can assure you all that is not the case , I am very short of time and trying to be in 3 places at once.
My main concern is for this website and its members. I care very deeply about GS and I also care about people . Me being so short of time there are things here that do need sorting out yesterday , if I see a wrong I do my best to put it right , that is here and in my life outside here.
I see some really stupid things in this forum about hormones! That is why I plucked the title out of thin air , to get attention to the wrongs.
Lucy knows her stuff , I have read many posts where she corrects others. This is really about people who do not know what they are talking about. This website needs to be here for the current and future generations , if it gets sued over some idiot saying take this its fine for me so it must be for you a disclaimer needs to be here to protect GS ASAP.
I care it is as simple as that , just as others do here , this was aimed at no individual but I can put links here to sheer stupidity.
I really need to be somewhere else I am late .
Julia x
English law has changed, new precedents have been set regarding the internet. and a new bill is under consideration.
http://gendersociety.com/forums/topic/9134/new-obligations-for-website-oper
you will note. each forum page header notes personal liability to the individual and the home page signing in, note upon entering this site you may be held legaly responisble for anything you post.
I'm sure Katie won't mind me quoting her here, it seems appropriate to do so:
"Please be very careful when posting anything about other people and remember that you are responsible for everything you write.
Thanks, Katie"
If anyone here gives out irresponsible advice then they are liable for any comeback. As moderator of this forum I will always do my best to put them straight, correct poor information as I see fit, but as I've said it will ultimately just be an opinion, like anything posted on any forum on the internet. To be honest not many people come here and start dishing out bad advice, the emphasis is always on caution, very much so.
But yes, if you go back and search the archives you will indeed see some bizarre and in my opinion stupid posts. That's the main reason we got such an excellent moderator in, ahem...
In all seriousness, you can't stop new members coming here and saying ill thought out things, so there's little point repeatedly to trying to pre-empt that; it only serves to stifle conversation amongst current members who may be afraid to say... anything! But we can correct the foolish ones for the benefit of all, and I can moderate posts here if I see fit; it has been known to happen.
Generally speaking Julia, I think the best thing you can do if you see an inappropriate post is to contact the moderator of the forum in question. By all means state your opinion, but remember that like everyone else, it's just your opinion. We don't want to scare away newcomers to this site, so there's no need to be so harsh on them, just politely put them straight. Most of them mean well, just like yourself.
Julia, we know you care about this site, but to repeatedly say so in your defence is to imply that the rest of us don't, which of course we do. I joined over 10 years ago and have paid to become a lifetime member. I volunteered to moderate the hormone forum because at the time it was seriously being abused. I wouldn't have done that if I didn't care, and the same goes for the other mod and admin volunteers and all the paying members here. We all care, we know you do too, so perhaps try to be a little more welcoming even if a newbie does post stupid or inappropriate stuff. Show that you care rather than just say you do. It's easy to politely point out errors that newbies may make, and it's quite probable that they are actually nice people and have a good reason to be here.
I've strayed a little off your original topic, but you know what I'm talking about.
Have I politely made myself clear without you feeling you have to defend yourself? I do hope so.
xx
July 2, 2014 11:46 PM BST
Sitting here in my lame attempt to put some weight on myself I have a bag of Liquorice allsorts! Maybe I should have used that as a title , they state may contain nut traces . It takes allsorts to make this website , at times the wrong sort come along , maybe I care to much! I do know I have stopped caring about myself and it has made me ill.
Thank you for the link Crissie I am to tired to read it now I have to be up at 4am.
Lucy I do understand the work that all of the Moderators put into GS and I personally Thank you all for what you do because I think the work goes unoticed by some.
Take care all , Julia xx
July 2, 2014 11:58 PM BST
Start caring for yourself again Julia. Here's something to wrap your head around: if you can't care for yourself for yourself, care for yourself for me, okay?
This place does indeed take 'allsorts'. It's a good thing too - wouldn't it get boring otherwise? True, not all have the best advice to give or even the right motivations in giving it, but we do our best to look out for each other, right? It's so great we have this wonderful place to do just that!
