Forum questions: additional forums?

Enclave

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I was going to suggest a forum for diabetecs with heart problems ..but then remembered we have the any other health problems forums :) sorted ;)
 
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AndBreathe

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Just a general comment: we need to.ensure we don't end up with as many sub-fora as topics for discussion.

The frustrating reality is that Diabetes is a portfolio condition, with some more major/common groups - e.g T1, T2, Gestational. I think the sub-fora for the likes of T2 on insulin are valuable, but if we're not too careful we'll have almost personalised sub-fora for folks like me. "T2, not too bulky, no other health issues, but a cantankerous old baggage".

Whilst I agree there may be some commonalities within diabetics, like Vitamin D deficiencies, are "bonus" conditions not covered in the general run or larger typing fora?

I'm just putting that out there for a bit of thought/discussion.

I many consider changing my name to Devils Advocate..........
 
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Administrator

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New sub-forum to be created:

Type 3c
Gluten-free

Am I correct in thinking that a MODY forum was a suggestion that didn't attract much support?
 
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Administrator

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Yep, if we can get back on topic :) Sorry, totally realised how threads can derail so quickly! Some interesting thoughts here - will create it into 2 threads tomorrow (can't do it from the app)
 
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TorqPenderloin

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Too many subsections can be a bad thing in a forum, but I think it might be valuable to have a "Young adult" section. Especially considering that there have been several young members post in the "Teenager" forum. Personally, I think the maturity gap is much tighter between an 18 and 25 year old versus an 18 and 13 year old.

Often times, these are the people who are struggling the most (mentally and physically) and consequently need the most support. I can also imagine it can be difficult for someone in their early 20s to relate to someone older than their parents.
 
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Administrator

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Ohhhhh thank you @Administrator!:) I think the type 3C/Pancreatic (but not pancreatitis) label would be best as the 3C is only recently becoming a common name for it. Not sure brittle diabetes would work because its sometimes used by HCPs to describe any one who's not controlled well so it may get confusing!! I'm also chuffed about the vegetarian forum! Sue x

It's done!
 
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Administrator

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Too many subsections can be a bad thing in a forum, but I think it might be valuable to have a "Young adult" section. Especially considering that there have been several young members post in the "Teenager" forum. Personally, I think the maturity gap is much tighter between an 18 and 25 year old versus an 18 and 13 year old.

Often times, these are the people who are struggling the most (mentally and physically) and consequently need the most support. I can also imagine it can be difficult for someone in their early 20s to relate to someone older than their parents.

Good idea - we'll get onto this tomorrow. Thanks.
 
M

mrspuddleduck

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Too many subsections can be a bad thing in a forum, but I think it might be valuable to have a "Young adult" section. Especially considering that there have been several young members post in the "Teenager" forum. Personally, I think the maturity gap is much tighter between an 18 and 25 year old versus an 18 and 13 year old.

Often times, these are the people who are struggling the most (mentally and physically) and consequently need the most support. I can also imagine it can be difficult for someone in their early 20s to relate to someone older than their parents.

I so think this a brilliant idea!! Sue x
 
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_petal_

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Am I correct in thinking that a MODY forum was a suggestion that didn't attract much support?

As desidiabulum has said, a MODY forum probably wouldn't get many posts, but it would be nice to have somewhere to call home, and may attract some more of us to join up if it appears we have a place. It's a bit lonely being a MODY...!
 
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Mike d

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Agree with that age separation ... when you're that young (forgetting this is an open forum for the moment) they do need support from others of a similar age and they should be given confidence to do that away from those of us who might seem (to them at least) encroach on their space.
 
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eddie1968

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@Administrator the new forum format is semi acceptable to me but like any other thing in life over expansion can be a bad thing.
Some of these new forums have attracted few visitors and they should be given a trial period to see if they can be sustained. Keeping things simple usually work best.
 
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TorqPenderloin

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@Administrator the new forum format is semi acceptable to me but like any other thing in life over expansion can be a bad thing.
Some of these new forums have attracted few visitors and they should be given a trial period to see if they can be sustained. Keeping things simple usually work best.
I agree.

1.) Type 1.5/LADA Diabetes- Needs to be merged into the Type 1 subsection. As someone who was diagnosed at 27 years old (arguably Type 1.5) I will say that I rarely post in this section in favor of the "Type 1" subsection.

2.) Type 3c (Pancreatic Diabetes)- I understand it's a completely separate type and people didn't want to feel left out, but creating this subsection has had the opposite effect from its intent....9 threads, the majority of which are about people asking what type 3c is.

3.) "Gestational Diabetes" and "Pregnancy" need to be merged. I realize the two terms aren't synonymous, but they are certainly relevant to one another.

4.) The "Vegetarian Diet" and "Gluten-free" subsections should be merged into something like "Diet restrictions"

EDIT- None of these are the fault of the moderation team. Many of them were created based on the requests from members, but as mentioned, sometimes you need to make adjustments when trying something doesn't quite work out as planned.

EDIT2- My knowledge of internet forums and server load is limited, but it was my understanding that very large threads (like the "What are you doing right now" thread) create a significant server load. I wonder if it would be possible to archive the existing thread and start a new one (assuming it is causing excess load on the server).
 
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Administrator

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I agree.

1.) Type 1.5/LADA Diabetes- Needs to be merged into the Type 1 subsection. As someone who was diagnosed at 27 years old (arguably Type 1.5) I will say that I rarely post in this section in favor of the "Type 1" subsection.

2.) Type 3c (Pancreatic Diabetes)- I understand it's a completely separate type and people didn't want to feel left out, but creating this subsection has had the opposite effect from its intent....9 threads, the majority of which are about people asking what type 3c is.

3.) "Gestational Diabetes" and "Pregnancy" need to be merged. I realize the two terms aren't synonymous, but they are certainly relevant to one another.

4.) The "Vegetarian Diet" and "Gluten-free" subsections should be merged into something like "Diet restrictions"

Really interesting!

Point 1/3 make sense - would love to hear thoughts from everyone on those.

Point 3/4 - Vegetarian diets are hugely relevant (in terms of population/size) to the community - perhaps longer time can/should be given to this? In terms of a thread:post ratio, the Vege forum is strong. The GF forum isn't so could be merged into a sub-forum within Food? Thoughts?

The Type 3c forum is a valid point - it's not huge in threads - but does provide a method for people to find friends/others - so perhaps is placed within a 'Other types of diabetes' forum where other types of diabetes could have subforums as they grow?

@Administrator the new forum format is semi acceptable to me but like any other thing in life over expansion can be a bad thing.
Some of these new forums have attracted few visitors and they should be given a trial period to see if they can be sustained. Keeping things simple usually work best.

Yes. At least we think that's the best approach. It should make sense/be appropriate. The idea is to give everything 8 weeks to see whether it's appropriate - which is Feb 1 for this set of changes.

I think it might be valuable to have a "Young adult" section. Especially considering that there have been several young members post in the "Teenager" forum. Personally, I think the maturity gap is much tighter between an 18 and 25 year old versus an 18 and 13 year old.

We had this scheduled for launch later this week.
 
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Enclave

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4.) The "Vegetarian Diet" and "Gluten-free" subsections should be merged into something like "Diet restrictions"
Sorry but vegetarian and vegan are not in any way connected with gluten-free .. Vegetarian & Vegan is NOT a diet restriction .. its a life style choice not to eat or accept the killing of animals for eating.
 
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AndBreathe

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In my view Gestational Diabetes and Pregnancy should not be merged. Gestational Diabetes is a condition. Pregnancy can happen to all types of diabetics, although it'd be a miracle in my case! As I understand it, diabetics who would like to become pregnant are advised to achieve and maintain excellent control and their pregnancies can have a few additional challenges. My grasp of gestational diabetes is that it occurs during pregnancy for some women and often resolves post-partum.

i have no vested interest in this, but just feel they're some way distant to one another.
 
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Avocado Sevenfold

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Sorry but vegetarian and vegan are not in any way connected with gluten-free .. Vegetarian & Vegan is NOT a diet restriction .. its a life style choice not to eat or accept the killing of animals for eating.
Agreed.
 
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TorqPenderloin

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Sorry but vegetarian and vegan are not in any way connected with gluten-free .. Vegetarian & Vegan is NOT a diet restriction .. its a life style choice not to eat or accept the killing of animals for eating.
It wasn't my intention to offend, but just as you worded it, they're both situations where you cannot or chose "not to eat" something. I would also say my allergic reaction to peanuts is connected as well. They pose similar challenges and most "Conventional" dietary approaches do not consider common lifestyle choices and/or allergies. In that sense, they are connected.

Similarly, the topics of gestational diabetes and someone with type 2 wanting to have a safe pregnancy are completely different. However, combining the two into one subsection would help promote a discussion between individuals who have similar knowledge and experiences (compared to someone like me who knows nothing about the subject).

On the contrary, someone who developed gestational diabetes many accidentally post in the pregnancy subsection. That could possibly hinder people from seeing the thread who might be able to help.

Unfortunately, this is the exact problem we face in making changes to the forum. The tendency is to assume that when a topic is added, removed, or condensed with another, the change was made to prioritize or compare topics. That is not true and in fact, quite the contrary.

My suggestions were shared to maximize the efficiency of viewing traffic to ensure people see the topics that are relevant to them. The Type 3c forum is a perfect example. By creating this subsection, it seems to have actually limited the amount of discussion on type 3c. Again, it's a completely separate type of diabetes, but many similar challenges are shared between those with type 1 and those with type 3c. It's certainly a topic that deserves more discussion. Unfortunately, creating a devoted subsection seems to have hindered that.