Hiya .. been there looked .. didn't like .. will check on it again at some point .... but have a look and give it a try as you cannot have too much info , or access to info :)

:) Rich :)

totally agree with can't get enough info, my thoughts were that perhaps people, and I would be one of them, having asked a question here for instance wouldn't go and ask it again on health unlocked and the opposite might be true of others. Like you rich I feel "at home" here but equally would not like to miss out on happenings/info elsewhere. Anne-Marie, health unlocked is another area you can go to from the nras website and, as well as the members forum here, you can talk to others, get advice etc. Is anybody using HU regularly and could explain the advantages/disadvantages as they see them against "our" forum. thanks
.....eve x

same for me really-I think HU has it's place as more of an open forum whereby the discussion is a bit more concentrated and 'quick'.

I do go onto HU but feel much more comfortable on here. Even though there is the option of having your blogg/queries accessed by forum members only, I wouldn't give out any personal info on there, as you just don't know who is looking in.

Hi Eve and everyone

I was one of the original 'bloggers' who helped set up the NRAS community on Health Unlocked.

This NRAS forum is open only to members of NRAS who pay their yearly subscription. The immediate advantage of this site, to my mind, is that it is a chat based forum. We can come on here post suggestions, ideas, ask questions in the knowledge that the site is safe and there are almost always people around who can help by adding their thoughts and experiences. It is good for everyone because there is a wealth of information available to suit most needs be it medication, surgery, blood tests or whatever. Equally I think it is such a great place for the newly diagnosed who can quickly feel a part of the NRAS community and they are always made to feel very welcome.

Health Unlocked was set up as a 'Blog' site. The idea being people could write articles about their experiences of living with RA which others could benefit from. This appealed to me as a separate entity to this site because I do enjoy writing and thought this may be a good outlet into the world of journalism. HU requires only that people register with them, not NRAS. It is free to use and once registered you can read posts, make comments, write blogs, ask questions and use the private messaging facility. Anyone can read the blogs without registering.

At the outset a few of us applied to Blog and we got the ball rolling. Once the site was made public we quickly realised 200 members but with it, unfortunately, the 'Blog' status seemed to go out of the window with people posting whatever they fancied. Several changes have been made in the last couple of days to include a "Questions" area where people can post particular questions. The answers being provided by those who use the site. Hopefully it's original intention as an area for 'blogs', rather than the mish-mash of thoughts it has become, will soon be consolidated. I joined HU for no other reason than because I wanted to 'Blog' and share my written experiences with others who might benefit!

Majority of HU users seem not to be NRAS members, although they might be and just not use this forum! This is my real home ... I like it here

Lyn x

PS I have noticed there is less activity on here when the weather is warmer, at weekends and bank holidays. Hopefully it will pick up again soon

I've had a little look on the HU site and must say lyn that I am as impressed as ever with the fact-based advice you offer as well as your personal experiences with RA. You also manage to collate others' experiences into very readable posts. Overall, I feel as it stands, the HU site is quite similar to what is on offer here which is a pity if the HU site was set up mostly with blogging in mind. With HU's current format posters will possibly favour one site over the other (I sometimes can't remember under which heading I've posted something, then to remember which site as well - too confusing!). And sheila don't worry you can't post in the wrong place - but you do know that on the NRAS forum you can talk about anything - absolutely anything! As rich rightly says, in any event, we really need access to as much info as possible.
.....eve x

Hello All

I have looked at the HU site about 2 weeks ago but I also feel it is
simikar to hear.

I have posted under a different message that I feel this site is quiet. I
do hope people will consider to write and keep this Forum which it
is GREAT.

This Forum is still my favourite


Rose

Hi all
I've started using both sites, but for slightly different things. And I'm trying to be disciplined so use the HU site for following people's blogs, which can be really interesting to read slightly longer pieces about different points of view or experiences of RA. And then this site for questions, and specifci RA issues and more general chat. So they should work well together, and I think we need everything we can get - there's not many other places where people understand RA.

I'm not trying to be rude, but for a newbie this NRAS site can feel a bit off-putting as it does feel as if there's a core group who know each other well and do most of the posting, and have contact with each other in other ways too. I've started to post a bit, but do sometimes feel a bit hesitant about it. The HU site feel a bit more open; but then maybe that's because it's still quite new. Polly

Yes I was going to say the same thing Polly- please please don't ever feel like an intruder, although as Jean says some of us have met up from time to time we are not a 'clique' which is closed to anyone else! I think sometimes the silly things we talk about in the funny threads may give the impression that we know more about each other than we actually do---most of it is made up anyway (thank goodness!) Why not join us on our virtual day out to the Royal Wedding tomorrow? It's a bit late to get an outfit together but I'm sure you'll think of something! I mean just look at what the rest of us are wearing! http://www.nras.org.uk/m...posts&t=2483&p=5