# How did you find the forums?



## Northerner (Apr 28, 2009)

I was reading the latest 'Balance' and was pretty unimpressed that there is no mention whatsoever of these forums. I think it's pretty much impossible to find a link on the DUK website too which, given that DUK provide support for the forums, is incomprehensible in my opinion!

I'd like to know how people found the forums so we can determine how successful the various pathways are, and also if there are any suggestions of ways to improve knowledge of us. I have found this place incredibly helpful and think all people either with diabetes, or caring for someone with the condition, can benefit and should at least know we exist! 

I first heard about them from an article in Balance last November, and there used to be a link on DUK's Home page - bring it back!


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## tracey w (Apr 28, 2009)

Hi, I first found the forum via a link on DUK site, and saved in my bookmarks



that was when the site waas fairly new, nov 08?


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## DiabeticDave (Apr 28, 2009)

Joined Diabeties UK, followed the path to 'Local support', then followed the path to 'Talk to other people'.......not easy, then again, not hard either.


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## Northerner (Apr 28, 2009)

DiabeticDave said:


> Joined Diabeties UK, followed the path to 'Local support', then followed the path to 'Talk to other people'.......not easy, then again, not hard either.









I wondered where they'd put it! Still not hugely obvious, I think more prominence on the home page would be better, and I'm sure they could find room for it. I find DUK's website very fragmented, to say the least.


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## Tezzz (Apr 28, 2009)

I found it buried on the Diabetes UK web site.


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## DiabeticDave (Apr 28, 2009)

You are so right...........methinks there should be a direct link on their home page IMHO of course!!


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## tracey w (Apr 28, 2009)

I find DUK's website very fragmented, to say the least.[/QUOTE]


i rarely go on duk anymore, find this site much more informative etc


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## Freddie99 (Apr 28, 2009)

Almost by accident really. Was just on google and found this after searching for something diabetes related. Happy coincidence.


Tom H


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## Steff (Apr 28, 2009)

i just googled diabetic forums and up it popped


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## bev (Apr 28, 2009)

I also googled 'diabetic forums' and this popped up! Bev


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## aymes (Apr 28, 2009)

from the DUK website, when it was on the front page


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## MarcLister (Apr 28, 2009)

DUK website link. I think.


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## Donald (Apr 28, 2009)

I Found the link on the DUK' s site when I trawing through the site for info and saw it almost by accident.

Donald


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## mikep1979 (Apr 28, 2009)

i found it via the duk website but quite by accident really. glad i did tho


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## sofaraway (Apr 29, 2009)

I'm pretty sure I found it from the diabetes Uk website when it was one of the top stories, this was probably Nov/Dec last year. I know the site hadn't been going very long when i joined


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## coldclarity (Apr 29, 2009)

Another vote for google.


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## randomange (Apr 29, 2009)

I think I first became aware of it when it was mentioned it one of the DUK e-newsletters, and then I found it through the DUK website, but that was back when the forum first started and there was a link on the homepage. I found it difficult to find the forum when they removed the link so now I just have it bookmarked!


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## Northerner (Apr 29, 2009)

A lot of people expressing difficulty locating the link for DUK's website. Yes, it's under 'support', but would you expect to find it under 'local support'? Even then, it's not that obvious (IMO). I remember there was a lot of concern when it disappeared from the home page, as many people hadn't bookmarked it.

And I don't think we are the first site you come to if you google 'diabetes support'. I was particularly unimpressed that there was no mention in the latest Balance - they have two pages all about DUK and what they offer etc., wouldn't be too much of a hardship to give us a mention - think a letter to the editor (maybe in verse) is in order...!


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## Patricia (Apr 29, 2009)

Another DUK website here, but it was at the time easy to find (December?). Certainly needs a real mention though, and re-homing on the site now. The popularity and activity alone should be evidence enough to get it done?


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## Admin (Apr 29, 2009)

Am in complete agreement with you all - it really needs pumping up again - and emailed them 2/3 weeks ago - unfortunately DUK take a loooooong time to respond to anything! Despite being on a promise they would be prompt!
I am very disappointed by their support of the site which was the whole point of doing this with them.


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## wallycorker (Apr 29, 2009)

Same way as I find everything these days by Google.


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## C*5_Dodger (Apr 30, 2009)

I found it on DUK's website - before it was moved

Dodger


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## katie (Apr 30, 2009)

oh no! *vote change* lol Im pretty sure I saw the article in Balance like you Northerner and i thought, about time!


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## insulinaddict09 (May 1, 2009)

I found it by accident while mooching  more by luck than judgement i might add !!


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## Lizzie (May 1, 2009)

I think I saw it in the DUK monthly email. I have to say considering the huge amounts of money they have spent on things like 'silent assassin' or 'measure up' and on the pointless raffle entry address stickers they insist on sending to me, they seem to have a comfortable advertising budget and yet don't seem to do much for us!


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## Heike (May 1, 2009)

I also saw an article in the balance, never looked at the DUK website.


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## Lainey (May 2, 2009)

My name is Lainey (type 1 for 23 years!; age 42!!; 2 children 15 & 12 !!!!; 2 cats who are much easier......) and I am a lurker. 

However I'm coming out because I wanted to let you know that I found out about this forum in a Federation of Small Businesses magazine!  There was a small article saying that someone (also FSB member) had set this up and so I joined and lurked for a while. I have found many of your comments very helpful and reassuring after 23 years of some isolation, coping, under the shadow, denial, rebellion, lying etc. Over many years I have not given diabetes as much attention as I should but now I'm 42 its getting scarier but apart from cold hands/feet I'm ok.  Life has been a rollercoaster but never boring and I have carried on and now have my own business working with mobility aids, stairlifts, disabled adaptation stuff with local authorities and appreciate everyday that although some things could have been easier they can always be a lot, lot worse........good to know you're there x


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## Northerner (May 2, 2009)

Hello Lainey! Thank you for de-lurking and welcome to the group That's an interesting route you found us by!


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## insulinaddict09 (May 2, 2009)

Hello lainey.. welcome


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## carolyn (May 4, 2009)

Hi Everyone. sorry that I have been a bit of a lurker lately. I found this site from a magazine that I get called Bed and Breakfast (hotel mag) and it had a piece in it advertising the new website, the rest is history. 
________
Wellbutrin Lawyers


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## Northerner (May 5, 2009)

carolyn said:


> Hi Everyone. sorry that I have been a bit of a lurker lately. I found this site from a magazine that I get called Bed and Breakfast (hotel mag) and it had a piece in it advertising the new website, the rest is history.



Well, would you have believed that you are more likely to find reference to the forums in Bed and Breakfast magazine than in Balance! Come on DUK, for goodness sake!


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## katie (May 8, 2009)

You're going to have to add an option to your poll Northerner: "Katie's Leaflet"


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## Northerner (May 9, 2009)

katie said:


> You're going to have to add an option to your poll Northerner: "Katie's Leaflet"



Hope the servers can cope with all the new members you recruit katie!

I just noticed that DUK have introduced a page for 'Online communities' so hopefully people will find it easier to find us:

http://www.diabetes.org.uk/Get_involved/Online-communities/


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## rubymurry (May 9, 2009)

*Lost*

I found this fantastic forum when it was on the DUK web site home page. However, when the link suddenly disappeared from that page, I was horrified. Couldn't find the forum at first, but after trying lots of different ways, eventually I found the route back! Luckily, someone on the forum gave me instructions on how to bookmark this page. Thank goodness, because I couldn't remember how I did get back!!! It would be great if DUK did put it back on their home page. It would be so helpful to many people out there, who could get lots of support, advice, and humour. There were lots of things that, even though I had been diabetic for over forty years, I did not know. Lots of answers to questions that because I had been a diabetic for so long, I felt a little foolish to admit that I did not understand how to work out certain calculations, i.e. insulin to carb ratio, the 500 rule, etc. This forum should be advertised more, it is a great asset to all diabetics, and carers. Well I said my piece now, so I'll be quiet!!!


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## AmandaB (May 15, 2009)

Yee, haa, found you again, at last.....
First found this from the November 2008 Balance but then had my PC hard drive re-formatted and lost all my favourites.
Having scoured DUK's website and missed it (well done to those who did find it that way) and failed to get to it by browsing www it's there, eventuallym in DUK's recent newsletter.
So I'm back!! And equally disapointed that it's not been easy to find.


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## sofaraway (May 15, 2009)

Welcome back Amanda


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## sweetsatin (May 24, 2009)

Found this link on Duk
So glad i joined you all fantastic


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## TinaK (May 29, 2009)

I found the forum through the DUK website originally but when I went back the next day I couldn't find it again. So I googled 'diabetes forums' and found it eventually. Very glad that I have found you guys! Cheers Tina


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## Northerner (Jun 8, 2009)

Well, I have decided to release this thread from its moorings, as I imagine that a lot of people are fed up of seeing it now, and we're not getting much response to it. It did throw up some interesting things though - hopefully, on a future one, the response will be 'I found this thanks to a poster/leaflet at my GP/Clinic' - hope everyone is out there circulating them! (If you don't know what I'm talking about, got to 'DOWNLOADS' at the top right of your screen.)


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## sofaraway (Jun 8, 2009)

I think that Diabetes UK needs to put the website address on their literature and leaflets etc. Maybe there are plans to do it when they review their leaflets.


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## Copepod (Jun 8, 2009)

Why unstick it? Results may come in slowly, but probably it's "new to board" people who are most likely to respond, and they're not to going to use the search feature for a poll they don't know exists.


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## Northerner (Jun 8, 2009)

Copepod said:


> Why unstick it? Results may come in slowly, but probably it's "new to board" people who are most likely to respond, and they're not to going to use the search feature for a poll they don't know exists.



That's the idea, but it's been there for an awfully long time, and after the initial 'flurry' only a tiny minority of people have responded, even though we've had a large number of new members. I've seen other sites where the 'stickies' start to clog up the message boards, so my tidy mind decided to unstick. I think that, in the future, there may be a modified poll, but for now I think this one has spluttered to a standstill...

We'll probably get a load of responses now I've said that!


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## Northerner (Oct 16, 2009)

As we've had so many new members lately, I thought I would bump up this thread and stick it again for a while!

New members - please let us know how you found us!


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## twinnie (Oct 16, 2009)

a good friend of mine told me about this forum but i did have trouble finding it on the duk website


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## HelenP (Oct 16, 2009)

I THINK I found it via the DUK website, but I've just gone all round the website again, to try and find how I arrived here, and quite honestly, if it had been THAT much trouble 3 months ago I'm sure I wouldn't have bothered!! 

Glad I did though!

xx


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## SilentAssassin1642 (Oct 16, 2009)

stumbled across it via google, after i decided to get things back on track when that nasty nasty registrar made me cry. Nasty man. I was just searching diabetes stuff and found it


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## Moamber (Oct 18, 2009)

*How did you find us*

Hi I was a member of another UK Forum for Diabetes , but lost it so I googled and found here  

hugs Mo


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