About comment responses and moderation

Just a brief word about my responses to reader comments:

I appreciate the many often insightful and interesting reader comments I receive to the Heart Scan Blog. However, managing them and responding to them has simply become impossible, due to time demands.

I'm afraid that I am unable to answer questions seeking medical advice; this is for your doctor, who knows you and can diagnose and prescribe. I cannot.

I'm also unable to engage in lengthy debates; I've had commenters become very angry when I was unable to engage in lengthy conversations on some topic. Nor am I able to do Google or literature searches for commenters, or review studies, papers, or other materials.

I would urge any readers who wish to engage in in-depth discussions about these issues, talk about lipoproteins, heart disease reversal, etc. to do so on the Track Your Plaque Forums. Yes, it is a fee-for-membership website, a model that has become necessary to pay for the services we provide (not pay me).

I wish that I could answer all the concerns and questions that come my way, but it's simply physically impossible doing so while maintaining a full-time very busy cardiology practice, developing the Track Your Plaque website (which is becoming an enormous responsibility), publishing scientific data, maintaining hospital responsibilities, and spending time with my wife and family. We're all busy and I'm no different. I'm afraid that it's my responses to blog comments that I will have to sacrifice.

I invite commenters to continue to comment on these posts, as I've learned many new things by reading them and find them helpful feedback. And I do read them. Should an especially helpful comment be made, I will feature it in a new blog post, rather than respond directly.

Comments (10) -

  • Jenny

    3/2/2008 3:09:00 PM |

    "Necessary to pay for the services we provide."

    This sounds odd to me. Blogger is free. I manage to provide a very high level of service to my bloodsugar101.com visitor base which is huge and growing monthly without charging a penny.

    I earn enough from Google ads to pay overhead. The amount of time it takes to keep the site updated is no more than most people spend watching a favorite TV show or playing golf each week.

    I respond to emails for perhaps half an hour a day, occasionally more, where I help people clarify the issues they need to discuss with their doctors and occasionally direct them to resources relevant to a rare condition my site mentions.

    I can see charging for individual medical consultation, but not for providing a web forum where people discuss topics and where you explain concepts that do not involve personal medical counsel.

    The for-fee nature of your site buys you income at the cost of greatly limiting the number of people who can benefit from the non-specific information you have to share.

    Too many of your posts seem to tantalize with hints of information but conclude with statements making it clear people have to pay to find out the facts.

    That is NOT how the web works and it greatly limits the helpfulness of what you offer.

  • wccaguy / aCipher

    3/2/2008 4:43:00 PM |

    Dr. Davis,

    In a short time, your blog, all by itself, has become the best source of information for dealing with cardiovascular disease on the internet.

    Thank you for having the vision and commitment for sharing your depth and breadth of knowledge of this disease.

  • mike V

    3/2/2008 6:19:00 PM |

    Dear Dr. Davis
    I plead guilty to immoderation in my response to your "Hammers and Nails" piece.

    Here's my bottom line:
    I simply believe that your 'bottom up' approach (to identifying both problems and their solutions) could potentially grow to influence the entire profession for the better. I hope it spreads.
    Thanks for listening.
    MikeV

  • Anonymous

    3/3/2008 2:10:00 PM |

    Hi Dr. Davis

    I read your blog all the time and am surprised to see that you answer blog comments at all.

    I would always think . . . . how does he have time to do that ?

    I for one, understand your situation exactly and I am just thankful that you write your blog at all. I'm sure the course of my health will be forever changed by reading your words, and following them.

    On behalf of all the people who are deeply thankful for what you do, I apologize for the few "who always want more".

    You have my heartfelt appreciation (pun intended).

    Brian - Syracuse, NY

  • Rick

    3/4/2008 4:36:00 AM |

    Dr. Davis,

    Just a note of thanks for all you do on this blog and on the members forum.  My doctor was amazed when I told him that you responded personally to my query on the forum.  I've learned a tremendous amount thanks to you.

    Rick

  • Anonymous

    3/4/2008 2:26:00 PM |

    Dr. Davis
    I agree with the previous writer - surprised you have time but also thankful.
    In case you wonder if it's worth your time - You have changed my life!
    After reading your column and recognizing myself in many issues, I went out and had my vitamin D tested and it was 23 ng. So now, I also  have my husband and 4 friends on Vitamin D supplements who are also grateful.
    p.s.
    Nice of you to let "Jenny" plug her google ad site

  • Anonymous

    3/4/2008 3:12:00 PM |

    This comment is to Jenny.  Wow, just wow!  You have an overgrown sense of entitlement.  Dr. Davis is providing a lot of great information on his blog as well as in his TYP community.  He also has a full-time cardiology practice.  If you don't like what he is writing and that he would prefer to spend his energy on TYP, which I am fairly certain does not net him a profit, don't read this blog.  Not everyone has to follow your model for blogging and you ought to be respectful of that.

    -Russ

  • moblogs

    3/4/2008 4:13:00 PM |

    It's a fair deal as your posts alone help guide a lot of people.

    As a suggestion, since comments are still flying about about vitamin D, erroneously, being bad for you, and that L-form bacteria being touted as the core cause of heart disease by the same camp, it's worth doing an article about that. Approaching it with undemeaning neutrality, but it would be useful as some people have taken to heart the words of the dubious Marshall Protocol.

  • Anonymous

    3/4/2008 7:10:00 PM |

    I can understand your need for more time but while your postings are excellent I have learned far more from your comments on other peoples comments then from the original postings. What a loss.

  • Anonymous

    3/5/2008 9:25:00 AM |

    Well Dr D, as we say....Dr heal thyself. I have read all the blog and joined TYP. Best fee( and small amt I might add) I ever spent and yes to do all you provide on your forom does cost, I doubt J knows what she is talking about as I don't think she is a member of TYP. You have saved me from an early death and all I can say  since day one of coming here is I wondered how you did it all. You answer all the posts on TYP at least twice a day, you always write new articles, you volunteered your time for our web show, and your attitude is always so supportive and so wise. You know our sacred and healing VIT OSmileSmileSmile
    I have honoured you since the day I met you and I honor you even more now or making good choices to look after yourself thus in the end enable us to look after ourselves.

    I FEEL SOMEWHAT EMBARRASSED BY j's INSENSITIVE COMMENTS.........if only she knew all the work you have done for us in the past 6 months since I have been here. Thank you sooo much and I;ll read you daily on TYP website.

    Goodonya!!!!

    chick

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