Impotence Support - Alt.Support.Impotence FAQ, Charter, Posting Guidelines and General Information

Author

Alt.Support.Impotence FAQ, Charter, Posting Guidelines and General Information

Jerry Sturdivant

2005-01-27, 6:50 am

[This is a weekly post and may contain dated material]

Alt.Support.Impotence is a mutual support newsgroup open to all persons who
suffer from ED (Impotence or Erectile Dysfunction), their sexual partners,
or anyone with an interest (other than commercial) in the subject.

(This newsgroup also has another site on the web for
those that cannot access Usnet:
http://www.CommunityZero.com/asi )

The newsgroup maintains a web site http://www.alt-support-impotence.org
containing the following:

* The FAQ for this newsgroup, (
http://www.alt-support-impotence.org/faq.htm ) including helpful
illustrations and fully hyperlinked for easy navigation (You can also
download a text version for reference).

* The alt.support.impotence Charter and Posting Guidelines.

* A very extensive listing of links to impotence information on the web.

* A place where you can enter messages to be posted anonymously to the
newsgroup.

If you aren't able to access the online FAQ, you can receive a text version
via e-mail. Just send an e-mail to Jerry Sturdivant at
jerryst@cox.net with your request. If you prefer, Jerry
will send the printed FAQ to you via US Mail rather than e-mail. Just
include the name you want on the envelope, mailing address in your e-mail
and let Jerry know you'd prefer to receive the FAQ via US Mail (snail
mail). Jerry will not reply to your email if you state that. Nothing on the
return address will indicate the contents of the envelope.

-------------------

A MESSAGE TO LURKERS (people who read but don't post to the newsgroup), and
those afraid to post to this group due to the fear of someone finding out
your identity:

You can access any of the above web addresses in complete confidence. No
log is kept of visitor's names on the ASI web sites, and there is no way
anyone can find out you were there. Also, the FAQ contains a description of
several ways you can post to this newsgroup anonymously.

If you have read the FAQ and still have questions but would prefer a
personal answer rather than posting to the newsgroup, you can send an
e-mail to one of the persons listed below. They will answer your question
as best they can. Or, if you don't want a reply at your email address, at
your direction, can post your question anonymously to the newsgroup.
There's also a place on the web site where you can leave a message for
either a personal answer or posting to the newsgroup anonymously.

If you are a female partner of a man with ED and would like to discuss your
situation with a knowledgeable and compassionate woman, we may be able to
help. We have resources 'on call', and several women post to the newsgroup
regularly.

If you want a personal response and are uncomfortable with any kind of
return mail, send Jerry your phone number and the name you want him to ask
for. He'll call and will only talk to the name you give. If you are unable
to talk at the time, say so and use Jerry's name. He'll call again later.
(Jerry will pay for the call).

Here are the people (AKA "The Regulars") you can contact:

Jerry: jerryst@cox.net Jim: jim@alt-support-impotence.org

These people are all ED sufferers and, as a group, have tried most of the
remedies available. Here's a short description of who they are:

Jerry is the founder of the newsgroup. As such, he's been here since the
beginning (even before Viagra) and has loads of practical knowledge and
advice.

Jim, (AKA avocet) is a gay man who contributes a unique perspective to both
gay and straight issues involving ED.

Fred maintains the web site and has a lot of knowledge about how to find
things on the Internet, as well as quite a bit of experience and practical
knowledge about ED.

----------------------

THE LEGAL STUFF

Note that we (Jerry, Jim and Fred) are NOT medical professionals, and
neither are the great majority of people who post to the newsgroup. We and
the other people who post to ASI are simply a mutual support group
attempting to help each other as best we can. The advice we give, and the
advice you read from other participants on the newsgroup is based mainly on
personal experience and the experiences of other ED sufferers. You should
check with your doctor before following any advice or treatment regimens
suggested.

--------------------

A WARNING:

There have been people posting to this newsgroup who misrepresent
themselves. Some are the opposite gender than indicated. They may be
thrill-seekers, children, or just weirdoes. On the other hand, most posters
are perfectly legitimate. Be careful who you correspond with. Any
questions, check with one of the regulars listed above.

A number of people post to this newsgroup with products, especially those
touted as "All Natural" or "Herbal" that just don't work or that may even
be dangerous to your health. Often they're on commission from companies
that sell the products. They may post as a woman telling you how great some
product is. They may post as a doctor telling you how great some product
is. Other good folks in this newsgroup have checked some of these people
out and found them to be frauds.

If these 'unproved' products were so good, why haven't we heard of them
before? If they were really that great, they would give you free samples so
you would want more.

Just be careful who you send money to, or correspond with. Keep an eye out
for the BS and the Snake Oil salesmen.

----------------------------

ABOUT ON LINE VIAGRA SALES

The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP)
http://www.nabp.net/vipps/intro.asp has begun compiling a list of Internet
pharmacy sites that meet standards set by state boards of medicine and
pharmacy. The sites are designated as "Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice
sites" (VIPPS).

To earn the VIPPS label, Web sites must be associated with a pharmacy and
pharmacist properly licensed in the state where they are located as well as
in the states where they do business. The sites must dispense valid
prescriptions based on a bona fide physician-patient relationship. You can
buy from a VIPPS certified site with the same confidence as from your
neighborhood pharmacy.

Sites which offer to sell prescription drugs such as Viagra without a
prescription, or with "Online Consultation" should be avoided. They do not
meet the standards of VIPPS certified sites as regard to safety, privacy,
or any other standards that a pharmacy should meet. You may find yourself
without the product you ordered (or with sugar pills), minus your money,
and on multiple mailing lists.

A list of VIPPS approved sites is posted at the association's Web site,
http://www.nabp.net/vipps/intro.asp. The program is still in its infancy,
but is expanding rapidly.

-------------------------------

ABOUT HORMONAL TREATMENT

If you think you have a hormonal problem, we suggest you do not treat
yourself or take the advice of untrained people in this newsgroup and
experiment. That can be dangerous. Read and follow the AACE guidelines at
http://www.aace.com/clin/guides/hypogonadism.pdf . Print them out and take
them to your doctor, both to make sure the doctor is aware of the
guidelines and as a basis for discussion.

Jerry, Jim and Fred of ASI