Do You Ever Lie to Your Doctor?

Karen

Very interesting sharepost. 

I had to think about this for a few moments before giving any thoughts on the matter.

I'm one of the lucky ones, who's doctor treats me like a normal human who suffers with chronic pain.  He does not make me feel like I must lie or fabricate anything to get treatment.  He honestly listens and takes the time to go over all my questions or concerns with me.  I know that everyone is not so lucky though.

I've had in the past, several doctors who do make you feel like you may have to exaggerate, fabricate or heaven forbib, be honest about what you might do in your private life.  If a patient were to mention they have a beer or two a couple times per week, they'd treat you like a dreadful alcohlic.  If you tell them you smoke, then your worst of all. lower than dirt. 

I Understand how dangerous this could be for others and also how counter productive it can be for those who don't understand how their meds (what ever type they take) work and how easy they could seriously harm them selves.

I find this to be an extreme problem with anti-depressants and those of us who take them.  I can't even count, how many people I have had to talk too, about their Ad's.  And how many of them only take them when they are down or are having severe anxiety attaks, etc.  I think it's so important for people to understand how their meds work and why they are still depressed, when they are not taking their meds correctly. 

The internet has been such a wonderful source of educating oneself on your meds and really getting a good understanding of how & why they work or don't work for you.

Thank you for bringing this up to us.  I think that everyone should think about this and I hope they have a doctor they are comfortable with and feel at ease to be completely honest with him/her.

Take Care and Thank you again Friend

Betty

hi karen, have to admit, i have lied to a dr., about drinking..before i started having to take pain meds, i would have a glass of wine while i was cooking (my passion:). and then have a glass with dinner, now i'm not talking everyday, but when i was preparing a nice romantic dinner for hubby and i, or when i would try a new recipe...just something i enjoyed. ....i now know it is is dangerous and do fiind myself STILL picking out a nice bottle of wime and pouring it and yes, sometimes i have a glass..(why lie on to you or anyone on here?)..but i have been giving up that one thing i truly enjoyed..picking out a perfect bottle of wine, that would go w/ the meal i am preparing...just another thing in my life i had to give up..because oof that one person that didn't bother to stop at a stop sign and hit me....

Well put Karen~

I for one have always been the type to be completely honest. So, I'm apauled when doctors occasionally- think that I might not be truthful. Why else go to them for help? Unfortunately, simply telling the truth usually isn't enough- it's best to talk to your pharmacist and do the research yourself on the drugs and possible interactions of your different meds.

I have my own horror story about doctors prescribing that which almost cost me my life- a few years back, and I know I'm not the only one! Their excuse- they're just "practicing".

One site on the internet a friend just made me aware of is an excellent place to see your med interactions yourself- is : http://www.drugs.com/

Check it out!

Blessings to you,

and thanks for all your wonderful insights,

prism

What is your background?  What type of degree do you have?  You do write some intersting stuff, being a Marine, I just want to know who you really are?

You can lie as much as you want to your doctor but you are the one that pays for consequenses later in life. Telling your doctor how much you drink or anything you do to harm your body is the best way. Sometimes, we don't like to hear what our doctors comments but regardless to what it is, we have to be honest. That is the only way to prevent or detect any bad health later along the way.

AP

Hi there,

I probably did when I was much younger but at 61 I have learned that lying to my doctors, any of them, will usually come back and bite me at some point.  In fact now I give them more information tham I  need to. I have been with most of my doctors for so long that they probably know me better than I know myself, given my memory problems! But it is an interesting question! Thank you!

Sandy

If you drink at all, you must lie to your doctor if you want any pain meds.  That's just a fact.  Everybody knows it.  It happens every day.

Almost every medication should not be taken combined with alcohol.  Even over the counter.  Blood pressure is a key factor most doctors even overlook when prescribing.  There are risks with anything you ingest into your body, and if there is any fudging on the patient's part, I would suggest everyone be aware of the side and long-term effects and do their own research to boot.  I've had numerous doctors prescribe me multiple mixtures that could have spelled disaster.  Once my blood pressure dropped to 60/40.  I do not trust anyone.  I never will.

That being said, I think there is a line btw what is the patient's business and what is the doctors.  I would never want to get a doc in trouble who is looking out for my well being.  They can't legally give you something that will potentially hurt you anyway.  I feel these rules protect those who don't know the information or are too ignorant to understand. 

I say just be very informed.  If you know enough to know that fudging will keep you from being denied treatment, you should be smart enough to understand the consequences vs the benefits.

Like I say, I wouldn't give someone pain meds who told me they drank every day eother, but in the end, it's our bodies.  No one wants to suffer.  Quit drinking and start exercising, or understand the complications that go along with mixing the two.  It's simple.

For the record, I believe that heavy psyche meds is a whole different issue where there should be monitoring.  One should probably receive in house treatment for that.  It's just not readily available for everyone.  Also, I would never suggest lying about prescription meds.  If you need more than what they give you and have to be dishonest to get them, just don't do it.  Find another way. For most people at worst, you'll end up  at a pain clinic.  Once there, follow the rules.  They will be more than happy to disintegrate your liver reguardless, and you want have to feel like a criminal all the time.  In my case, it's live now or die later having accomplished nothing but bed sores from incapacitation.

This is a very interesting subject here, and it is so easy for those who don't go through it to judge.  

I must say, I've NOT lied to my doctor, but I think the things I have told him have stressed him enough. I feel like the guy on the Liar, Liar movie, who cannot lie. I know he has my best interest in mind, so I feel the need to let him know everything. I think he trusts me, even though he doesn't agree with my decisions sometimes.  My usual admission is that I've tried WAAAAAY too much medicine (OTC) that would did not end up helping anyway.

I don't believe I have knowingly ever lied or omited purposely anything when I go to the doctor..I keep a running history on my desk top of all meds, surgereis, new problems and ongoing problems..I print the history out iwht every doc I see..It also includes all docswith telephone numbers an faxes..It incldues my cell number and my pharmacy..

With fibro, sjorgens, stage 1 autoimmune liver disease, raynauds, disc disease, arthritis, neck fusion and now this recent fall it takes all I have to remember.. 

But, IF not telling the whole truth got me a real life Dr HOUSE to help me then i would knowingly do so..Of course by the time I find a doctor like House as many of his pts. I will be on my last breaths anyways..:^)  So until then I will stick with being proactive and take my ongoing history withme.. 

I believe that one should see only on doctor so a history can develop over time, and you also need to build up TRUST so that you can let ur guard down.

As with Lieing to a Doctor forget it, imagine if you did on day an the GP believed everything you said.  He/She then gives u a script for something to help this problem, and you go get it from the chemist, and take it at the recomeded dose, and the next morning your family wakes up and finds that you don't, OMG whatg did u just do...Shorten you life just by telling a LIE, it is not worth IT.

PLEASE DON'T DO IT, for your Family and Friends Sake if not ur OWN....

SO the Answer is NO, Never....