Lying to your doctor
floridamike99
Posts: 35 Member
I just read an article that said 64% of people surveyed admitted that they have lied to (or withheld info from) their doctor. Is it just me, or does this sound like the stupidest thing ever? Why pay a doctor's fee but then not give them honest information? I mean, if you are going to lie, just don't go, right?
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Probably. I know when I used to smoke, I would tell my doctor I smoked a pack a day even though it was a pack and a half.
I've never lied about weight or diets, though, if that's what you mean (since this is a weight loss forum). She can see the scale as clearly as I can. What good would lying do?2 -
i pay no fees but i dont lie to mine, Although i have a very weak immune system so for ages as a teen she assumed its beter safe thn sorry and tested me for STD's and did a pelvic exam every 3 weeks even if i said i had no sex. Shes very on top of things. I feel like id consider lieing about that to get out of monthly exams if i was with someone i trusted lol.0
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I've definitely withheld information from my doctor before, but never anything of particular import. If I don't feel something relates to the reason I'm there and is uncomfortable (for whatever reason) to discuss, I'm not going to bring it up for the hell of it.2
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I am sure I've lied to my doctors before, but it was more because I was in denial or unsure about things myself.4
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I'd wager that those 64% are likely lying about their drinking habits and/or smoking habits. Do you ever drink more than 2 alcoholic beverages a day? Nah...not me...never!28
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floridamike99 wrote: »I just read an article that said 64% of people surveyed admitted that they have lied to (or withheld info from) their doctor. Is it just me, or does this sound like the stupidest thing ever? Why pay a doctor's fee but then not give them honest information? I mean, if you are going to lie, just don't go, right?
I can't imagine why I would lie to my doctor.
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I volunteer at a free clinic and can tell you from experience that it is much higher. Did 64% of the surveyed population also lie on the survey about lying to their doctor?
Patients will neglect to mention taking various supplements when asked if they are taking medication, sometime resulting in severe adverse reactions due to drug interactions. They lie about their diet and exercise regimen. This is why they ask the same question in different ways to get to the truth.
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cwolfman13 wrote: »I'd wager that those 64% are likely lying about their drinking habits and/or smoking habits. Do you ever drink more than 2 alcoholic beverages a day? Nah...not me...never!
Yeah, one particular thing mentioned is that doctors routinely assume people drink twice as much as they say they do.
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I use to...now I am information overload to my doctors.8
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I think it's ultra common. It might be a milder version of one of the reasons why people avoid going to the doctor in the first place, i.e., not wanting to face the truth or hear bad news. Or, to put it another way, you can make bad things go away by ignoring them and not talking about them. Or, if you can get the doctor to say you're healthy, then you are. If people were purely guided by rationality, no one would do this, but we're also influenced by irrational emotions. People lie to their clergy, lawyers, and tax preparers for similar reasons.4
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cwolfman13 wrote: »I'd wager that those 64% are likely lying about their drinking habits and/or smoking habits. Do you ever drink more than 2 alcoholic beverages a day? Nah...not me...never!
We were asked this in "PREVENT" class and asked:
How many servings of alcohol do you take?
I responded 3-4. The class facilitator responded "You drink 3-4 servings of alcohol a week?! You're an alcoholic!"
I looked at my chief and said "I thought she meant daily"42 -
floridamike99 wrote: »I just read an article that said 64% of people surveyed admitted that they have lied to (or withheld info from) their doctor. Is it just me, or does this sound like the stupidest thing ever? Why pay a doctor's fee but then not give them honest information? I mean, if you are going to lie, just don't go, right?
Well, it doesn't make sense to me but it is their business and relationship with their physician.
Maybe a number of people don't feel they can be open with their doctor- someone they see for a few minutes- about everything but still need help.3 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »I'd wager that those 64% are likely lying about their drinking habits and/or smoking habits. Do you ever drink more than 2 alcoholic beverages a day? Nah...not me...never!
We were asked this in "PREVENT" class and asked:
How many servings of alcohol do you take?
I responded 3-4. The class facilitator responded "You drink 3-4 servings of alcohol a week?! You're an alcoholic!"
I looked at my chief and said "I thought she meant daily"
and this is why the Navy tried to counsel me for alcoholism...because I admitted to having 3-4 glasses of wine a week...6 -
I've previously spent too much time answering standard questions that had nothing to do with the issue I went to see the doctor about that we ran out of time for the actual issue. So now I use my judgment as to how comprehensive my answers should be and if I want to go down an irrelevant rabbit hole.9
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deannalfisher wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »I'd wager that those 64% are likely lying about their drinking habits and/or smoking habits. Do you ever drink more than 2 alcoholic beverages a day? Nah...not me...never!
We were asked this in "PREVENT" class and asked:
How many servings of alcohol do you take?
I responded 3-4. The class facilitator responded "You drink 3-4 servings of alcohol a week?! You're an alcoholic!"
I looked at my chief and said "I thought she meant daily"
and this is why the Navy tried to counsel me for alcoholism...because I admitted to having 3-4 glasses of wine a week...
LOL - we may have had the same facilitator. These results were brought to my commander who took one look at it and then promptly burned this report with his cigar and then we went out for a beer. Good times!10 -
deannalfisher wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »I'd wager that those 64% are likely lying about their drinking habits and/or smoking habits. Do you ever drink more than 2 alcoholic beverages a day? Nah...not me...never!
We were asked this in "PREVENT" class and asked:
How many servings of alcohol do you take?
I responded 3-4. The class facilitator responded "You drink 3-4 servings of alcohol a week?! You're an alcoholic!"
I looked at my chief and said "I thought she meant daily"
and this is why the Navy tried to counsel me for alcoholism...because I admitted to having 3-4 glasses of wine a week...
LOL - we may have had the same facilitator. These results were brought to my commander who took one look at it and then promptly burned this report with his cigar and then we went out for a beer. Good times!
I've gotten it twice...once from a med student when I was doing my separation physical and the other from an Army doc (I was at their health center)...basically they assume if you say 3-4 drinks that you actually mean 8-9...because of the double stated alcohol intake...except I was legit honest1 -
Lol, people lie to me all the time about their diet and exercise. I could easily see how it's a much higher percentage.
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Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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floridamike99 wrote: »I just read an article that said 64% of people surveyed admitted that they have lied to (or withheld info from) their doctor. Is it just me, or does this sound like the stupidest thing ever? Why pay a doctor's fee but then not give them honest information? I mean, if you are going to lie, just don't go, right?
Well, it doesn't make sense to me but it is their business and relationship with their physician.
Maybe a number of people don't feel they can be open with their doctor- someone they see for a few minutes- about everything but still need help.
This is how I feel. I have trouble telling my GP things during my yearly physical. However, I see a mental health therapist twice a month. I tell that guy things I wouldn't tell my cat.10 -
Some lie because they don't believe they have a problem and don't want a lecture...like about heavy drinking. Some people lie because they don't want certain things in their medical records for insurance or legal reasons...like drug use or smoking.
I never lie to a doctor because I didn't have these particular issues and my only real health risk was extra weight...which there was no point lying about, even if I was so inclined (I doubt I would be), since they weighed me. I am always honest about these things...even when I had to admit very sporadic exercise...because I am too worried about developing terrible diseases to lie to save my vanity.2 -
funny. never lied to doc, don't pay fees, but I LOVE MY BOOZE. why lie? so silly.0
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