Lying to your doctor
Replies
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Daddy78230 wrote: »That seems unbelievable so I tried looking it up. Do you have a link to the article?
I found one, but this article reports in general 30% of women and 23% of men lie or withhold information.
http://health.usnews.com/health-news/health-wellness/articles/2015/11/10/many-patients-lie-to-their-doctors-survey-finds
(I miss read to article and corrected myself)
Oh, I believe it (and think about the irony of self-reporting in light of the subject
).
I mean...little things. Even something like flossing...I'm sure many people say "yes" when the dentist asks whether they floss, or they say "yes" even if it's not regular/routine.
I would bet my duodenum that a technical majority (50% or greater) of adults have lied or will lie, even in some small way or by omission, and even if for fairly innocent reasons - embarrassment, just want to get out of there fast, don't have time to/don't wish to go into certain details, etc., etc. - or for bigger ones, to a medical professional at some point.
I obviously could be wrong. There can be no way to support this with numbers, it's just a feeling I have, and experience of a lifetime of hearing similar little stories from friends, family members and the like.1 -
Once or twice I've exaggerated to get the treatment and/or tests that I knew I needed. For example, when I was 18 I started getting an odd rash whenever I scratched my skin even lightly. After some internet research (I know, I know, but hear me out!) I discovered they were petechial rashes/bruises. That means the blood vessels under my skin were bleeding at light scratches. There are several reasons someone might get this, but they're all worrying. I went to the GP. He seemed totally unconcerned and wasn't even going to give me a blood test. So I exaggerated. I said I was exhausted (I was more tired than usual but not exhausted). I said I bruised at the lightest feather touch. I said I was getting headaches, I said I was paler than usual. He then decided to book me a blood test. They were backed up and said it would be a few weeks, but thankfully my dad also bought the act and booked me a test at the hospital the next day. So along we went. They took the blood. They called us an hour later saying we needed to go straight back to the hospital. My dad said it sounded like they were going to admit me, and they did. The crook of my elbow where they took the blood did not stop bleeding for 4 hours.
Platelets, for people who don't know, are the part of your blood which helps clotting. Without them, your blood won't clot. Normal platelet count is 150-350. Mine was less than ten. I was diagnosed with ITP (my immune system was attacking my platelets) and kept in the hospital for two days for treatment. If I had gotten a cut, or a bang to the head, my life would have been in danger.
Yes, I know doctors are trained. I know they know more than me, I know they're smart. But sometimes we know our bodies better than they do, and sometimes they overlook things. I knew what was happening to me wasn't normal and I knew I needed someone to listen to me. It wasn't happening, so I did what I had to. So yes, I lied to a doctor. But it possibly saved my life.22 -
Lots of moms that I know lie to pediatricians who pretend to be parenting experts instead of medical doctors.9
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mccord62803 wrote: »Lots of moms that I know lie to pediatricians who pretend to be parenting experts instead of medical doctors.
Exactly this. I can't recall lying to my doctor, but I have to my children's. I go for medical advice not so my parenting can be judged. I'm all for keeping an eye out for the health and safety of all kids but some questions are so invasive.
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I've lied to my doctor. I was also lying to myself at the time.
I've since stopped lying to myself. Changed doctors and become one of those (probably annoying) idiots who say EVERYTHING and then some. I've since figured out that I'll just dump all the information and let the doctor worry about what's important and not and let her ask any follow up questions she might need to.1 -
The only time I remember lying to my doctor was back in highschool when I was sick and was not able to study properly for an exam (was a straight A student), so I over-exaggerated my symptoms to get more time to study.
This makes me think that lying may not be just to hide things, but some people may feel their symptoms deserve more attention and care, especially if their doctors is typically dismissive.1 -
MarziPanda95 wrote: »Once or twice I've exaggerated to get the treatment and/or tests that I knew I needed. For example, when I was 18 I started getting an odd rash whenever I scratched my skin even lightly. After some internet research (I know, I know, but hear me out!) I discovered they were petechial rashes/bruises. That means the blood vessels under my skin were bleeding at light scratches. There are several reasons someone might get this, but they're all worrying. I went to the GP. He seemed totally unconcerned and wasn't even going to give me a blood test. So I exaggerated. I said I was exhausted (I was more tired than usual but not exhausted). I said I bruised at the lightest feather touch. I said I was getting headaches, I said I was paler than usual. He then decided to book me a blood test. They were backed up and said it would be a few weeks, but thankfully my dad also bought the act and booked me a test at the hospital the next day. So along we went. They took the blood. They called us an hour later saying we needed to go straight back to the hospital. My dad said it sounded like they were going to admit me, and they did. The crook of my elbow where they took the blood did not stop bleeding for 4 hours.
Platelets, for people who don't know, are the part of your blood which helps clotting. Without them, your blood won't clot. Normal platelet count is 150-350. Mine was less than ten. I was diagnosed with ITP (my immune system was attacking my platelets) and kept in the hospital for two days for treatment. If I had gotten a cut, or a bang to the head, my life would have been in danger.
Yes, I know doctors are trained. I know they know more than me, I know they're smart. But sometimes we know our bodies better than they do, and sometimes they overlook things. I knew what was happening to me wasn't normal and I knew I needed someone to listen to me. It wasn't happening, so I did what I had to. So yes, I lied to a doctor. But it possibly saved my life.
I found your story interesting since my son was diagnosed with ITP with a platelet count of zero 7yrs ago. I don't lie to doctors. I flat out ask them what they'd do in my situation (or whatever is going on) and then tell them I'll be doing the exact opposite of what they say. It saved my son more then once from bleeding out when his platelets were zero for so long and kept my MIL alive years longer then they said she would live. For the most part, (with perhaps the exception of ER doctors and surgeons), I consider most medical doctors idiots. I tell them straight up front that they work for me and if they want my money they'll do what I tell them to. Works every time. The thought of losing money made one oncologist throw his hands in the air and tell me "fine! I'll give you your da*n irradiated blood!" When I was telling him what he was going to do for my MIL. The second I told him we'd walk our money out the door he gave me what I wanted. Nope. I don't lie to doctors. I make them work for my money and do what I want. And when it came to my kid's health, the threat of a lawsuit and having my name on the hospital was enough to get her to let me walk out of her office with my son and never see her or her colleagues again. Nope. I don't lie to them. I tell them exactly what I think and I have no fear in doing so.1 -
I took my 90 year old MIL to the doctor, it went like this:
The form asking if you have certain conditions, she checks NO to everything.
I said "You have high blood pressure and high cholesterol."
She says "No I don't, I take pills for that"
The doctor asks if she takes any medication
She does admit to the prescription meds but doesn't mention the whole array of supplements and vitamins she takes
So I tell the doctor
The doctor asks if she has fallen lately
She says "No"
WTH! This is why we are at the doctor!
The doctor asks if she has broken any bones
She says "No"
Even though she broke her wrist 2 months earlier!
I told the doctor
She says "It wasn't broken, it was fractured"
Turns out she had a para-thyroid problem requiring surgery, her fudging the truth could have killed her.2 -
I have lied to my doctor because he asks totally irrelevant questions and if I answer it won't leave time for the actual issue.0
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Not much point in it, that I can see. It can hurt no one but yourself to lie to them.
Drink very little (a glass of wine on holidays at most). Don't smoke. Don't take any prescription or illegal drugs. At the very least, I get weighed, and BP every visit. What you see is what you get.
Besides, I don't remember the last time I saw my doctor. It is always a nurse practitioner or an RN.
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amusedmonkey wrote: »The only time I remember lying to my doctor was back in highschool when I was sick and was not able to study properly for an exam (was a straight A student), so I over-exaggerated my symptoms to get more time to study.
This makes me think that lying may not be just to hide things, but some people may feel their symptoms deserve more attention and care, especially if their doctors is typically dismissive.
your second point is likely true...I saw a doctor for years with symptoms of thyroid problems but no one listened to me - my blood work was normal so it was in my head (according to them)...it wasn't until I got someone who saw the goiter on my thyroid and decided that it deserved more attention that my thyroid cancer was diagnosed (the surgeon said based on the results of the pathology that I'd likely had it for several years because of how far advanced it was, considering that it is one of the slower growing cancers)...and she said that I had hashimoto's (her words to me the day after surgery - so did you know you had hashimoto's)...
I wonder how much I would have been listened to, if I had over-exaggerated symptoms etc1 -
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 withhold information on occasion. If it has nothing to do with my current health situation, she does not need to know. I don't lie though.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?
More than once I've gone in with a list of things to tell them so that I don't forget.
I always take a list. I always seem to have questions in addition to info and I will forget something if I didn't have the list.
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I used to lie when I was younger. Not anymore...1
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Gee. Your finger stick blood sugar reads 497.
Take it again! Take it in my other finger on the other hand!
Okay. I get 503 this time. Did you eat anything like ice cream or pizza recently? Like the ice cream and pizza they're serving on the 1st floor leftover from the birthday party?
NO! All I had was a cup of black coffee. Check your machine! It always gives bad readings. Cheap piece of junk!
You literally have some nurse or other individual routinely pricking people's fingers and handling their blood in the office??? Bringing in the same "machine" each time (your reference to how it "always" gives bad readings)? This happens?
I honest to God have never heard of such a thing. I can't imagine the S-storm of someone getting sick and suing the office for throwing the employees' blood around. Anything could happen, or at least be accused to have happened, under circumstances of handling blood in a public, non-hospital/non-medical place that way. Just odd.
How often do they prick your blood? Is this a routine thing? I just have never heard of this.
Not uncommon with diabetics, especially if they are not even trying to manage it or are in denial so they don't test at home (those who do test at home bring their meters in so the info can be downloaded). It is just the usual tiny drop of blood to test with a glucose meter not "throwing blood around".
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Gee. Your finger stick blood sugar reads 497.
Take it again! Take it in my other finger on the other hand!
Okay. I get 503 this time. Did you eat anything like ice cream or pizza recently? Like the ice cream and pizza they're serving on the 1st floor leftover from the birthday party?
NO! All I had was a cup of black coffee. Check your machine! It always gives bad readings. Cheap piece of junk!
You literally have some nurse or other individual routinely pricking people's fingers and handling their blood in the office??? Bringing in the same "machine" each time (your reference to how it "always" gives bad readings)? This happens?
I honest to God have never heard of such a thing. I can't imagine the S-storm of someone getting sick and suing the office for throwing the employees' blood around. Anything could happen, or at least be accused to have happened, under circumstances of handling blood in a public, non-hospital/non-medical place that way. Just odd.
How often do they prick your blood? Is this a routine thing? I just have never heard of this.
Not uncommon with diabetics, especially if they are not even trying to manage it or are in denial so they don't test at home (those who do test at home bring their meters in so the info can be downloaded). It is just the usual tiny drop of blood to test with a glucose meter not "throwing blood around".
What I mean is that this is how it could potentially be seen. I don't think a nurse would literally throw a needle but honestly, if I were at work and I knew people's blood was just randomly being handled in some office room I potentially frequented...I mean...I just don't know.
So you're saying diabetics are blood-tested at work? Routinely?
That's what I've never heard of. I'm assuming at work was the scenario here, and not a doctor's office, since the mention was made of cake downstairs and I hardly think patients at a doctor's office are going to some downstairs locale to eat surprise cake. So what is the setup here? In some business offices, people who have been pinpointed as diabetics are just routinely blood tested by someone else? Who? A nurse? And what's the legal protection? No, the blood isn't literally being thrown (I assume), but it's being handled, right there with other office workers...sounds so sketchy to me and a recipe for potential disaster should anything, and I mean anything at all happen that could even be loosely related to the procedure which is apparently not being done in a controlled, medical environment. Or...is this like a blood drive where the truck comes in...they take the diabetic out to the parking lot or something...? Help me out because this is boggling to me...maybe I'm just visualizing it wrong?
I don't understand the mechanism here...I'm not trying to be snotty or anything. I literally have never heard of enforced diabetes blood testing in a corporate office, in the U.S. at least.0 -
Yup I lie to my gp, they are usually lies of omission when I feel it is irrelevant to the reason of my visit. It doesn't surprise one bit that 64% of people do.0
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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!
Yep.
And when I used to drink excessively I even used the fact people lied as my excuse -- doctors think everyone lies and double what you say, so if I am honest they will think I drink twice as much as I do, so I should lie. Hmm, still sounds like too much and she might assume I drink more than I should (which is OBVIOUSLY not true) so I will just say "maybe a glass or two with dinner some nights."
Which was a huge lie.
I never lied about smoking (since I never have) or food stuff, but I suspect lots of people do since they don't want to be judged, are lying to themselves, or are sure it has nothing to do with whatever the issue is/their health.0 -
What I mean is that this is how it could potentially be seen. I don't think a nurse would literally throw a needle but honestly, if I were at work and I knew people's blood was just randomly being handled in some office room I potentially frequented...I mean...I just don't know.
My friend is Diabetic she checks her blood sugar regularly, at work, at home, when out in the evenings. Even in public places. Her "party trick" is checking everyone's blood sugar, So we all get our finger pricked and 'throw blood around'. Not all the time because she has to switch the needles and everything so makes her go through them fast but it happens. She gets mad at us for having normal blood sugar ranges...
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Gee. Your finger stick blood sugar reads 497.
Take it again! Take it in my other finger on the other hand!
Okay. I get 503 this time. Did you eat anything like ice cream or pizza recently? Like the ice cream and pizza they're serving on the 1st floor leftover from the birthday party?
NO! All I had was a cup of black coffee. Check your machine! It always gives bad readings. Cheap piece of junk!
You literally have some nurse or other individual routinely pricking people's fingers and handling their blood in the office??? Bringing in the same "machine" each time (your reference to how it "always" gives bad readings)? This happens?
I honest to God have never heard of such a thing. I can't imagine the S-storm of someone getting sick and suing the office for throwing the employees' blood around. Anything could happen, or at least be accused to have happened, under circumstances of handling blood in a public, non-hospital/non-medical place that way. Just odd.
How often do they prick your blood? Is this a routine thing? I just have never heard of this.
Not uncommon with diabetics, especially if they are not even trying to manage it or are in denial so they don't test at home (those who do test at home bring their meters in so the info can be downloaded). It is just the usual tiny drop of blood to test with a glucose meter not "throwing blood around".
What I mean is that this is how it could potentially be seen. I don't think a nurse would literally throw a needle but honestly, if I were at work and I knew people's blood was just randomly being handled in some office room I potentially frequented...I mean...I just don't know.
So you're saying diabetics are blood-tested at work? Routinely?
That's what I've never heard of. I'm assuming at work was the scenario here, and not a doctor's office, since the mention was made of cake downstairs and I hardly think patients at a doctor's office are going to some downstairs locale to eat surprise cake. So what is the setup here? In some business offices, people who have been pinpointed as diabetics are just routinely blood tested by someone else? Who? A nurse? And what's the legal protection? No, the blood isn't literally being thrown (I assume), but it's being handled, right there with other office workers...sounds so sketchy to me and a recipe for potential disaster should anything, and I mean anything at all happen that could even be loosely related to the procedure which is apparently not being done in a controlled, medical environment. Or...is this like a blood drive where the truck comes in...they take the diabetic out to the parking lot or something...? Help me out because this is boggling to me...maybe I'm just visualizing it wrong?
I don't understand the mechanism here...I'm not trying to be snotty or anything. I literally have never heard of enforced diabetes blood testing in a corporate office, in the U.S. at least.
Not all medical environments where blood glucose readings are taken are walk-in offices. And not sure why you're thinking about corporate offices where people are wearing power pantsuits and doing marketing presentations and doing the 9 to 5 thing. Since when do doctors and nurses work in those places? Sigh. Nevermind.
And yes. In medical facilities people have birthday parties acknowledged with cake and pizza and ice cream. And the leftovers are occasionally placed in the common areas for passers by.
Okay. You're talking about two different scenarios here. I suppose anything is possible. Maybe it's regional that medical facilities routinely put out their leftovers for patients to eat. I've just never seen it personally but it seems like it must happen.
OTOH, the business office scenario - I didn't mention powersuits and I can't see how non-suit-wearing people would be more accepting of people just randomly being blood tested in the locale but...it's as you say...sigh. I guess in these very, very, very specific scenarios, some giant !!!liar!!! with routine FBSs of 500+ might wander into his doctor's office, not wearing a suit, and see loads of cake put out for patients, pig out, walk in, then lie to the doctor's face. I accept that in some universe it COULD happen.
I just don't accept that this is all somehow enough of a norm to snottily make mention of it about how !!!liars!!! act, in support of the idea of this thread. Seems...well...really far-fetched to me. Really, really far-fetched.
So sure. I'll give you that this must have happened some time, in some place and have been accepted as normal. I'll just stick with: it has to be regional or something, because somehow I've managed not to be involved in or witnessed either of these scenarios in 49 years of living, and 18 years in various offices (some business casual, some jeans, some fairly well-dressed). I guess you've answer my question, so I appreciate your taking the time. It does clarify what the idea was here and it cements for me that it's a bit of an exaggeration to put these things down to a norm. Thank you for your help.
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I don't lie to doctors as I can't see the point. I'm not convinced that they always believe what you say anyway - for example, I had to be "trained" to inject myself with a certain drug, and along with that came information about side effects and what to avoid eating/drinking/using when taking the drug.
The nurse practitioner asked me how much alcohol I drank. I said "none" because I haven't touched any for at least two years (and I was never a big drinker before that; DH
and I shared a bottle of wine maybe four times a year. I initially gave up as I felt it was a waste of calories when starting my deficit).
So she then starts muttering about not drinking more than department of health guidelines - so I repeated that I don't drink. Still she kept on about it until I had to actually spell it out to her in monosyllabic terms of the "I-DON'T-DRINK" type. She just didn't - or couldn't believe that she had someone in front of her who actually didn't drink alcohol.
I can understand it though, the disbelief, as when I worked as a midwife we had to ask about lifestyle choices (including alcohol/drugs/smoking) and I frequently had women reeking of cigarettes tell me that they didn't smoke. I'd then say that I could smell the cigarettes and then I'd get "oh, that's from my partner, he smokes in the house". Of course. I still used to refer them to the stop smoking service
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In America, the American Medical Association wants doctors to ask clinical patients to disclose information about their ownership of firearms.
I think it's easy to get 64% of people lying to their doctor.4 -
JeromeBarry1 wrote: »In America, the American Medical Association wants doctors to ask clinical patients to disclose information about their ownership of firearms.
What???
Why?
Not a firearms owner, just wondering what the tie-in could possibly be here.
Also...regarding a post above where the person said the doctor may not believe the patient anyway...Yup, so true. You sit there helplessly trying to convince the doctor and she gives you the hairy eyeball. That's so infuriating and frustrating but what can you do?
I once had to call a doctor apparently after hours (I didn't realize he worked that specific weekday as foreshortened) because my stepson had run out of Ritalin and somehow, with all the other stuff going on at that time, I had forgotten a couple days in a row to call for the refill seeing that he was running to the end of that month's prescription. (Long story, don't judge.) The office told me they would call the doctor at home to have him call in the prescription. This doctor proceeded to call me at home and literally yell into the phone (I mean real, actual yelling, I was holding the phone out) about how he wasn't about to feed some drug addict parent's habit by filling a prescription early so we could get away with squeezing out a few extra pills. (It wasn't early and I don't do drugs. And no, this was no "ghetto" doctor, he was pricey as hell in an upscale area, where we were living, so I can't imagine he had a glut of bad street stories coloring his perception here.)
I stood there in shock and handed the phone to my (now ex-) husband. "Can you help?" But he couldn't get a word in edgewise.
We hung up the phone and stared at one another and my stepson didn't get his medication for a couple of days. After that the prescription (which was now overdue in being filled) was apparently filled at our pharmacy, who called us to let us know. We shrugged and went from there.
Pretty extreme and I won't say a doctor literally yelling is the norm, but I can say I got lots of rolling eyes about my "tiredness" which was simply because "I worked outside the home"...until finally literally years later one doctor listened to me, did a thyroid test and called me with the results to say, "Are you actually able to stand up and get to the phone with this TSH?"
I can see the tie-in here to patients just lying because they know the doctor is never going to believe them anyway, especially if they've had that experience before.
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At work, we have to fill out a questionnaire after our biometric screening. This goes straight to the health care provider, but our wellness is incentivized, so our employer gets our scores. It asks questions about smoking, drinking, drug use, fitness, the distances we drive, seatbelt use, missed days of work, family dynamics stress levels, friendships...all kinds of very deep questioning. Not "exactly" a doctor, but could be considered intrusive, if you are a private person. I can see why someone may not be forthcoming if they felt it could be consequential.0
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I can't say I've ever been asked if I own a firearm.0
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JeromeBarry1 wrote: »In America, the American Medical Association wants doctors to ask clinical patients to disclose information about their ownership of firearms.
What???
Why?
Not a firearms owner, just wondering what the tie-in could possibly be here.
Generally speaking, any of us can have our reasons for lying to a doctor. That 64% number seems low to me.0 -
JeromeBarry1 wrote: »In America, the American Medical Association wants doctors to ask clinical patients to disclose information about their ownership of firearms.
What???
Why?
Not to turn this into a political post, but the AMA has decided that guns and gun ownership represent a HEALTH hazard and they are trying to get the member doctors to preach the politically correct stance of 'guns are the DEBIL'.
Neither my GP nor his nurse has asked me this question but if they do, I will simply answer that it is none of their business.2 -
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 believe it. We (humans in general) don't want to admit to all our faults. We tend to sugarcoat things.1 -
JeromeBarry1 wrote: »In America, the American Medical Association wants doctors to ask clinical patients to disclose information about their ownership of firearms.
I think it's easy to get 64% of people lying to their doctor.
Thank goodness those who promoted this nonsense are no longer in their positions. I crossed this question out when I took intake.0 -
LowCarb4Me2016 wrote: »I can't say I've ever been asked if I own a firearm.
My son's pediatrician asks every time we go in. I answer truthfully, "yes, I own guns. My husband owns guns. My son has three guns of his own." She's a (very nice) hippie granola, and freaks out, every time.
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LowCarb4Me2016 wrote: »I can't say I've ever been asked if I own a firearm.
Me neither. I don't, but my husband owns guns, and has a permit to carry. They have never asked me at the doctors office. Is it because they think if the gun is in the home you will eventually shoot some one, is that the supposed concern?
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This discussion has been closed.
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