Telling a white lie to your doctor

Every small detail matter when you are talking about your health. Your doctor cannot diagnose your condition, or the severity of your condition, if they do not have all of the information you have. One small detail might mean the differences between an early detection of an as life-threatening condition, and death.

The White Lies we tell Our Doctors

People do not want to hear their doctors tell them that they need to lose weight, quit smoking, drink less, eat healthier foods, or exercise more, so they often neglect to tell their doctors what things they really do. They also want to make sure they pass physicals for jobs, or for insurance purposes, so they do not tell their doctors all of the risks they have for certain conditions, or the symptoms they have been experiencing.

The Top Ten Lies between Patients and Doctors

  1. I quit smoking. When you tell your doctor that you are no longer smoking you stop them from being able to be watchful for diseases that smoking can cause, and from being able to help you find a treatment that might stop you from smoking for real.
  2. I only have a drink occasionally. If you are drinking on a regular basis, you are at a higher risk of weight gain, liver complications, and other alcohol related conditions. You might not realize that drinking alcohol could interfere with some of the medications you are prescribed for other conditions. Sooner or later, your doctor will know the truth about the amount of alcohol you normally consume.
  3. I exercise regularly. When you lie to your doctor about the exercise, you get you prevent them from being able to help you. Most of the time when people do not get exercise, it is because something prevents them from doing so. Your doctor could help you find a way to get past what is stopping you from getting regular exercise.
  4. I do not take any drugs. If you take illicit drugs, or if you take prescription drugs in a manner they were not prescribed you can be endangering your life. There is no way that your doctor can prescribe the proper medications, or diagnose your condition if they do not know about all of the medications you take. You need to inform your doctor of everything you take, even vitamins, and supplements, so they can prescribe the proper medications that will not have bad side effects.
  5. I eat healthy foods. Your doctor cannot help you if they do not know the truth about your eating habits.
  6. I always take my medicine. If you take your medicine sometimes you might cause the doctor to prescribe something you do not need.
  7. I have no sexual problems. Sexual problems can often be the first sign of medical conditions.
  8. Exaggeration of the symptoms you have to can cause your doctor to miss the true problem.
  9. Omitting the true date when the symptoms began can hinder your diagnosis.
  10. I have no family history of that. This might seem like a little lie, but it can cause your doctor to miss important warning signs.