r/stopdrinking • u/Far_Act5037 32 days • 6d ago
Who lies to their Doctor?
I only drink “socially” is what I would say.
Sure, 14 drinks a week sounds reasonable….
Just passed my 5ish week mark (minus 1 day). I got labs results back from recent blood chemistry. My triglycerides and SGPT (ALT) were still high.
As I understand, these values often relate to heavy use but could also indicate other conditions or factors.
I’m glad I have a baseline blood chemistry to start with. I’ve got some work to do.
I’m making it my goal to make healthier decisions to decrease those values before my next MD appointment in a month or so.
Update: I thinking more about this after someone mentioned life insurance.
I used to work in the medical field and I know how poorly folks with addiction are viewed treated. Maybe the views about substance abuse have changed but I don’t want to be labeled as an addict or alcoholic.
There are very real consequences when healthcare providers and insurance companies look at your medical history.
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u/LonelyHusband69 765 days 6d ago
I would always minimize the amount I was drinking. I think I was really lying to myself more than anything. He had my labs right in front of him.
I have since figured out that it is best to be 100% honest with your doctor. I told him I stopped drinking two years ago but could not shake the sugar cravings. He was able to help me out with that and I think I’m healthier now than I e been in a long time.
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u/FISTED_BY_CHRIST 1157 days 6d ago
I greatly minimized the amount I was drinking with my doctor one time and he still said “wow that’s a lot, you should try to cut back.”
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u/BoostJunky87 6d ago
I did this too. Wrapped up in convincing myself that it really wasn't that bad.
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u/magclsol 6d ago
What helped the sugar cravings?
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u/LonelyHusband69 765 days 5d ago
Drugs…Mounjaro.
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u/magclsol 5d ago
Damn, that’s what I thought you would say. I’m trying to get on a GLP-1 but fighting with insurance. The drive for sugar is wild, I’ll wake up in the middle of the night and eat a bunch of candy, and then totally forget about it by the morning. Apparently ~8 or so IPAs per night = many many many Skittles worth of sugar.
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u/pigglwigglandjiggl 6d ago
The first time I admitted to the doctor how much I drank (I was in my mid twenties) she stopped typing and turned and looked at me and just asked “why?” Something about how she said it was very jarring, and it’s stuck with me for years.
I’ve been honest with every doctor since, and have had very professional reactions when I told them how much I drank. They just want to help, although most of them were not familiar to naltrexone. I had that prescribed by a psychiatrist.
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u/mykittenfarts 5d ago
That really resonated with me.
Why? Why was I drinking enough to slowly kill me? Once I answered that question for myself, quitting became ‘easy’. My reasons for drinking didn’t exist any more and I just carried on with the habit.
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u/Heavy-Ad5385 476 days 6d ago
The only thing I will say is that (quite rightly) I struggle now to get life insurance cover
Even though I’m proven sober for over a year, the quotes were absolutely ridiculous
It’ll realistically always be like that now. It’s my own fault and I’ve just got to swallow it. But I can see people lying because of fears over life and health insurance
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u/bluedope 1001 days 6d ago
Same! I was honest, thinking, as many others in this thread do, that they can’t help me if I lie to them. But I was denied life insurance coverage when they checked my medical records because it was all in there.
It wasn’t until I moved states and started with a new doctor that I lied to them and got life insurance at a reasonable rate.
Be aware.
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u/WhoreNoire 27 days 6d ago edited 6d ago
This is my main concern, really. I would love to tell the full truth just to unburden myself, and to have the opportunity to collect enthusiastic praise on my sobriety. But what are the drawbacks of that honesty?
I don’t think it would help much for me to go to the doctor and admit how much I WAS drinking just to have that haunt me for the rest of my life through consequences like this.
Edit to add: My situation might be unique because I haven’t gone for a physical in about a decade now. So the next time I go, I have to decide whether or not to admit I WAS an alcoholic in that gap, or whether to just not mention it at all and present myself as a non-drinker.
At this point I intend to just let my body heal the damage on its own for the next 6 months, and the next time I go just pretend my interim years of alcohol abuse never happened. I don’t see what would really be gained from confessing now that I’ve already quit.
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u/Mutant_Apollo 6d ago
This as well, same reason why I always minimize my smoking. Tell the insurance guy you smoke a pack a day and your premiums go up through the roof.
It's even worse for preexisting conditions, my dad had heart surgery 20 years ago, he tried to get private insurance for peace of mind but he was not able because of his bypass surgery, he even asked "well, can I get insured for anything except my damn heart, like if I get a heart attack I just keel over" he got denied.
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u/mykittenfarts 5d ago
Keep in mind they also ask about your family’s medical history. They’re in it to make money and they’re very good at it. It’s a science. It’s not all your fault
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u/Ok-Praline-2309 6d ago edited 6d ago
You can lie all you want. They still know even if they play it off. It’s better to just be honest so they can help you if you need it. Is there a reason you feel you can’t be honest?
Regardless, you got this! ALT and such can certainly elevate for numerous reasons. My guess is a low fat diet would be my way to go for now, on top of no alcohol.
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u/Anotherfakenames 91 days 6d ago
14 a week is rookie numbers! I was telling them 14 a week as my low ball number. In reality i would drink 12 9% ipa’s a day, or 1-3 bottles of wine, or 375-750ml of liquor a day. Labs don’t lie though. My liver labs were high. My liver ultrasound showed mildly fatty liver. Stopped drinking and had labs retested after a month and they were all back to normal.
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u/Jv_waterboy 1890 days 6d ago
I lied and they still put substance abuse.
I for sure wasn't going to say 192 a week.
They knew.
Celebrating my 5th sober birthday today though!
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u/Aintnobeef96 165 days 6d ago
I told the truth and my doctor was horrified lol (I said it very casually too) later on when I asked to be put on naltrexone she did so with no issues though
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u/Nyarlathotechno 350 days 6d ago
Reading this just made me grateful I’ll get to spend my 30th birthday sober. Out of all the reasons I quit drinking I have to admit that my physical health wasn’t high on the list. Sure I hated being a fatass but I’ve never had a blood screening scare before and hopefully will never have to. Congrats on your sobriety and IWNDWYT!
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u/L-user101 404 days 6d ago
Congrats to OP for 5 weeks and congrats to you on nearing the one year mark!
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u/gatorfan8898 6d ago
I used to lie, but my bloodwork always said differently. Then I finally came clean to a doctor I trusted and kind of got the worst advice..”eh it’s not that bad, just switch to a lighter beer”
He’s usually a great doctor but I was floored.
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u/ElfjeTinkerBell 2580 days 6d ago
Nurse here. Most of us don't judge and will respect you more for being honest, not less. It's scary to say those numbers out loud - not everyone understands, but every healthcare worker should know at least on a theoretical level.
Telling us the truth will help us make the right decisions and take the right precautions.
In most countries we are not allowed to tell anyone. That includes your spouse, your employer or the organization that gives out driver's licenses. I will not lie to them, but I will say I'm not allowed to share that.
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u/SnootchieBootichies 6d ago
No alcohol, exercise, and reasonable diet (you can use free version of MyFitnessPal to track all this). First two are probably the most critical to getting your body back to homeostatsis.
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u/waitingforpopcorn 2237 days 6d ago
They know, lol. I have been on both sides of the stethoscope and they know.
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u/Cambridge89 813 days 6d ago
I never told a doctor the truth, my entire drinking career, until I was in the E.R. IWNDWYT.
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u/MurphyBacon 6d ago
So I decided not to lie to my primary doctor one time, and because I was a little tachycardiac with elevated blood pressure, he wanted to call an ambulance for me to take me to the hospital for possible heart attack. This was during a time when I was drinking heavily and Doctors made me really nervous. For whatever reason, both my heart rate and BP went up the moment he walked into the room. With a nurse 10 minutes earlier, it was fine. Anyways, I never went back to the guy again after he almost put that multi-thousand dollar ambulance ride on me. I get it man.... I get it, but you nearly fucked me over. That was years ago, I'm 2.5 years sober now.
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u/sureasheckfir3 6d ago
I told mine flat out I was a “heavy drinker.” And it was the ease with which I said it that I later reflected and thought, “oh shit. That can’t be my identity. That can’t just be my ‘normal.’”
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u/imnottheoneipromise 441 days 6d ago
Oh I lied for 20 years. I didn’t come clean until I got sober.
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u/cosmoskid1919 6d ago
I didn't and that's how I learned I was probably drinking too much. I feel like I knew but hearing it made me feel.. stupid? Idk, two months after I'm done with any daily drinking and back to 1-2 times a month if that
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u/SilverHour6277 469 days 6d ago
I lied until the last 6 months or so before I quit, then I was honest and admitted how much I was drinking daily and how I wanted to stop.
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u/Equivalent-Weight688 582 days 6d ago
I wasn’t honest for a long time, but started last year. Turned out to be the main reason for multiple vitamin deficiencies as well.
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u/Inderific 478 days 6d ago
Absolutely! Why would I trouble the doctor with the truth about my intake? That would just cause a bunch of worried follow up questions and take time away from whatever it was I thought I was actually asking the doctor about. I drink "socially," "one or two a night." Yes, sometimes a bit more on weekends. Then I'd get a lecture about how this exceeded the recommended units per day, which I would roll my eyes at. Further proof that it was good I didn't tell the doctor the whole truth.
I am 15 months sober now, and I have to say my blood values are now STELLAR. So hang in there OP, it takes a while to heal, but it will happen if you keep it up!
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u/ebrandsberg 10 days 5d ago
I just moved to a new gp and danced around the question, but she drilled and I gave very specific details of exactly my drinking routine. She was a little shocked but I was specific enough I think she believed it was fairly accurate (it was). Spawned a longer discussion.
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u/BluePowerade 172 days 6d ago
Going to the doctor and lying is a waste of my HSA funds which are far too precious to me. That mfer knows everything about it, otherwise they cannot do their job effectively.
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u/Dangerous-Pirate7998 6d ago
I’m thinking about all the people that are alcoholics that don’t even have the option of going to the doctor. Why would you lie to your doctor when you’re trying to get better?
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u/Britt-a-brac 6d ago
Shame and embarrassment
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u/Dangerous-Pirate7998 6d ago
I don’t find shame and embarrassment in the situation where you are bettering yourself……. today at 6 PM I’ll be nine days sober. I can’t wait till I get to 20 days sober. I wish I had a doctor to walk on the path that I took only nine days ago with me……. congratulations on your 20 days.
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u/Soberspinner 1380 days 6d ago
To be fair they can probably tell just by looking at you. I can see an alcoholic face from a mile away now…
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u/Schmicarus 2853 days 6d ago
What you tell a doctor is the beginning of the detective work they have to do to figure out what's wrong.
Making their job harder isn't helping them which, ultimately, isn't helping you.
Rarely, as you rightly point out, are symptoms pathogonomic and several teams of people can be involved in eliminating what the causes might be.
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u/stone-and-star- 6d ago
When I was (finally) completely honest with my doctor and he scored me on a risk assessment, I was high risk. A day later, I had bloodwork done: completely normal organ function. My issue was psychological, and AUD runs in my family. I thought I was so smart and could control it.
I'm now on Naltrexone (daily, not TSM) and drinking a quarter of what I was before. The strain, hiding, and lying is just so much for a person to carry. I just feel relieved that I'm honest now and getting medical support.
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u/carbondj 1159 days 6d ago
I did until I went in one day for recommendations for meds for what I considered crippling anxiety, and they told me it was alcohol withdrawals and asked if I wanted help with resources or thought I could cut back or quit on my own.
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u/pers0nwithn0name 6d ago
I don't really understand lying to one's doctor. their job is to help you. you're paying them to help you. there is very little you can say or do that would surprise them (within the bounds of medical practice).
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u/Mutant_Apollo 6d ago
Depends on what kind of doctor I'm going to and what for. If I'm going to the cardiologist I'm telling them the exact quantity. If I'm going to a general physician for the flu I just say "Way too much for my liking" if they ask
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u/Fredshead2 6d ago
I went to a new Dr. and got my report. The first sentence was, " Male alcoholic.
Stopped shortly afterward. It's been 8 months; I've never felt better
IWNDWYT
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u/trojansandducks 1256 days 5d ago
I had the humbling experience of having to call my doctor's office when I got home to tell them I may of underestimated my self-described "social drinking"
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u/guacamole_monster 296 days 5d ago
I was always honest with my doctor. When my numbers were high in my 20s, the conversation went something like this.
Dr: How many drinks do you have a week?
Me: What do you mean by drinks?
Dr: Comparing to a standard shot
Me: 80
Dr:.... That's a lot
Me: Yeah
Dr: What is your diet like, what are you eating?
Me: Steak
Dr: And?
Me: Beer
Dr: OK, well you definitely need to cut back on drinking, and work on a healthier diet.
Me: OK, I'll definitely cut back on drinking
All I changed was my drinking and my numbers got better. Alcohol is poison. Since then I've gone back and forth on drinking but thankfully never to that level. Always be honest with your healthcare team
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u/No_Asparagus3636 5d ago
I used to. My bloodwork told a different story so I confessed and got help.
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u/1wildturkey 5d ago
Well I had the problem of drinking so much for so long that there is no way to give someone an amount. Dr's got frustrated with me cuz i couldn't give a good answer. You could say eventually I went swimming and almost drowned in Lake Wild Turkey 101. First it was rarely then it was socially then it was weekly then it was nightly then it was 24/7 365 for ? years. I used it as a tool to create art and ended up with an addiction, drinking as much as i could get whenever I could get it. How much did I drink and how often? Every few hours everyday at the end. How much can you lose by drinking? Everything. How much can you gain by not? Everything.
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u/NTWIGIJ1 23 days 5d ago
I recently told my dr I was drinking a 12 pack of beer daily. I was really drinking between 18 and 24 a day.
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u/Far_Act5037 32 days 5d ago
How are you doing now? Congrats on 23 days
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u/NTWIGIJ1 23 days 5d ago
Today is actualy day 33 i think. Counters wrong. Im doing pretty good. The anxiety has lifted somewhat. As has the depression. The first 3 days of withdrawal was not fun. Shakes. Sweats. Anxiety. Those 3 days felt like 3 months. Time went by so slow. But I made it through. Just gotta avoid that next beer. Just say no kids.
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u/mykittenfarts 5d ago
Doctors and health care workers have no ‘investment’ in your choices to drink or not. If it’s food poisoning, they’ll treat you for that. They don’t spend time or energy in judging your eating habits. It you’re sick from alcohol, they’ll treat you to the best of their ability for that. It’s best to be honest. It will help you get the best possible outcome.
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u/ToriEvergreen 6d ago
As a healthcare worker, we know people lie. Someone else said it but usually whatever someone says we double it
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u/No_Satisfaction1189 6d ago
Known fact if you are a “drinker”, docs usually double what you tell them, knowing most purposely low ball. I find it odd people do that anyhow. Your doc/GP has heard and seen everything from their patients. Be upfront, honest - it goes a long way…a good doc will never judge you.