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My husband kind of got caught with that one. For about 3 months his work stuff changed. And he had a group of friends who offered him a ride to and from work. Which was wonderful. Saved us lots of troubles. But it was an hour drive each way. And they all smoked in the car. That was their offer. Ride with us, but we smoke. We all smoke.
And it was a nice offer, and we took it. But my husband stunk. He smelt like a smoker for those few months. And when filling forms and stuff he would state, “I don’t smoke. But, I currently spend 2 hours a day in a car with chain smokers. So you will think I do.”.
There is definitely a power imbalance between people and their doctors, which is why some folks might struggle to tell them the truth. Studies have found that even in the early 1990s, around 85% of patients concealed or lied to their physicians. Mostly, it seems they were fudging the truth out of embarrassment, especially around younger male doctors.
Over time, this behavior hasn’t changed much, and nearly 60-80% of Americans admit they still aren't entirely honest with their doctors. It seems like younger people are more likely to hide information, especially when it involves their drinking and smoking habits, as compared to older adults.
#4
Also, if you have a CPAP, don't lie and say you use it more than you do. We can literally pull the data so you're just wasting everyone's time.
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Folks often think that lying to their doctor won’t make much of a difference, but what they don’t understand is that their clinicians need the truth so that they can make an accurate diagnosis. Researchers note that when people want timely, reliable care, being forthcoming is the only way to get it.
Sometimes, patients and their doctors hide things from each other, thinking the truth will only complicate matters. These fibs may not seem important on the surface, but they can distort how the situation appears to the physician and put the patient at risk. That’s exactly why both parties should apply honesty to their relationship, rather than hiding things out of fear or embarrassment.
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As you’ve probably noticed from this list, patients tell fibs about the craziest things, and the BCMJ mentions that one of the most common lies folks tell is about their exercise habits. Older folks were more concerned than those under 35 about showing off their fitness levels to doctors.
On the other hand, young people tried to hide their bad habits like smoking or drinking, out of fear of embarrassment. The most common reasons for these falsehoods are fear of not being taken seriously by the physician, worry about discrimination, or feeling judged for the way they live their lives.
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I told them I was trying to lift a tv lolol
We know d**n well they didn’t believe that but I was actually getting nervous they were suspecting my husband of hurting me and that is the farthest from the truth.
It was a really weird feeling of relief and embarrassment when the doc literally ACTED OUT LIFTING A TV WHILE SUBTLY AIR H*****G A NON EXISTENT TV…..
We were in our very early 20s but now if it happened I would not give a s**t and flat out tell them, “I was giving my husband one hell of a f*****g time.”.
Not telling the truth to a doctor can have unintended consequences, and the Health University of Utah explains that it could lead to the wrong medication or diagnosis. That’s why this denial, either about the severity of their condition or about what led to them having to come to the doctor, can impact the treatment that follows.
This embarrassment about telling the truth might last only a short time, but physicians urge folks to be as honest as possible because of doctor-patient confidentiality. Folks who still don't know how to open up to their medical professionals can bring a family member or friend for support during the consultation.
#14
I feel like a lot of people don’t want theirs or their friends or family members dog to have an “official” bite history.
#15
"No"
Is possibly the one I get told the most frequently as I then find out they're on 3 different kinds of blood pressure medication.
Admittedly some of these people say, "well that's why my blood pressure isn't high" which is technically true so touche.
If people aren’t willing to open up to their physician, the doctor should take matters into their own hands and determine whether the patient is telling the truth. According to Roswell Park, it can be difficult to know if someone is holding back, but medical professionals should listen to their gut if they feel what they’re hearing is a fib.
They should also ask probing questions about exercise and daily habits and watch for hesitation before the person answers. Sometimes “guilty” body language, like fidgeting, avoiding eye contact, or changing the topic, can also signal that they are not revealing everything.
#16
Social history, medical history, surgical history, medications are all things patients routinely lie about.
Only thing patients routinely never fail to mention are “allergies”, which ironically enough are not true allergies.
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Unless the patient is a minor or vulnerable adult providers are discouraged from reporting because it makes patients less likely to seek help. I see a lot of medical notes about suspected a***e that was denied.
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It seems bizarre that people might tell so many lies to their medical practitioners, but sometimes it's also because the other person is difficult to talk to. That’s why Angela Fagerlin advises doctors to have a better bedside manner so that they seem more approachable and make folks feel comfortable around them.
This can be done by practicing empathy and active listening when a patient is talking so that they feel heard. Instead of reacting harshly or making judgmental statements, it might be best to take a more neutral approach. This change in behavior can help build greater trust and collaboration between people and their physicians over time.
#19
“I swear to god doc….”.
“Well, if you hit someone and there’s human saliva, blood, or tooth fragments in your skin now, I really need to know, cuz I’m treat that very differently so that you don’t lose your hand”.
“Um, er, ok doc, yeah, I hit a dude, but swear to god, I was just mindin’ my own binuss”.
#20
For example, not wearing the brace and/or doing the exercises we tell them to do/use for their sprained ankle.
EDIT: also, lots of patients do not follow-up with the specialists we refer them to and then come in 3 months later with the same problem "only now it's worse". I've had patients lie to my face when I ask them if they saw the specialist; they say they do yet there are no notes in their chart regarding the visit. I can literally see what appointments they made in the past/future and if they went (at least for hospital systems/clinics that use EPIC).