Some patients want the doctor to have a good impression of him or her even if that means not telling the truth or leaving out key details. Have you ever been asked how did you gain 20 pounds in the past 3 months and you responded “I don’t know?”, when the reality may be that you’ve been up late eating “junk food” and watching your favorite Netflix shows. Or, has your doctor ever asked you about your cholesterol numbers going in the wrong direction and you responded “I don’t know what’s going on because I take my meds every day”, when the reality is that you have only taken it 10 times in the past 3 months. This is not the way to build a good doctor-patient relationship and honestly, this can be really dangerous. There are many other things that can go wrong, but here are 3 things that can happen by lying to your doctor.
1.It can be fatal!
Not being honest with your doctor can cause them to prescribe unnecessary medications or perform procedures that come with their own set of risks. A doctor takes an oath to “…do no harm.” We want you to have the best outcome and do not want to risk adverse side effects or even worse cast scenario, death, because we don’t have the correct pieces to put together. As the saying goes, “help us, help you.”
2. It can waste your time.
Most doctors want to be very thorough in his or her work. This may result in things like getting additional bloodwork, ordering special imaging like CT scans, and even a referral to a specialist. All of this could result in a lot of back and forth follow-up appointments with your doctor. This is valuable time that you could have spent doing things such as spending time with your family and friends. Moreover, it is time that the doctor could have spent connecting you with resources to help you work towards meeting your healthcare goals.
3. It can be expensive.
Maintaining your health can be, in certain situations, expensive. Imagine the extra expense of running additional tests and imaging! Sure, there may be discount services out there to help you offset some of that cost, but wouldn’t it be great to keep that money in your pocket or help others by donating to a local charity?
In summary, I know that we often don’t want to “let the doctor down” and want him or her to think that we are following their orders. However, at the end of the day, doctors are human too! We know that “life happens” and sometimes you may not follow our medical recommendations. So, just be honest with us so that we can make an effort to help you get over your medical obstacles and, hopefully, help you live a long and healthy life.
Disclaimer
While the blog will cover a wide range of healthcare related material, it is not intended to replace the advice and medical care of your medical care provider. The content discussed/included in this blog is for informational purposes only. It is not to be taken as medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, etc. for your healthcare needs. There is no doctor-patient relationship formed or implied by reading this blog. For any health-related concerns, questions, diagnosis, treatment, etc., please consult a medical/healthcare professional.
