Why you shouldn't lie to your Doctor... | Arthritis Information

 

Good article from Newsweek about the consequences of not being honest with your doc.  From the article:

Not telling your doctor about all the health products you're taking, even if they seem innocuous, can be particularly risky. A study that appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association in December shows that about one in 25 adults between the ages of 57-85 are putting themselves at risk for major drug interactions when mixing prescription drugs, such as a commonly prescribed blood thinner, with over-the-counters like aspirin, vitamins and supplements, such as the popular ginkgo biloba. "Patients have to come clean about the various things they put in their bodies," says Dr. David C. Thomas, associate professor of medicine, at New York's Mount Sinai School of Medicine. "We ask questions for a reason."

Doctors believe that most patients don't walk into their offices intending to lie. But they know that fear of judgment, the desire to appear to be a good patient, a lack of understanding about why certain questions may be asked, and even insurance worries, often lead them down the path of duplicity.

 

http://www.newsweek.com/id/178493

Why would anyone lie to their doctor?

I have yet to come across a doctor who would judge me for using natural health remedies. In fact, one of the reasons I love my GP is she always suggests trying natural health remedies before prescription stuff, if there's a feasible one.

denial?

Maybe the ones who realize they have memory problems are in denial about having them, or do not want to face that they are having them? As ginko is to help with memory.

 

I am just going off of the article on my answer.

Maybe it is not that they lie, it is that they are not asked.  All of our drs. ask what rx's we are on, but not all ask about supplements.  Hubby is the only one using supplements and he only sees the dr. who told him to use them, but I don't know how he would handle it if he had to see someone for something else.


The only docs that ever asks me about my supplements are my AP doc and my Integrative Medicine doc.  The others never do. Well, a couple of Dr's I go to... every time you sign in they give you a form to find out about all your medications and it states to even include all supplements or herbs or anything you take for health reasons. joonie2009-01-09 12:12:57[QUOTE=joonie]Well, a couple of Dr's I go to... every time you sign in they give you a form to find out about all your medications and it states to even include all supplements or herbs or anything you take for health reasons. [/QUOTE]