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Bemused Doctors Expose The Things People Most Commonly Lie To Them About (62 Examples)
Everyone who has ever been to the doctor wants a clean bill of health and often can’t wait to leave the hospital. This urgency to get through a checkup might prompt some folks to tell small fibs to convince their medical professional they’re all okay.
Unfortunately, these lies are pretty obvious to almost every doctor, which is why they finally revealed the most common untruths patients try to get past them that are pretty easy to notice. If you’ve ever tried to pull the wool over your physician’s eyes, your fibs might be on this list as well, so do check it out.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
From a patient's perspective, apparently everything. I can't seem to convince doctors how much f*****g pain I am in.
RELATED:
#2
Not a doctor, but I work in Public Health. It's amazing how many anti-vaxxers happen to know several friends and family members that d**d or experienced an incredibly rare side effect like myocarditis, TTS, etc after a vaccine. You know 20 people just in your neighbourhood that got blood clots after the flu shot do you, Kevin? *sigh*.
#3
ICU doctor here - the amount of alcohol they drink. I don’t care and it doesn’t affect the quality of the care I give. However, I need to know if you’re at risk of alcohol withdrawal while you’re admitted to the hospital because it requires very specific medical management.
Gia SDP 1 month ago
The downside here is that when you DO tell the truth about how much you drink, they are trained to automatically double that number because most people lie about it. Had this happen to me because I told the truth and said I had 2-3 drinks a night; as a 50+ year old slightly built woman, they automatically assumed I was an alcoholic lying about my intake. One of the worst hospital stays I've ever had. When I didn't suffer withdrawal they finally realized I'd been telling the truth.
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
A coworker, had a patient come in with a large MAG light in his lower colon that had to be surgically removed. After removing it, the surgeon pressed the on button and it lit up, to which he announced, “D**n, that would make a hell of a commercial for MAG products”. Never a dull moment in healthcare!!!
Michael Largey 1 month ago
The increased sales caused by that commercial will certainly help MAG's bottom line.
#5
I know smoking is one.
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.”.
Kelly Scott 1 month ago
Smokers never think they smell and I can't figure out why. Yes, you smokers do smell. I can smell a smoker from 100 feet away. Horribly. It's like you wear a smoke cloud around you that moves where you move. Sometimes I just have to step back from smokers because they smell so bad.
#6
If you weigh 350 lbs, you haven't been eating just one meal per day which is just a salad with no dressings.. unless your capable of photosynthesis.
Ace 1 month ago
Deserves to be higher. While there are some hormonal conditions that can cause weight gain it's very often used as an excuse by body activists and such like to justify their size. No, you're not fat because of your hormones, you're fat because you eat too much. (Unless they've actually been diagnosed with such a condition, of course).
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.
#7
I work in sleep medicine. Please stop lying about your bedtime routine. It's ok! We know people use their phones in bed and drink coffee at 4pm! Please just tell us so we can help you.
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.
Michael Largey 1 month ago
I tried CPAP. It did keep me from snoring in bed - because it completely prevented me sleeping at all. My doctor said, "Losing 50 pounds might do it". I lost 75, and it sure did.
#8
Medical rep here men will not admit to erectile dysfunction and the reason it’s so important isn’t so much as you treat the erectile dysfunction as it is to demonstrate that they are having circulatory issues possibly too much cholesterol or hypertension could be low testosterone a number of tests need to be run.
Chich the witch 1 month ago
You would think that with how obsessed some guys are with their nallywhackers that the first sign of trouble they would be running to the Dr.
#9
Medication adherence! As a hematologist/oncologist, it's extremely important to know whether there is disease progression due to poor adherence to the medication or if the cancer is developing resistance to it. Please don't lie about adherence; be honest about why you aren't taking the medication, and it will start a conversation about how to improve it (financial assistance programs, side effect management, pill-taking strategies, etc.). We don't like spending the extra time investigating pharmacy fill records (or looking at how many pills were dispensed on the last refill and comparing it to the refill date), but that's an easy way to spot how adherent a patient is to a prescription. Also, we can tell based on labs in some situations (i.e. hydrea increasing the MCV).
Chich the witch 1 month ago
I had cancer and at one point was up to 30 or 40 pills a day. I see stories of people skipping their meds and just do not understand why. D***h wish?
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.
#10
NAD, but I’m going with dog bites? My husband and our dog used to love to “box”. Which was basically batting at each other lol. Well she caught his lip with a super sharp dewclaw and ripped it ALL the way open. I warned him that they would probably think she bit him and was lying about it. Sure enough multiple people tried to get him to “confess” that she’d bitten him.
I feel like a lot of people don’t want theirs or their friends or family members dog to have an “official” bite history.
LakotaWolf (she/her) 1 month ago
My dog Fenring is a Belgian Malinois, which is what you get when you breed a German Shepherd to a kilo of cocáine. He is very affectionate and loves every person he's ever met, but he's strong, fast, and hyper af. The kid down the street came up and asked if he could pet Fenring while I was walking Fen, and I said "yes, but be careful, and don't--" and literally as I was saying "don't bend over", the kid bent over Fenring to pet him. Fen got super thrilled and jumped up to try and lick the kid's face, and basically nose-punched the kid's face with his muzzle. The kid had to get stitches. It was absolutely NOT a "dog bite", it was a muzzle-punch XD Luckily the kid's mom was there, saw the whole thing, and it didn't get reported as a "bite".
#11
My wife is a retired pediatrician. she would ask about the diet of the children who were overweight or obese, and the parents would always lie. She would later ask the children what they had for dinner or breakfast and they would usually say something like McDonald’s.
#12
My spouse runs into the issue while preparing a patient for heart procedures. He askes if they use illegal d***s, and they almost always lie. He then explains that he doesn't care on a moral or legal basis, but that they need to know on a medical basis, so they don't over or under medicate them before their procedure. They usually fess up then.
Remi (He/Him) 1 month ago
I don't remember which illegal drüg, but one of them can be deadly with the numbing agent they give for dental work.
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.
#13
“Did you punch someone? Cuz the abrasions on your knuckles sure don’t look like you caught it in a closet door?”
“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”.
#14
Depression. A lot of people answer "no" to the questions because they worry about being sectioned, but you can absolutely tell the signs a lot of the time.
#15
Sadly, domestic a***e.
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.
Chich the witch 1 month ago
I was taken aside and asked about bruises on my wife's arm at a follow-up. They were (rightly) concerned until I said it was from one of their nurses repeatedly trying to get an IV in on a visit two days before and showed them photos we'd taken a few hours after.
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
No, you did not get that STD from a toilet seat.
Michael Largey 1 month ago
You can get an STD while sitting on a toilet seat, assuming you and your partner enjoy such a position.
#17
Sleeping during a sleep study. I was sitting there motionless for like 3 hours, eyes closed, not moving. Then over the speaker "can't sleep?" lol no I could not.
#18
For me in radiology, its what's in your b**t.
And no....you did not slip & fall.
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
"do you have high blood pressure?"
"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.
#20
RN here - quite a lot of patients do not comply with the plan of care they agreed on with the clinician and then get mad about the fact that they are not getting better. And then lie about it when we ask them if they followed the clinician's instructions.
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).
SkyBlueandBlack 1 month ago
Okay, but I literally cannot make an appointment with a specialist without a referral from my GP. I just want to see a dermatologist, I don't understand why I have to beg multiple times for a stupid referral (still waiting for it).
#21
Not a doc but me and the husband got too amorous one night and I pulled a muscle in my groin/hip area because of it. It got so bad I could barely walk without pain so we went to the ER despite me not wanting to go. I was so embarrassed about why I was even needing medical attention because… I mean I pulled a muscle b*****g my husband and now I literally can’t walk.
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.”.
Upstaged75 1 month ago (edited)
That doctor is hilarious! If you didn't catch what she said, the doctor was pretending to carry a TV while simultaneously fake h.umping (aka thrusting at) it. 😂😂 Implying that he knew it was a s.ex injury. 😂 That's one way to break up the tension.
In all of these stories, we’ve only seen people lying to their doctors, but have you ever wondered about your medical practitioner hiding something from you? According to researchers Nana Matoba and Angira Patel, doctors sometimes tell white lies to their patients, often to protect them from the truth.
In overwhelming or intense situations, physicians might hide part of the whole picture from patients’ family members to avoid inciting panic and overwhelm. They may also do it to protect the individual from the nocebo effect, which is when folks feel real negative physical symptoms simply because they expect a certain treatment to cause harm or side effects.
#22
“I’ve been taking my diabetes medications and staying away from sugar!” - my T2DM patient with a nonhealing foot wound and A1c of 10 as they have a liter of Pepsi next to them (this really happened).
Chich the witch 1 month ago
Knew a guy with diabetes. Took his meds but also drank coke by the case. He made it to 46.
#23
Eye doctor here. Someone already mentioned contact lenses and sleeping in your lenses so I’ll mention diabetes. We can tell if you have been habitually cheating on your sugar. Not just from your A1C but when you’re literally micro bleeding into your eye, we see that. Granted, not all cases of diabetic retinopathy are directly related to poor sugar discipline, but the second you mention you’re seeing blood where it shouldn’t be and you ask about their sugar discipline, they always fess up.
#24
Sleeping with contacts seems to be a big one.
Came to the eye Dr with an inflammation. He asked if I fell asleep with contacts in. I said no. He asked again to see if I mean I didn't fall asleep with contacts just last night, but maybe do occasionally fall asleep with contacts in.
He was certain that that's what happened and tried to make it easy for me to "confess" to a bad habit about contact lenses usage.
I told him I don't own contact lenses. That I used them in college, tried dailies, monthlies, different manufacturers, and just really really didn't like them. So I only wear glasses. I think that's when he finally believed me and went to think of other possible causes for my inflammation. .
It might seem crazy, but the average person lies almost 4 times a day or approximately 1,460 times a year, so it’s no wonder that we’re out here telling untruths to our doctors. The problem is that when you hide something from a medical professional, there’s a greater chance that it will end up causing you more harm than good. So, maybe it’s best to tell them the truth and deal with the consequences of that, no matter how weird or embarrassing.
Have you ever told your doctor a fib? If so, what was it about? We’d love to hear your experiences in the comments below.
#25
Not a Doctor, but a Paramedic.
When people get arrested, and/or put in a cell, and suddenly become very unwell and demand medical care, thinking that it somehow how means they won't be charged or get out of whatever trouble they are in - we call this "Incarceritis", "Cell-ulitis", or "Allergic to Handcuffs".
Fake seizures ('fakey-shakeys') are popular too. And for clarity to other medical professional reading, I am not referring to psuedoseizures, I mean just embarrassingly bad performances.
Remi (He/Him) 1 month ago
On the other hand people dié in cells and drunk tanks because the police aren't taking their medical problems seriously
#26
My neurologist yesterday not so subtly hinted that he'd be able to tell if I faked a syncopal episode on a tilt table test. I asked if people ever did that, and he said yes, all the time. He had a patient fake a seizure in the waiting room earlier that day.
#27
Almost Everything?
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.
ॐBoyGanesh 1 month ago (edited)
Just this week we had a (resort) guest whose check-in profile stated he was allergic to a slew of food items, including tomatoes & he also had celiac disease . He ordered room service: a burger. It was sent to his room with a spring salad alternative to the fries and a gluten-free bun, no tomatoes and no ketchup. After calling room service to complain about not getting the fries or brioche bun & no ketchup, he came down to the front desk to complain. The night auditor printed his profile, highlighted his allergies & pointed out that it’s because liability to serve him food he stated in writing he was allergic to. He pulled the, “well, I just don’t like tomatoes” bs, but the night auditor said, “how do o know you’re not just saying that now?” We refused to refund the room service, but offered him gluten-free alternatives. He didn’t eat on property the rest of his stay. If you have ARFID, say so. Don’t lie. If you only eat Dino nuggets order the kids menu.
#28
I once told the hand doctor that I broke my pinky knuckle by horsing around with my dog. He said usually people break it because they don’t know how to punch. He said, how did you break it again? I said horsing around with me dog. He said okay, if that’s what you want to go with… I broke it punching an inanimate object like an i***t. I have never done that since.
#29
As a patient, I'm guessing alcohol. I genuinely drink like 2 drinks a year, which seems medically negligible to me. When answering the questionnaire, it asks how often do you drink each week. I put none -- because what am I gonna put, 1/2 teaspoon (
Rick Murray 1 month ago
None, zero, honest to god. It's one of my intolerances. And by intolerance I mean a glass of wine will have my intestines explosively trying to yeet themselves out of my body. So, zero alcohol. [and in my younger years I once drank whisk(e)y, spat it right out, and can't believe anybody drinks that stuff of their own volition; it tastes like I'd imagine the fuel in the Tilley lamp would taste if I was dumb enough to try...]
#30
Im guilty.
Doc: how did you get that bruise on your shoulder?
Me: crashed my bike
Doc: ~raises eyebrow~ “want to try that again?”
Me: girlfriend bit me. .
#31
Doctor: Have you been excercising 150 minutes a week, like I told you?
Me: Yesssss
Doctor: Really?
Me: Yes.
Doctor: Really?
Me: no...
cerinamroth 1 month ago
Sometimes there is a little confusion as to what constitutes exercise. Some people would say just walking for 150 minutes a week meets the target, while others specify that you have to actually be out of breath for 150 minutes. The people who get out of breath while walking probably aren't getting their 150 minutes every week, or they have another underlying condition.
#32
I am a transplant hepatologist and it is amazing how many people will deny alcohol use even when I have objective biochemical evidence of heavy consumption(ex. PEth >1k) and confront them about it. Having an alcohol use disorder is not a contradiction to liver transplantation, but lying about it and not engaging in treatment is.
OneHappyPuppy 1 month ago
My dad had an uncle who underwent 3 - yes, three liver transplants and was a raging alcoholic. I'd have refused him the second one... Selfish a*****e. COD? Take a wild guess...
#33
People love to omit their history of breast implants.
Michael Largey 1 month ago
"About that cleavage - er, gap - in your medical history, ma'am, ..."
#34
Nad/ but a receptionist at a cosmetic surgeon. You have no idea how many people lie about smoking. They’ll quit for three days to pass the test, and then have to come in weekly for 6 months to get their wound rebandaged bc they won’t stop smoking post op.
#35
Eating disorder symptoms/behaviors. People lie and say they’re doing fine to avoid getting help and interrupting their rituals/behaviors. Honestly terrifying how much of a (sometimes d***h) grip these diseases have on the mind. EDs will force you to do ANYTHING to stay in control. Awful, awful illnesses. Millions per year go undiagnosed and struggle without getting the help they really need.
#36
During Covid we did a lot of telemedicine. People were used to just living their life on video anyway and it was pretty surreal. I'd have to ask people perhaps not to be getting dressed in their walk-in closet while we were trying to do a visit, things like that
My favorite was asking someone how much he's currently drinking and he told me that he stopped drinking a long time ago. He was in his bedroom, sitting on his bed, surrounded by bottles of beer and liquor. Some half empty, most empty, some glasses with leftover beer and what not. So I asked him how to explain the "late on a Saturday night bar tableau," and he said oh well that was just one time because it was just my birthday. I had to explain that I'm looking at his chart and his birthday was like 10 months ago.
Michael Largey 1 month ago
You can never tell which birthday will be your last one. (Although this guy may be homing in on it.)
#37
Not a doctor, but a medical interpreter here. About 85% of patients say they don't drink alcohol at all. Somehow I don't think some of them are telling the truth, lol.
#38
Teenage boys saying their not anxious about getting a blood test
Sure fella
You’re just pale and sweaty for no reason.
Michael Largey 1 month ago
Having taught for forty years, I can tell you a teenager is more likely to be pale and sweaty about an algebra test than a blood one. What the tests have in common is that the teenager studied exactly the same amount of time for each.
#39
“Doctor idk why I’m not losing weight, I literally NEVER eat/ive only had salads for the last 10 years”.
BarkingSquirell 1 month ago
I've been on Ozempic 6 months and have lost a total of 6 pounds. I do not over eat or put junk in my body (okay, the odd chocolate bar, I'm not a saint!)
#40
My sister an A&E consultant sees fake seizures all the time people copy tv but that’s not how they work she adds the fakers never think to wet themselves either they are never that dedicated to the role.
BarkingSquirell 1 month ago
A young woman I'm acquainted with had a seizure in a mall, wet herself, and woke to the contents of her purse strewn everywhere and her wallet missing.
#41
I’m not taking anything else.’ I had a patient with recurring stomach pain that didn’t quite fit the rest of the picture. I went through their medications twice and everything looked fine. Later, while asking about their daily routine, I asked if they took anything for headaches. They said, ‘Only when I really need it.’ Turns out they were taking ibuprofen almost every day. They genuinely hadn’t thought of it as something worth mentioning because it was over-the-counter.
BarkingSquirell 1 month ago
I take one Tylenol every morning because I get a headache from sleeping with a fan on all night. No one has raised an eyebrow.
#42
Vaping.
I’m an anesthesiologist and you immediately know by how much secretions are in the endotracheal tube, how much they cough when they get extubated, and how the heart rate and blood pressure respond because of all the nicotine.
#43
Not a doctor - I’m a medic. There’s this thing called cyclical vomiting syndrome where people that are habitual, heavy p*t users develop. They smoke w**d, it makes them nauseous, they smoke more w**d (because in the past that helped with nausea) and they get more nauseous. The only thing that gives them relief is hot showers.
We know who these patients are. We deal with them many times over. Yet they’ll get in the ambulance and tell me they’ve been vomiting non-stop and the only thing that makes it feel better is a hot shower before swearing they haven’t smoked p*t.
Also, they usually smell like p*t.
bazjack 1 month ago (edited)
Cyclic vomiting syndrome is very real and very, very unpleasant. That part is true. However, m*******a use is only one of many things that cause CVS. I haven't had it in a number of years, but the causes of mine were probably either migraines, menstrual cycles, or anxiety. Most likely, all three contributed to the problem, plus other unknown factors. But pot wasn't one of them. I've never used it in any form. Edit: link to Cleveland Clinic page in comment below.
#44
I'm not the doctor, but my dad's a child psychiatrist. Parents will always lie about how often they argue, whether or not they're having problems in their relationship, etc.
ETA: It's also especially obvious when parents try to coach the child to lie about it too.
Michael Largey 1 month ago
As a teacher, I've dealt with parents who argue about how often they argue.
#45
My buddy is a surgeon who specializes in bowel stuff. Patients routinely lie about cleansing the day before. He just goes in expecting s**t everywhere.
#46
You didn't actually fall on that. You stuck it up your a*s impulsively and had no way to retrieve it.
#47
Used to be a phlebotomist, we knew most of the time when people would give us fake p*e for pre employment screenings. I’d ask them once to give them a chance to be honest, telling them the test will tell us if it’s real and clean urine or not and each and every time they chose to insist it was real urine. I’m not a cop, I’m not gonna arrest you but when I tell the company that just hired you that you gave us fake p*e that’s gonna follow you for while (small area, employers would talk to each other and thus it’s very easy to gain a bed reputation).
#48
Doctor here: almost everything. Like for real, we know bro. We're just not challenging you on it because I can't spend my day arguing with people. People don't understand that everyone lies to us constantly, our job is actually to try to suss out a reasonable history and treatment plan based on a mountain of less-than-credible info. I don't even trust other doctors diagnoses because people can be wrong. But lying to your doctor only hurts you. We don't judge you for not taking your meds or doing d***s or whatever, we judge you for lying right to our face and then expecting us to figure things out with incomplete information. It's maddening.
#49
Sup. Dentist here. Mostly it's about brushing and flossing. Rarely is it at the frequency they say it is. Smoking and vaping is another one where people will lie about frequency.
#50
When I told my doctor the amount of units I drank a week, he added 25%ish to it. I saw him do it, then I pulled him up on it, pointing out that the number I had told him was already quite silly. Why would I lie about that? .
#51
Flossing for the dentists for sure. And smoking. The tannins are much different than those of coffee/wine.
Cerulean 1 month ago (edited)
Weirdly, this reminds me of what the writing teacher Julia Cameron says about assessing your own work the day you write it. She did an experiment of quickly noting at the end of a writing session, if she felt it we nt well or not. Then some months later she looked back. There was very little correlation Sometimes she thought she'd been writing c**p, and now it held up well. Other days she thought she was a genius, reading it later she cdnt see why...
#52
Therapist here, you can tell me all day you did your exercises but when you've seen years and years of people who do vs people who don't it's obvious almost immediately. Also if you aren't progressing but you are doing your exercises, you should absolutely be telling us this because it could be a different issue. There's no shame in it, but lying about it makes us think you don't care.
Tyranamar Seuss 1 month ago
I can't do exercises unless I'm actually with the PT. Sending me home with a list of exercises to do is futile. Just make more frequent appts with me.
#53
I don't know if it's lying exactly, but it's amazing how far off people tend to be when telling you about their weight fluctuations. In our EMR you can easily trend weight, which I do whenever someone mentions a big weight change.
"I've gained 20 pounds in a year!" Trend weight: up 2 pounds since last year
"I've lost 30 pounds since January!" Trend weight: down 5 pounds this year.
#54
Trying to explain it away as a basic UTI instead of an STI so they don't look like they were going wild in the sheets.
Tyranamar Seuss 1 month ago
You don't have to go "wild in the sheets" to get an STI. I'm praying this is not an actual medical professional writing this. All it takes is 1 partner unprotected.
#55
Illegally using Q-Tips to clean your ears. Doctors ask if you use Q-Tips WHILE they're looking in your ears. They can already see the cotton wisps in there! Don't lie! "yes, I use Q-Tips in my ear canal. Are you going to snitch on me?".
Michael Largey 1 month ago
"Illegally using Q-Tips to clean your ears" ? Oh, my gosh! Am I facing a federal or state rap? "When Q-Tips are outlawed, only outlaws will have Q-Tips!"
#56
I had a patient with a routine lab analysis with elevated liver enzymes and muscle cell damage biomarkers shortly after starting a statin therapy for his hyperlipidemia.
I strongly suggested that the medication was causing it and for the next 15 minutes he was stubbornly denying it, straight up negating my explanations until he finally confessed that he hadn’t even started taking the medication.
It wasn’t obvious at first in this case however i can usually deduce when someone is lying about their medication adherence.
#57
That they shaved their b***s! I worked in urology with a doctor who specialized in male fertility. He did in-office vasectomies. I had to prep the patients and assist with the surgery. Part of the prep was making sure the area on the s*****m was clean and clear of hair. 9/10 times I would ask the patient if they shaved, they would say yes, and when would lift the sheet, they would be full on hairy!! Then I would sigh and get out the razor. I never cut anyone, but I wouldn't have felt bad if I did.
Michael Largey 1 month ago (edited)
If I had to have my naughty bits be shaved for surgery, I would prefer it be done by some who (a) knows what they're doing down there and (b) can clearly see what they're doing down there. I am not in the market for a second circumcision.
#58
Domestic violence… you don’t rupture your drum by “falling off the bed” as an adult in your sleep.
#62
My wife is an MD who works in a rehab setting
Whatever you tell her you drink she doubles it.
cerinamroth 1 month ago
I read that as "Whatever you tell her to drink, she doubles it" and I thought "And she works in rehab? Physician, heal thyself" ;-)
What do you think ?
BarkingSquirell 1 month ago
Ironic that the poll showed "Fear of judgement" as a reason to lie and that some of the doctors seemed pretty judgemental.
BarkingSquirell 1 month ago
Ironic that the poll showed "Fear of judgement" as a reason to lie and that some of the doctors seemed pretty judgemental.
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