Now that I've finally got health insurance I've made an appointment to get my knee looked at. I think I may have torn something, as I am pretty much always in pain. Sometimes it's horrible, other times it's manageable. Now my delimma. I smoke to dull the pain. It works. Doesn't take it away, but makes it able to not be laid up all day. I also traded some green for some hydros that i take (not abuse) when I can't smoke. I'm just nervous as hell to tell the doctor about either. Any suggestions GK?
Absolutely NOT. These days, docs keep computerized records. If you say....it will get pit on your record and be there forever---for every INS AGENT to see---and have an excuse to deny your claim.....not only for this particular prioblem, but for EVERY health issue you have in the future. For instance...suppose you get lung, throat or various other kinds of cancer, 20 years from now. It has NOTHING to do with the fact you smoked weed 20 years ago, but an ins co. will SAY, "well, we cant pay these bills, becauase clearly, you caused the cancer by smoking that evil, noxious weed." Or, suppose you lose this ins and apply to some other company in the future---they will see your prior medical records and say, "AhHA! NO INS for YOU!" Dixie
Yeah that's kind of what I was scared of. I haven't had health insurance in years. I just hate to be dishonest with the doctor. I'm pretty sure it's going to require surgery, so what I've been doing to manage the pain shouldn't matter anyway
I thought the new health care bill eliminated all the discretions previously shown by health care providers? They can not say anything about previous illnesses or any of the crap the used to use to turn people away or raise rates. I thought all that wa included anyhow.
If it were me I would not tell the doc anthing! aLL YOUR DOING is asking for trouble in the future. Teamster6
I don't see ay real reason that you need to tell your doctor about your marijuana usage. That being said, there is a thing called Doctor Patient Confidentiality and that means that no matter what you tell your doctor about your health or personal life they can not divulge any information in your records to anyone without your consent unless you tell them you're going to hurt yourself or someone else. So if you tell your doc that you smoke weed, he has to keep it between you and him by law or face losing his license to practice medicine. It's part of the doctors code of ethics and it is an actual law. I have told my doctor that I smoke weed. His reaction, you ask? He said,"That's fine, ... that's fine. It's less harmful for you than drinking or smoking cigarettes. I don't see a problem with that or it contributing to any health problems for you." Pretty much exactly what he said verbatim, and no this is my gen practicioner, fam. doctor. I see a specialist for my MMJ recommendation, but I almost approached my regular doc about MMJ when I first became a patient in '01
It all depends on your PCP and your relationship with same. I've been dealing with Docs (on a reg. basis/diabetes) for 30 yrs.; some cool & some douchebags. I love my current PCP. I can tell him anything in confidence. Trust works both ways. A few yrs. ago, I had several rootcanals, one after the other. My dentist had already given me his pager & home phone (I avoid that intrusion). All I have to do is contact him, tell him what's going on, and he calls-in antibiotics & Vicodin. He trusts me. In your case: I'd be more apt to admit to weed than illegal narcotic use. They'll think twice before prescribing pain meds, even when needed.
Don't ask, don't tell . . . If they ask, I wouldn't lie, but I sure wouldn't provide ANY info unless totally necessary. Thats a good rule of thumb for life in general.:alienwink: I would see if your new Dr. can give you a script for the pain, then you'd be fine on the pills showing up. As for the pot, it's just not necessary to provide that info unless specifically asked.
Honestly, more so if you know the doctor and he is a private practitioner, telling them pot helps you cope might help them give you the right additional pain medication. Like Ras said, they legally can't report your drug use. Now, if you go to a government doctor, that is a completely different story and they are prone to drug testing before they give you any kind of medication. With that said, I sure as hell didn't tell the ER doc that I was using pot to cope when I went in for some xanax because of a crippling anxiety attack causing extremely high blood pressure and pulse.
Why?....LoL.....Man He works for you and your paying him for his expert Care, It be stupid not to be honest with him imho. Now about those pills......Ditch em and get some Ko kush or Heri. Pills kill livers ...not to mention the old monkey on the back thing. Not saying your like that. Good luck.....trll the man the truth, he needs to know so he can spend your money wisely for you.asssit:
Yeah, I honestly HATE taking pills. I drive all day for work, and just won't smoke before I have to be on the road as I consider it to be under the influence. Granted, I guess after taking a hydro or 2 I could be considered "under the influence" but the pills don't effect me like the smoking does. It sucks, because if anything does happen, I'm going to have to piss, and I'll be dirty for both. This is my first time going to this doctor, I'm going to feel out the boundaries, and if it comes up I'll decide what to share. I just want to be pain free. It just sucks that I'm 25 and live life in daily pain. It sucks that I let myself get overweight and put all this stress on my joints, I hate myself for it
Well you can do a lot about it,I have a older friend and he lost weight and it helped him a bunch....Ibprophen....a wonder drug , I have arthritis bad in my shoulders and hands and 600 mills of that and i feel 20 again. Just dont worry bout the past and focus on the future. You can do it , Its like eating an elephant. You do it one bite at a time Good luckasssit:
doc says its ok My doc won't give out medical card recommendations But since I went to the mama's clinic I didn't tell him. So come time for renewal I showed him the renewal papers. And since I hadn't been to se him in almost a year asking for muscle relaxers he signed the papers
I've lost 42lbs since June. I WAS going to the gym 4 days a week, 2-3 hours a day till late august. I pushed to hard and that's when the pain went from occasional to constant. I have been focusing on my diet hardcore (which is so damn hard with the munchies I may add) since then, but being so heavy ( I am still 320lbs) it just seems like such a far battle. I've tried ibuprofen, taking TONS of it, and no relief. I've tried working out with the pain killers and it's just worse. It allows me to push through the pain, but I'm just destroyed after they wear off
how do you feel about your doc? do you trust him? have you been to see him a few times where you can at least partially judge his character? as ras and others said, doc confidentiality is a big thing, if you do say something, i would def. include that in the conversation - ie hey, i'm hesitant to say this, but i smoke MJ to help with the pain, i'm saying this in confidence, please advise, etc.... as astro said, if you have a good relationship with your doc, you can (and should) share everything, otherwise he cannot properly do his job and help you as he knows how, as a doctor. if you get funky vibes from him, find another practitioner (i know, it's a pain and takes time) but once you find a good one you can trust him and know he's doing the best for you. me - i would be honest with him, once i trusted him.... my .02...... GTWT :XXhippylove:
First time with the doctor. I'd like to think I'm a pretty good judge of character. I'm going to just play the situation as it goes and see how comfortable i feel with disclosing all my personal info
I've never told a PCP that I smoke MJ, and not one doctor, specialist, lab tech, x-ray tech, etc has ever asked me after a physical or anything if I smoke. A couple years ago I had a pretty thorough physical and a pretty extensive set of chest x-rays taken for a minor lung infection I was having from some kind of cold or flu. They said my lungs look just fine, and I've been smoking daily for over 25 years. :jmorph: I'm with Rky on the whole don't ask, don't tell. What would the benefit be in telling him?
Based from my own experience, you should tell your doctor everything. They have this doctor - patient confidentiality. It's life here that we're talking about so just tell your doctor everything.
