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Telling your doctor you smoke pot

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Member
I have recently decided that a check up wouldn't hurt for certain reasons and was wondering if telling my doctor, who by the way I have never met before (old one retired), is a good idea? Should I tell my doctor or should I just ignore that when I go in?
 
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Indica Sativa said:
Whats the point in telling them?
An accurate diagnosis and possible effective treatment?


How can a doctor figure shit out if he isn't given the information to work with. One of my doctors referred me to a few others, and they all ended up with useful recommendations for cannabis treatments. Doctors can't turn you in for use of anything. You go to them for medical help and advice.

Not being honest and misleading with your doctor can go so wrong in so many ways.....
 

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Member
Cool thats exactly what I was thinking, I was pretty sure that they couldn't turn you in but I wanted to make sure.
 

Berry_Coughin'

Active member
Veteran
Yes, tell him....

They are obligated to client/professional confidentiality, unless there is reason to believe that you might be a harm to yourself or others....

If you say you smoke bud, they probably won't be surprised....

I've been to the hospital years ago with an anxiety attack.... my doc told me straight up smoking bud was fine, but I needed to can the cigarettes.... and my state is NOT med-friendly....
 
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they are not interested in turning you in... it wont even cross their mind they are there to help you and give advice according to your explanation of your health habits... you could tell them you snort coke and smoke crack all day long and its most likely he will just tell you it is going to kill you and you need help.
 
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Not being honest and misleading with your doctor can go so wrong in so many ways.....

Yes, because not telling your doctor you smoke reefer is absolutely detrimental to your health...
 
This is an interesting question, that I too would like a little more info on. I'm not so concerned about a doc "turning me in" as I am curious if he or she records that info for others to see. Like for instance an insurance company that now sees me as a risk and cancels my policy. Is that a breech in doc/patient confidentiality ? They can adjust rates or cancel it based on tobacco use so I would imagine mj use could be the same if not worse. I guess if were seeing the doc about something lung or circulatory related I would bring it up. If I'm there for stitches, why provide the info ? Anyone have some better "legal" advice to this situation ? Great topic Relapse !
 
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Indica Sativa said:
Yes, because not telling your doctor you smoke reefer is absolutely detrimental to your health...
Seems like that would depend on the medical need? I don't have an MD but I know that reducing stress and eating regular because I medicate is something he/she should be aware of. We all know the prescription routine of fatal treatments, and that cannabis is the safest. IMO all doctors are aware of the benefits of natural remedies vs. pharmeceuticals, if he looks into your eyes and you lie about medicating, you don't for one minute believe that you're good enough to fool him, do you? And when he knows you will lie to him, how can he be expected to treat you if nothing you say or do from that lie forward no longer mean anything to him. Can you say for certain if your life depended on it that test results aren't skewed by cannabanoid presence or evidence of use. If he didn't know that you medicated to control certain conditions, how can he reasonably prescribe assuming pills would have to ease stress, etc(his meds would have to do what yours does before a qualified diagnosis for symptoms is made). I can't understand why anyone would lie to the person they trust their life with, just makes no sense to me.

But after half a century of tokin dank I guess my reasoning must be stuck in the 60s.........
 
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497.5FeetOfRope said:
This is an interesting question, that I too would like a little more info on. I'm not so concerned about a doc "turning me in" as I am curious if he or she records that info for others to see. Like for instance an insurance company that now sees me as a risk and cancels my policy. Is that a breech in doc/patient confidentiality ? They can adjust rates or cancel it based on tobacco use so I would imagine mj use could be the same if not worse. I guess if were seeing the doc about something lung or circulatory related I would bring it up. If I'm there for stitches, why provide the info ? Anyone have some better "legal" advice to this situation ? Great topic Relapse !
Before you tell him, request that what you are about to tell him NOT be entered in your file, and that it is for HIS ears only.

All my medical professionals know - hell, everyone I know, knows.

But it could make a difference as to a treatment they might (or might not) suggest.

Doctor/patient confidentiality is right there with lawyer/client, and priest/confession.

ws
 

Verite

My little pony.. my little pony
Veteran
Im not sure MJ as a psychoactive reacts with other drugs so its importance to tell a doc that your using it remains to be seen.

Also when insurance companies are dropping people on a whim as well as denying claims who wants to give them that possible ammunition? Can your doctor guarantee you that part of your files will be omitted when they send your insurance company information? Do you want to take that chance?
 
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Verite said:
Im not sure MJ as a psychoactive reacts with other drugs so its importance to tell a doc that your using it remains to be seen.

Also when insurance companies are dropping people on a whim as well as denying claims who wants to give them that possible ammunition? Can your doctor guarantee you that part of your files will be omitted when they send your insurance company information? Do you want to take that chance?
Of course, you always make a sensible point, but in my case I do trust him / them.

I asked my doc about getting tested for Parkinsons - I have occasional tremors, and my maternal grandfather died from complications with it.

He talked me out of it - and his reason was thus;

If I got tested, and it came back positive - both of us would be legally obligated to report those findings to any insurance co. that I applied to. There is no way to have a medical test result omitted from your records.

But our conversation about it, and his recommendation to me were confidential, and as such he was obligated to NOT report it.

That was very good advice - he makes $$$ from referrals, and would picked up some greenbacks for just booking me, and not caring.

I trust him - I have to trust him. He's my doctor, and I believe he has MY best interests at heart.

ws
 
You have to be kidding me... Your doctor will tell you its not good for you and stop smoking then he will call the cops for the reward ... Peace (just kidding about the cop part but for real the doctor is supposed to tell you to stop.) I made the mistake of telling a psychiatrist I smoked pot back in the day... and I payed for it... Every session he would ask me how is the pot smoking and he would say you need to stop it its not good for you, and then he would give me some nasty meds hehehe... needlesss to say when I got another psychiatrist I never brought it up and actually would lie about it just to save myself the heat... Furthermore... unless you have a cough from smoking or a ruptured splean from taking too big a hit marajuana is harmless and it doesn't really have a dangerous reaction with any other medication... Unless your goal is to STop smoking or unless you live in Cali or something or Amsterdam better yet... Don't mention it... Tell him about the fungus eating away underneath your nutsack... thats what he's there for... Or you may just want to mention it to the DOC while he has his finger up your ass I mean then if he tells someone you can tell them he fingered your asshole...

Peace
 
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secretweapon333 said:
Or you may just want to mention it to the DOC while he has his finger up your ass I mean then if he tells someone you can tell them he fingered your asshole...
Peace
But make him buy you dinner first - no point in giving it away. :yoinks:

Make him work for it - nobody appreciates a slut (for long)... :pointlaug

ws
 
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Verite said:
Im not sure MJ as a psychoactive reacts with other drugs so its importance to tell a doc that your using it remains to be seen.

Also when insurance companies are dropping people on a whim as well as denying claims who wants to give them that possible ammunition? Can your doctor guarantee you that part of your files will be omitted when they send your insurance company information? Do you want to take that chance?
I didn't say anything about psychoactive, my point was if he is going to treat me for something that, say, is fatally aggravated by stress - shouldn't he know that I already have the stress part under control and how. I medicate for at least 4 underlying conditions that might be considered terminal otherwise. Nothing to do with psychoactivity, more to do with controlling (ie; coping with) existing conditions, and as he is going to diagnose prognosis based on quality of life habits and routines. If I didn't medicate he'd be pumping me with shit to control stress and nerve pain too, when he could be devoting talent to more aggressive treatment knowing stress and nerve pain were not a concern.
 

A-Loc

mofuckin farmer smurf
secretweapon333 said:
You have to be kidding me... Your doctor will tell you its not good for you and stop smoking then he will call the cops for the reward ... Peace (just kidding about the cop part but for real the doctor is supposed to tell you to stop.) I made the mistake of telling a psychiatrist I smoked pot back in the day... and I payed for it... Every session he would ask me how is the pot smoking and he would say you need to stop it its not good for you, and then he would give me some nasty meds hehehePeace
i don't agree at all that a doc would do that man. and honestly any good doctor will tell you that weed is fine mine didn't even suggest i should stop. cigs on the other hand are a whole different ball park. and of course a psychiatrist would do that those guys are jokes imo. i dunno all in all i would say be honest with your doctor and if your worried about it tell him you don't want it put on your file and to keep it between the 2 of you.
 

Pipedream

Proudly Growing My Own Since 1969
Veteran
I always tell my Doc everything. Hell, the guy is trying to keep me alive. Why would I reduce his chances of success?

A little over a year ago, I passed out in my home, hit my head on the wall as I fell, and woke up on the floor. At my next Dr's visit, I told him about it. He asked me a bunch of questions, then he started to laugh. His diagnosis.....I'm an idiot. My blood sugar was low, I was late taking my blood pressure med's that day, and I smoked a bit too much that morning. His recommendation.... Next time, drink a glass of OJ before you do a Wake-n-Bake.

Tell him or her everything.
 

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I have mild depression and I smoke pot to combat that (no mmj card), I've started peeing at least 3-4 times within like 5 hours unless I am busy then it's like twice in 3 hours. Kinda annoying , ran it past the folks and they say people with diabetes pee a lot so I was going to go talk to my doctor about it and wanted to make sure surprising stuff didn't show up on a test of some sort. What do you all think?
 
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