Doctor visit today -
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Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2008
Location: NY
Posts: 6,608
Doctor visit today -
Wanted to share with my friends here at SR. I had an annual physical today and I went to a new doctor or nurse practitioner, I guess I should say. Any ways, she was asking me the usual history questions and when she got to the alcohol question, "Do you drink alcohol?" I answered, "No not anymore." She kind of smiled and looked at me and asked if I wanted to provide further information on that and guess what! I did want to. I told her I believe I'm an alcoholic and I stopped drinking May 13, 2008. She asked how much I would drink and how often and I was completely honest. I was shocking myself as I was answering, as I have NEVER been honest about my alcoholism to any medical professional.
She told me she was glad I was no longer drinking or smoking and that she would give me a liver blood test as a precaution, but she believed I would be just fine. I have to go back for that because you have to fast for blood tests.
I asked her just as she was about to leave the room if this would go through on my insurance and she said, "Absolutely not! She would only reference this history in her notes and for her information only." I can't tell you how relieved I was about that. That is only part of the reason I was not truthful about my alcoholism with another doctor was because I was afraid it would become a pre-existing condition and I wouldn't be insurable at a reasonable rate. Boy was I wrong and glad I was!
I am so relieved to have a person I can be completely honest with and thought I would share this information in case anyone else was thinking as I did about the consequences of it all coming out. She congratulated me on my sobriety and said she was glad I was living a healthier lifestyle now.
Thanks for listening.
:ghug2
She told me she was glad I was no longer drinking or smoking and that she would give me a liver blood test as a precaution, but she believed I would be just fine. I have to go back for that because you have to fast for blood tests.
I asked her just as she was about to leave the room if this would go through on my insurance and she said, "Absolutely not! She would only reference this history in her notes and for her information only." I can't tell you how relieved I was about that. That is only part of the reason I was not truthful about my alcoholism with another doctor was because I was afraid it would become a pre-existing condition and I wouldn't be insurable at a reasonable rate. Boy was I wrong and glad I was!
I am so relieved to have a person I can be completely honest with and thought I would share this information in case anyone else was thinking as I did about the consequences of it all coming out. She congratulated me on my sobriety and said she was glad I was living a healthier lifestyle now.
Thanks for listening.
:ghug2
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Join Date: May 2008
Location: NY
Posts: 6,608
Definitely feel there's no turning back now. Parents know, husband knows, son definitely knows, and now my doctor/nurse knows. I feel good about it, but it was posted more because I thought it might help someone that wasn't wanting to confess because of fear of insurance and all. May seem stupid, but that was one of my biggest fears.
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Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Posts: 4,150
Good for you HL.
I am one of the ones who used to lie to my doctor about how much I drank too. It had nothing to do with insurance as everyone in Canada has health insurance that is paid for through income tax.
Anyone else that has done this knows the reason. I didn't want him to do anu tests that might indicate that I had to stop drinking. I would have rather drank myself to death than have to quit. How pathetic is that.
I am one of the ones who used to lie to my doctor about how much I drank too. It had nothing to do with insurance as everyone in Canada has health insurance that is paid for through income tax.
Anyone else that has done this knows the reason. I didn't want him to do anu tests that might indicate that I had to stop drinking. I would have rather drank myself to death than have to quit. How pathetic is that.
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Join Date: May 2008
Location: NY
Posts: 6,608
You are definitely right in that not wanting to because of being forced to quit, but even after I quit I was being honest and it really was because of health insurance. My son and I have private insurance while my husband is insured through his job. I couldn't afford to be dropped from our private plan. I totally agree though when I was drinking I wouldn't admit it because of the fear of being made to for medical reasons.
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Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: MN
Posts: 528
Originally Posted by Horselover 
Wanted to share with my friends here at SR. I had an annual physical today and I went to a new doctor or nurse practitioner, I guess I should say. Any ways, she was asking me the usual history questions and when she got to the alcohol question, "Do you drink alcohol?" I answered, "No not anymore." She kind of smiled and looked at me and asked if I wanted to provide further information on that and guess what! I did want to. I told her I believe I'm an alcoholic and I stopped drinking May 13, 2008. She asked how much I would drink and how often and I was completely honest. I was shocking myself as I was answering, as I have NEVER been honest about my alcoholism to any medical professional.
She told me she was glad I was no longer drinking or smoking and that she would give me a liver blood test as a precaution, but she believed I would be just fine. I have to go back for that because you have to fast for blood tests.
I asked her just as she was about to leave the room if this would go through on my insurance and she said, "Absolutely not! She would only reference this history in her notes and for her information only." I can't tell you how relieved I was about that. That is only part of the reason I was not truthful about my alcoholism with another doctor was because I was afraid it would become a pre-existing condition and I wouldn't be insurable at a reasonable rate. Boy was I wrong and glad I was!
I am so relieved to have a person I can be completely honest with and thought I would share this information in case anyone else was thinking as I did about the consequences of it all coming out. She congratulated me on my sobriety and said she was glad I was living a healthier lifestyle now.
Thanks for listening.
:ghug2
She told me she was glad I was no longer drinking or smoking and that she would give me a liver blood test as a precaution, but she believed I would be just fine. I have to go back for that because you have to fast for blood tests.
I asked her just as she was about to leave the room if this would go through on my insurance and she said, "Absolutely not! She would only reference this history in her notes and for her information only." I can't tell you how relieved I was about that. That is only part of the reason I was not truthful about my alcoholism with another doctor was because I was afraid it would become a pre-existing condition and I wouldn't be insurable at a reasonable rate. Boy was I wrong and glad I was!
I am so relieved to have a person I can be completely honest with and thought I would share this information in case anyone else was thinking as I did about the consequences of it all coming out. She congratulated me on my sobriety and said she was glad I was living a healthier lifestyle now.
Thanks for listening.
:ghug2
I'll be honest that is why I was really afraid of going to a Dr to help me Detox.
My mom kept asking me to go & get help & I refused. I decided I needed to do this on my own because I really didn't want it any where on my medical records that I had a drinking problem.
I'm proud of you for being honest. How freeing that must feel!
Sober since 9th May 2008
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 2,973
Thats great Horsie, well done.
I keep telling myself that when I get to a year sober I'm going to go to the doctor and get checked out.
Hopefully I will ...............................
Note though I'm now talking in terms of "when" I get to a year not " if " !!!!!!!!!!!!!
and yea, I know, I should really just go now.
I keep telling myself that when I get to a year sober I'm going to go to the doctor and get checked out.
Hopefully I will ...............................
Note though I'm now talking in terms of "when" I get to a year not " if " !!!!!!!!!!!!!
and yea, I know, I should really just go now.
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Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Upstate New York
Posts: 51,564
Doesn't that feel good? I'm so glad you went, and had a good person you were comfortable with. The one time I was up front about my drinking with a doctor, he acted like it was no big deal and just suggested I cut down. So helpful.
Resident
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Posts: 4,150
When my father was about 75 he called me and said. " my doctor told me to stop drinking and smoking." I said " So what are going to do?"
He said " Get a new doctor."
Unfortunately he is no longer with me. He passed when he was 82 of complications due to alzheimers disease.
It used to be funny at the bars but I think it is wise to take your doctor's advice.
He said " Get a new doctor."
Unfortunately he is no longer with me. He passed when he was 82 of complications due to alzheimers disease.
It used to be funny at the bars but I think it is wise to take your doctor's advice.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,947
thanks for you honesty and sharing horselover.
i'm happy for you. great job.
you can do this and you ARE doing it. You are recoverying and starting a new and exciting and fulfiling and loving life.
keep up the good work and thanks for helping me to do the same
i'm happy for you. great job.
you can do this and you ARE doing it. You are recoverying and starting a new and exciting and fulfiling and loving life.
keep up the good work and thanks for helping me to do the same
Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 179
Feely: as I was reading this thread, I thought, "It is so wrong for people to be afraid to be honest with their doctors out of fear of losing their health insurance: Obama needs to fix this." Then I saw your post with the picture of Obama!
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