When a doctor asks how much you drink, what do you say?

[Sheamie]

You know the usual questions when you’re at a medical appointment- do you smoke/if yes, how heavily, do you drink/if so to what extent etc.

If you drink alcohol, how do you answer, and what does your drinking pattern actually look like?

I used to lie,and say couple of glasses on a weekend when it was more every evening.then thought id better just be honest.

I started drinking way too much due to depression it just kept creeping up..I told the truth.

I usually say a couple of units a week but realistically it's probably less usually. I don't drink every week and only have a bit of a blow out every couple of months

I tell the truth.. and at one point it was 80 units a week... and my GP made a note and did nothing else. Just fed into my paranoia about no one giving a shit, even when I reach out.
The same GP took my BP (it was 190 over 130 ish) and did nothing too.
I have no faith in the NHS anymore.

About 8 glasses a day sometimes 10 depending on the weather tge hotter it is tge more I drink ! He’ll be impressed not many people are so honest but I’m proud of my drinking habit I look forward to every fresh ice cold pint; it pisses me off if I can’t get cold water warm water tastes shite 😂😂😂😂I’m a waterholic

That’s one dodgy GP. The NHS has many more!

Tbf I haven't seen or been to a gp or hospital in a good 2 and a half years last time I had to go to hospital was because I was really unwell other then that even if I do damage to my bones for example like I fell down the stairs 4 months ago for example and was literally unable to walk much at all and completely bruised in every way possible on my foot and back and arms and I still didn't go because I really won't go unless I'm forced but anyway If I did go and they asked me I would say absolutely loads at the weekend and that's that I don't care if they judge or not

I tell the truth. I drink a glass of wine almost every day and another drink a day occasionally.

The truth! I'm 21 years sober so the answer is zilch

I tell the truth, about 3 glasses a week but always get twitchy, so they probably think I'm telling fibs.

I’m teetotal

The truth

I tell them I drink intermittently. Some weeks I might have a bottle of wine some weeks , even months, I have nothing. A bottle of wine last 3 evenings. If I have my birthday, chances are I’ll get a bottle of brandy from one and a bottle of Baileys from the other and that they’ll be gone in 3 or 4 weeks helped by visitors. I then tell them not to bother doubling or tripling the amount as I’m being honest, that I have never had enough money to become an alcoholic. (West of Scotland is high in alcoholics 🤣) And I’m an incomer anyway so never picked up the habit.

I work in healthcare, if you feel the need to lie about it, you must know you are drinking more than is considered healthy

Please, please be honest as alcohol is a big aggravating factor in alot of illness, even cancers. Knowing your true history will open up searches for appropriate diagnosis.

It is very hard for me to answer the question. I rarely, rarely drink. I rarely drink alone anyway, but come Christmas and my Birthday (January) I may have one or two of those mixed cans say vodka lime and soda. Very occasionally if I am on holiday (not every year) I will have a cocktail and very very occasionally at a friends house, so they never know what to put down for me!

Don't get me wrong, I love spirits and the very very occasional glass of wine but I just don't feel the need to drink much. When I go to a pub I normally have diet coke/Pepsi with loads of ice.

As I said I lie to the nurse because I’m bored of the ‘advice’. I’m aware I drink more than the recommended amount. I know all the risks, I have reduced the amount (which got way too much over covid). I’m happy with my drinking.

The same with my eating.

I answer none because I am teetotal ..and they don’t believe me and try to write on notes “ on occasion only “
I say “ nope 👎🏻 I don’t drink at all “
This is because have rosacea 😭

I’ve just posted that , I don’t drink alcohol at all and haven’t for about 17 years .
even before that I was a very occasional glass of wine with a nice meal person .
They never believe me because I get a flushed face and have a few visible capillaries so that means I must obviously drink 🍷 then ??
humph

Good god why does no one on Mumsnet drink yet in the real world most people drink like fish?! It's always baffled me.

I always give them them the max acceptable figure. I once forgot and told them the truth and they tried to shuffle me off into a special room to help me (my alcohol intake was really nothing remotely out of the ordinary). These days I'm peri-menopausal and can't handle my booze in the same way so drink less anyway but it annoys me that we aren't able to get honest otherwise how can doctors gather accurate data?

This annoys me intensely, 'officially too much' for fucks sake, it's NHS guidelines, not the law.
As adults we are allowed to drink as much or as little as we like. NHS professionals can let us know that we exceed the recommended maximum if they like, but we are still 'allowed' to if we wish.

When I smoked I used to tell the truth - 10 a day. I gave up 10 years ago,.

For most of my life I was a binge drinker. So nothing for a month or two and then a heavy night out. I just used to say ‘not much’, which was a lie really!

Then I developed a big alcohol problem for a few years and lied through my teeth to my GP. I was probably drinking about 10x the recommended units per week but always said I was drinking moderately.

Sober for 5 years now and it feels good to honestly say ‘I’m teetotal’ 😇

Don’t you know that ‘the ordinary’ level of drinking in our alcohol loving culture is very damaging to health. What you were unhappy about was your doctor trying to take good care of you.

This thread is hilarious. It's like these type of conversations are catnip to those who think they really are better than everyone else just because they don't touch alcohol 🙄

I have many friends and acquaintances of varying ages - and most like to drink in moderation. I only know of one who has been teetotal forever and their lack of joy shows in most aspects of their life and attitude. The rest of us like the odd glass of wine with a meal out, and a cold beer on holiday.

It’s likewise hilarious that some posters get quite wound up by those that either never drink or rarely drink. Why does it bother you? Their not drinking affects you in no way whatsoever. The most miserable, lacking in joy people I’ve ever come across as those who can’t live without alcohol, want everyone else to have a drink because they think their problem won’t show up that way, and are always looking at the clock to see when they can have their next one.

Zero units, I don't drink. The GP always asks again though, clarifying if I have the odd drink. But I don't like the taste of alcohol or feeling drunk, so I probably only have a Pimms maybe 2-3 times a year! I always feel I have to explain why I don't drink, so they know I really don't drink.

Sometimes I feel like I should just say a drink or two a week with dinner as that seems more typical.