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?

Never. Not drunk alcohol in years. Sometimes they ask 'not even at Christmas'? If that was the case I'd have said rarely.

I tell the truth. If you have to lie, you know you are drinking or smoking too much. You might fool the doctor for now but lying to yourself is a mugs game.

I've heard that as well. In my case that probably gives them an accurate answer.

Doctors aren't stupid. They know that people lie, especially if they feel like they're being judged. It's human nature.

Where are all you non/minimal drinkers?! I drink very little and always feel like the odd one out 🤷

Same. Any thread on here on this subject has loads of posters saying ‘whatever answer you give the GP will double it’, so as a result I now tell them half my actual consumption 🤷🏻‍♀️

The truth. I drink maybe once a year, so I tell them that, the approx date of the drink and the amount. They always reply, so you don't drink then. 😂🤣

I should add that I barely drink, 2 glasses of wine a week at most, so I tell them 1 glass!

Couple of times a month.
Dd just had a conversation with a GP and told him she was drinking more than normal , went onto her records as she drank a lot every weekend, when she just meant 2 or 3 every weekend instead of 1 or 2 a month. She rang them and got it changed

Some of us only drink when we're going out I guess, so over the period of a week we drink virtually nothing but all three units will be at places where you'd see us. You're not seeing the other 6 days when we're at home with a Horlicks. Some of us have small children and don't go out at all.

I never know how they want you to answer -in terms of units or an actual breakdown? E.g. "about six units" or "maybe 3 pints a week?"

I had an occupational health assessment a few years ago and she asked "how many units do you drink a week" I asked "what is a unit?" She said she didn't know. I said "well how many units is a bottle of wine" and she replied "well I don't drink so I wouldn't know" in a really judgey tone! Yeah well if your job is asking the question love maybe find out....I doubt most people know how many "units" a bottle of wine, three pints, 2 sambucca shots and a sex on the beach are off the top of their head!

(To clarify those were random examples, not what I would normally drink of a week....mainly because it was covid so couldn't go out (would anything be more depressing than doing shots alone in your house?) but still 😉)

I say ‘about 4-6 units a month’ which is the truth. Whether the Dr believes me or not, I don’t know!

I say rarely and then usually socially and then often get heavily quizzed - at least twice got almost angrily told I don't drink at all because most of year I just don't - even though I do as I'm not teetotal.

I've had a lot more this year than in a decade and still had several months when I've not had any.

The truth. Why lie?that's simply idiotic.

I say I don't . It's not that I don't like it , but I prefer tea , coffee , non fizzy soft drinks .

I never say units because doctors know most of us are rubbish at calculating that. But I tell the truth that i drink at least 2 bottles of wine a week, sometimes less if I have cocktails or beer instead (so no fewer units) and occasionally more if I have been out. They can make their own conclusions from.that.

There’s no point in not being honest. Last time I was asked it was in the run up to Christmas so I mentioned going to the Christmas market and then having some cocktails and admitted that I am more of a binge drinker than a regular drinker. She recommended the Baileys hot chocolate.

I’d probably say ‘a bottle of wine lasts me a month and I rarely finish it’.

I think the questions should be reframed to be more precise. And ideally it should be on a questionnaire type survey say once a year. When it's written down and you feel less judged as in face to face, people might just tell the truth!

Do you drink alcohol
Yes
Every day, every week, occasionally? How much each time? Or similar.

Doc should get a good feel for intake from those questions and expand if they want to.

Also, I'm fairly certain that my GP would be right there with me having a bottle of wine! I refuse to feel bad about it. And to be honest, I have never had a lecture or any sense of judgement. But I know lots of people do.

The people with small children usually drink the most, it's just more at home 😂

I've heard they double it so I halve it!

Although I haven't been asked for many many years

I never drink at home, I find it hugely depressing! Very much a social drinker... and my partner is teetotal, so opportunities are very few with a young child.

They don't only ask when you go for an issue about your health though.

I was asked when I wanted my coil removed!

I tell the truth, I'm t total. They never believe me and one Dr even put down lies about alcohol consumption. After assuring him I don't drink due to very abusive alcoholic family members he finally changed it, so I guess tell the truth or lie they don't really care and will assume you lie either way.