AIBU To assume people tell fibs to their Dr about how much they drink?

[Diel]

I went to see my GP recently and he asked how much alcohol I drink, I was about to give my usual 14 units answer but decided to tell the truth and say about 3 bottles of wine a week. GP looked horrified and told me I absolutely must stop this. This isn't news to me as I know it's more that I should drink but he then asked if it's because I can't sleep, um, no, it's because I love wine. Anyhow, surely I'm not alone? Or do people just not admit to this vice?

I lie. I don't always drink often but when I do I definitely come under "binge drinking". I could go to the docs 20 times and could honestly say 19/20 of those times I've had 0 units that week so I'm not putting myself through a judgemental look or a lecture over that, thank you.

Friends who are GPs tell me they double and add a bit ...

I don't drink at the moment (bedsharing and not feeling great so trying to avoid any depressants) but I've had disapproving looks from my doc when I told them I had about 6-10 units some weeks, others nothing.

3 bottles is quite a bit over the recommended limits though - they have a duty to tell you you that.

I used to tell the truth(ish), but got fed up of the disapproving look, so now I lie.

I don't think 3 bottles across a whole week is a lot - a bottle only holds 4 glasses, so that's 12 glasses a week. 1 or 2 glasses a night - not enough in 3 bottles for 2 glasses every night. Perfectly normal I think. Much better tobe drinking it across the week than all over the weekend.

I tend to fib to my doctor etc - I don't know how many units I go through but I often drink 3 bottles on a weekend - 1 friday, saturday and sunday if I'm not working on the monday. If I'm going out on a night out I drink more. If there's a bottle open in the fridge and I fancy it, and have enough calories left I sometimes have a glass mid week too. I'm perfectly healthy though.

I assume everyone lies to their GP about drinking and smoking. The GP will ask this question for the statistics. As you didn't see your GP for advice on how to cut back on your drinking, I don't see the issue.

I don't lie, but then I don't drink very much. If the GP doubled it and added a bit it would still be less than the recommended limit.

If you think you need to lie then you are drinking too much and you know it. If you are feeling ill and you want the GP to help then you should be honest.

GP looked horrified and told me I absolutely must stop this.

Ha ha! Every GP and doctor me and Dh know (which is a few) drink at least that a week!

Most people do lie. If you add up the number of units sold each week in the UK it's much more than people admit to their GPs.

It would be stupid to lie, how can a gp make decisions and judgments about your health if he doesn't know you are drinking dangerously

My dad lied to the doctor. In fact he was a heavy drinker but it was: "just a lunchtime pint, (or three), and then "a quick after work drink" (every night two or three pints with a whisky chaser) then "obviously a glass or two of wine with dinner" and the "occasional nip at bedtime to help him sleep".

Told the GP he was a moderate social drinker. (He also told him he was an occasional cigar smoker when in fact he smoked many cigars and was regularly "giving up" fags.) If he'd told the GP the truth they might have reached a diagnosis much more quickly and he might not have died as soon and as horribly as he did.

Drink, eat, smoke if you wish - but lying just wastes everyone's time.

I get that they should advise on healthy lifestyle choices I was just surprised that the GP looked so shocked. Although if they are doubling and adding on then that might explain it?! I think I just automatically always said 14 as I know that's the magic number and have never been to the GP to discuss anything related so haven't given it too much thought until I decided there was no point in lying as I din't feel it required hiding.

I told the truth in one of those questionaires when i had to get the morning after pill at the sexual health clinic.

Do you ever drink more than 6 units in one sitting?

Yes, more than once a month was the option i went for.

The nurse questioned me about it, so i asked her if she ever drank more than 6 units at once. She sheepishly said yes.

I told a doctor that i was probably a classic binge drinker. Not very much then one big night once a week/fortnight. She laughed and said "you and the rest of the country"

Another one who has been told that GPs double your answer, therefore he/she may assume you are drinking 50 units a week.

I do tell the truth-I drink about the same amount. There are four large glasses of wine in a bottle though (175ml= 2.2 units each) so do be careful with that! I have a 125 ml glass (bloody hard to get now) so I know exactly how much and how many units I drink a week. I have two a day, so one third of a bottle=3.2 units a day. Adds up to 22 units a week-still too much.

My doctor knows full well that people lie about their drinking. He asks me how many glasses of wine I drink a night and when I say one, he always responds with "wine glasses Elsie, not pint glasses".

Before anyone leaps on me telling me to cut back, I do drink too much by the 14 units standard, but around a glass (wine!) per night.

OP - I used to drink that much or more in a week, so did most of my friends. We all lied to the doctor. Then I got really ill.

Now I can't really drink at all.

I lie because really I intermittently drink so average it out!! When I drink I fucking DRINK and easily smash the recommended amount in a few hours...

Pregnant and missing wine/stella

I sort of lie. I don't lie from shame but just because my life isn't some constant routine where I can say oh yes I had my 10 units! Some weeks it's probably like 100 but some none. My social circle are all big drinkers. I don't get out much now though more is the pity. But I used to love a big drinking sesh. I wouldn't tell the GP because what's the point?

I did tell her I drank whilst breastfeeding though and could tell she was struggling to give non judgemental advice

Does depend on % though Haggis.

I go by 3 large glasses in a 12% bottle = 3 units per glass.

i dont lie because i dont drink very often. could probably count on one hand the number of times i've had a drink in the last year. but there was a time in my life where i could easily drink 4 cans of cider a night, and more at weekends and if i'd been asked then, i'd have lied.

I told the truth (same amount as you) - and she just said 'hmm, that's a bit too much, you might want to cut down a bit' and moved on

I don't smoke, eat healthily and am a healthy weight... it's my only vice

I think most people tell fibs to themselves about how much they drink, so yanbu to think the doctor doesn't get the full picture.

I once heard that whatever you tell the GP, the general rule is that he/she assumes you're lying and doubles what you say.

2/3 bottles = 4/6 bottles. Worst case, that's nearly a bottle a day.

I don't drink at all as I'm intolerant and the GP knows this.

That doesn't stop them asking regularly and doing blood tests now and again.

I wouldn't lie. But then the answer would be song the lines of perhaps a glass of cider once a month level.

I get the opposite treatment... I used to be an addict and drank like a fish to boot, these days I get a pat on the head even if I'm drinking ten times more than everyone else.