Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

289 replies

Diel · 26/09/2016 18:36

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?

OP posts:
GoMeGoYou · 27/09/2016 19:57

Expat
It's a logical conclusion from the posts on here and similar threads in the past that yes, they think you're lying

...and it's a logical conclusion from this thread that the doctors are correct to think most people lie.

JustDanceAddict · 27/09/2016 20:01

I don't lie really, although some weeks I drink nothing and others I will drink a few glasses of whatever!! I tend to say average 5 units. Im happy with the amount I drink - TBH I drink less than ever now as it doesn't have a great effect on me. If you lie to GP then a) they can't help, and b) you know it's too much really.

FruitCider · 27/09/2016 20:02

I remember,her changing GP just after Christmas and them asking how many units I had drank in the previous fortnight on a questionnaire.... I was honest and said about 70. I was then hauled in to see a doctor. I broke it down "1 bottle of wine Christmas Eve, 2 bottles of wine on Christmas Day, 2 bottles of wine on Boxing Day, about 20 units on New Year's Eve and hair of the dog on New Year's Day. "And how much do you usually drink a week?" "2 pints of cider or half of a bottle of wine". He laughed and sent me on my way...

hollinhurst84 · 27/09/2016 20:06

I very very rarely drink. Maybe a g&t on a hot day or a glass of wine on a meal out. If I go "out out" then I daren't count. Probably the best part of 3 bottles of wine plus 6 shots plus 6 gin and tonics Blush
That sounds a lot but I haven't had a drink for at least 8 months

user1473454752 · 27/09/2016 20:09

I find the whole thing god dammed hypocritical to be honest, if you get a lecture about what you drink but a hell of a lot of doctors and nurses drink too!!!!!!

I drink course I do maybe a wee bit more than I should, but then again I have tonnes of stress!!!! so if I diddnt have a drink it would probably cost the Nhs more in treating me for a heart attack!!!!!!! lol

Houseconfusion · 27/09/2016 20:33

I tell everyone that I don't drink.

That is because - I don't drink.

ChickenSalad · 27/09/2016 20:57

I have the opposite problem my Gp never believes me because it's so low.

Me too. Or they think I don't know what a unit is. I have counted them for three months before on Drinkaware though (when I was drinking 20-25 units a week) and went down to 6-14 units. And that's what I drink now. About 1 bottle of wine or equivalent a week, maximum.

FeedMeAndTellMeImPretty · 27/09/2016 21:19

My GP rounds up my 10 or fewer units per YEAR to 10 per month as she obviously doesn't believe a word of it!

I went on an all inclusive holiday with DP and between us we probably drank 4 units of alcohol, most of which was free cocktails/champagne that we took a single sip and abandoned as it was hideous, preferring instead copious amounts of soda water, coke and tea.

If I go out with friends I may drink 6 or 7 units but that is very rare, last time was probably two years ago.

Happyhippy45 · 27/09/2016 21:32

On the rare occasion I've been asked I tell them "A bit over the recommended amount, a bit more than I should."
Nothing more was said on the subject.
When they ask about smoking and I tell them one a day. They rarely believe me or have never heard of this before. I went from 30 a day in my youth to one before bed, occasionally a few more if I'm on a night out (which is rare.)
I was once asked by the receptionist in a crowded surgery how much I drank and smoked so she could fill in a survey. Cue the whole of my town ears wagging to hear my answer.

expatinscotland · 27/09/2016 21:49

'..and it's a logical conclusion from this thread that the doctors are correct to think most people lie.'

Guess all those teetotal people are liars, too. Hmm

FunnysInLaJardin · 27/09/2016 21:49

Folk lie because they know they drink 'too much' and don't need a lecture, my goodself included.

I drink a certain amount of wine, but never too much that I can't parent or fulfil any of my work and social obligations.

As an adult I would resent being 'told off' by my doctor who I see maybe once a year and so make my own judgement as an intelligent adult female with access to the internet and so forth

Florin · 27/09/2016 21:51

FIL is a doctor and he says they triple what you say. However he drinks like a fish as do most of his doctor friends, I used to go out with all the doctors with him and dh on a weekly basis all from a major hospital and I can confirm an excessive amount of alcohol was consumed. Apparently it depends on your body, some people's bodies can handle it some people's just can't and the ability to deal with it tends the run in families apparently. It also depends on your ethnic origin for example he says often people of Chinese decent really struggle processing alcohol.

TheHubblesWindscreenWipers · 27/09/2016 22:23

People of Chinese / far eastern descent often lack one or both copies of the alcohol dehydrogenase enzyme which our bodies use to process alcohol. They tend to flush when drinking.

I would be pretty pissed off if a doctor assumed I was lying when I told them I drink virtually nothing. I'm not teetotal but I think the last drink I had was almost two years back.

Threepineapples · 27/09/2016 22:49

I never know what to put on forms that ask for units per week, because I drink maybe 10 units a year.

So I tend to put zero, which is also a lie Grin

traceyjwebb · 27/09/2016 23:16

We ask this as one of our Heath questions and the amount of people that say about 4-5 until rearly do I get people that say over 12 units a week! I am really not sure what happens to all the alcohol that get sold in the uk every week it really must be pour down the drain WineConfused

Threebedsemii · 28/09/2016 03:35

They're not officially doubling or tripling it though (ie they're not changing your paperwork) once you're out of there it's over and forgotten about

flumpybear · 28/09/2016 04:30

I lie, I definitely drink too much Blush but I'm doing my best effort to drink weekends and rarely in the week. At least two consecutive days off plus more, mainly because i worry I'm damaging myself. My prob is that I like wine!! I also drink fast but I also relax after wine too ... I have a very busy life and stressful job ... I need more hobbies!!!
Tell me I'm not alone!! So many tee totals or light drinkers on this thread....

Alabastard · 28/09/2016 05:32

I don't lie but I'm always accused of lying.

I have chronic migraine and any alcohol will cause one. Wine is particularly bad! So for the last 5 years I've not touched a drop. I drink caffeine but switch to decaf after two in one day. I don't smoke, either.

Every GP I've seen in the last 5 years has just assumed I'm full of it.

MrsKoala · 28/09/2016 05:52

When I was a student I was a massive drinker. 2-3 bottles of wine a night for 5 days a week I'd say. I was rushed to hospital with kidney pains (stones) and they gave me a form to fill in. I was completely honest on it and they kept saying I must be wrong and not know what s unit is. Even when I said 2-3 bottles a night. They were still adamant I was wrong and kept dismissing it. They chose to lecture me instead on the 10 fags a week I smoked. Confused

Thefitfatty · 28/09/2016 05:58

flumpybear Any thread on Mumsnet about alcohol will inevitably bring out the teetotallers instead of the drinkers. Not sure why that is. But for some reason people like to boast about how little they drink.

ChickenSalad · 28/09/2016 06:25

There are a lot more here boasting about how much they drink. Fair play to openly admit it but it shouldn't be a matter for bravado and humour.

I don't know how people function normally drinking some of the amounts discussed here can only imagine they have forgotten what normal feels like.

What's the point in lying to your GP?

Presumably to avoid this: GP looked horrified and told me I absolutely must stop this.

It's lying to yourself really - denying the health and social effects of drinking more than twice the recommended amount.

mixety · 28/09/2016 06:53

I don't know Chicken - I gave up drinking during the week a few months ago (previously would have 2 or 3 glasses of wine a night) and to be honest I don't feel any different or better for it. I thought I might feel less sluggish or more energetic....but no. My weekly shop costing less is the main difference I have noticed!

My father drank like a fish his whole life, god knows how much per night. He died very suddenly of something non-related. When they did the post mortem my mother was convinced the report would say his liver was shot to shreds but actually...it was just normal.

Alcohol definitely affects different people in different ways. For sure. Some people are high as a kite after a very little, others behaviour changes a lot less after a hell of a lot more. Of course the problem can be recognising your own behavioural changes after drinking and knowing whether or not they are noticeable/troublesome to those around you.

I read an article recently that suggested the threshold for properly dangerous drinking was actually MORE than a bottle of wine per night. I know it flies in the face of all other medical advice but I do wonder if there's something to it.

Thefitfatty · 28/09/2016 07:05

I don't know how people function normally drinking some of the amounts discussed here can only imagine they have forgotten what normal feels like.

Or they aren't you, and have different tolerances/capacity's. Not everyone is built the same way, and people handle alcohol differently.

read an article recently that suggested the threshold for properly dangerous drinking was actually MORE than a bottle of wine per night. I know it flies in the face of all other medical advice but I do wonder if there's something to it.

I've read a few studies recently, one suggest that for some only 10 units a week will cause long term problems while for others problems don't appear until over 60 units a week are consumed.

A more recent study said that 5 hours of moderate exercise reduce even heavy drinkers dangers of long term problems to those of a teetotaller.

Another looked at the fact that most people who develop lifestyle diseases do so because they are committing several health sins, they drink too much, smoke, are obese and don't exercise. It's the combination that causes issues, whereas if you limit it to one "sin" you will generally be pretty healthy.

Recommendations are just that, recommendations, not laws. We all have our vices, it's just a matter of whether or not it takes over your life.

flumpybear · 28/09/2016 07:20

Thanks thefitfatty Wine
I try to exercise too so hopefully reversing the damage Hmm

DaniSecker · 28/09/2016 08:53

I'm truthful, but I very rarely drink. But I'm one of those binge drinkers probably once every two months which is arguably worse, I go hard 😂