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  • BDD Moderators: Keif’ Richards

Telling your GP you take drugs recreationally - yes or no.

It depends on your doctor. My doc is pretty cool and he knows i smoke Cannabis everyday and have done crack and Amphetamines in the past not to mention all the psychedelics. He still gives me my morphine script which i need for pain so that's pretty cool of him.

However i have had a few doctors give me funny looks when i told them they smoked weed. Granted i live in Canada and the US is far more Conservative with this shit.
 
In the UK, they have yet to centralise records (it's in the works, but has just been delayed again).

Most records are still paper based, and transferred between relevant parties through the mail system, or via fax when needed. (If you've ever transferred GP, it takes a week or two before they can actually get your records).

My general suggestion, is if you ever want to talk to a doctor about any drug related activity, visit a walk in center (available in most towns). You can attend these anonymously, as when you arrive they ask you if you wish to register, and even then you can opt out of having this information shared with any other party including your GP.
 
FunctionalOlfactio said:
"I am waiting for the next round of nit-picky, self-indulgent, pseudo-intellectual tripe. Fire away buddy."
Please avoid bullying the members of this forum. What is your perspective here? What is your motive in discouraging relevant discussion about peoples health and safety?
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You must be one feminized, impotent, thin-skinned, sheltered, over-sensitive individual if you consider that bullying, greenlighter...

If you had read my previous post you would know my perspective. I described a wider variety of doctors that exist than the magical benevolent one described earlier by the poster I quoted.

Try reading his response to my description of these doctor types before you try and say I am "discouraging relevant discussion". I made relevant discussion that was later attacked and erroneously criticized, stop trying to act like a sanctimonious moderator.
 
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Snarky91 said:
In that whole irrelevant part that I cut out, you don't seem to mention specific examples of how the doctor ultimately compromises his patient's best interests. I'm under the impression a lot of junkies see this issue in junkie terms. Will I be able to get my junkie fix or not... That's fine and well. But don't substitute your junkie lenses for actual substantive input about how disclosures relate to whether a doctor will treat a broken leg, or monitor your pulse and blood pressure to make sure you're all right after overdosing on cocaine. Of course doctors have a duty to protect themselves too. Junkie-ness will incentivize them to make sure they don't facilitate FURTHER junkie-ness. That does not compromise a patient's best interests. If you're hurt and can't get pain meds, maybe that's all for the better. Sure you're in pain, but maybe getting pain pills REALLY is not in your best interest. The doctor doesn't operate on hypotheticals like you'll go out on the street and manage your pain with china white heroin. He deals with his duty to the patient in a medical setting.

If you're a veritable junkie, your opinion is useless on this thread. Anything you say operates on a general conflict of interest.
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=D Yup

I'm not sure about the UK but here in the US i feel safe telling my doctor about my use.
 
I told my sleep doc about my history and he still prescribed me benzos. At the time, I was only drinking but had used plenty of whatever in the past. I figured that he wouldn't be as effective if he didn't have all the relevant info. I picked the hospital because it has a stellar reputation and was willing to drive kinda far to get there. I gave up on two previous specialists because they did not seem professional or trust worthy.

I guess throw my anecdote onto the pile.

And try not to look like Tyrone Biggums when you see your docs.
 
Personally I would not tell my GP I used drugs recreationally.... in a perfect world you should be able to..... but more likely you will be treated like shit and the attitude will be that you can not be trusted with any drugs that could be fun no matter how useful it could be.
 
what's fucked about this whole conversation is how insanely stupid the premise is - the fact that you have to actually worry about telling your doctors about past drug use, especially if the info. is relevant to your future health. Of course, I do agree, though, you should be very careful about what you tell to your doctor...but goddamn society, if doctors actually wanted to 'make a difference', none of this would ever, ever be an issue.
 
I've had my very good med ins for like four years now. I was using heroin most of that time, and then I got on methadone for a while. I was almost off the methadone before i came clean to my doctor and told her i used heroin and was now on methadone. she's been cool so far - prescribed me gabapentin for PAWS, a small script of ativan (six pills a month - hey, its better than nothing). To me the real test will be when I have back pain again (I have back issues). Last time she gave me Norco, but that was before she knew. I'm wondering if she'll give it to me again or not. Guess I'll find out when the time comes.

My friends told me I was crazy to tell her, but I don't know. She's really cool, and I just wanted to be honest.

Haven't told her I'm back on h yet tho.
 
Woah - opened up a can of worms there! FYI guys, I opted not to tell the doctor.
 
it all depends on how cool your GP is, and how long you known him for. my one GP knew i was actively doing opiates, and went on suboxone, failed his piss tests a few times. he still kept me on klonopin 4mg daily and adderall, he was nieve to the point that my problem was opiates and didnt realize i had a drug problem. my one doctor i had admitted i had horrible panic attacks and a few times a family member gave me xanax for panic, he respected honesty and RXed me xanax, my suboxone doctor knew of my drug abuse, he had me actively on suboxone, xanax 0.5mg 3x daily and adderall, and i would relapse on crack and he woulsd give me chances, and i would tell him war stories...remember doctors are humans too..but they wont risk losing there license to practice over satisfying your compulsive drug addict neeeds
 
doctors respect honesty. you did the right thingl. nowadays they can find out if ur an addict or not...atleast in my state.if ur looking for a long term doctor..honesty is what u need to make the relationship work and trust to be built..it may not happen over night getting what u want..but u will get there
 
Snarky91, I am a straighforward, shoot from the hip person. Honesty has not served me well...as someone told me "don't walk into a burning building", and that changed things for me. I discern what I disclose.

Being honest w Dr's has gotten me DC'd. I'm from Pa...My drug of choice and gateway drug was oxycontin. I prefer to be honest...wish I could be honest...but if you tell someone something, even if it's obvious, then you put them in the position to have to do something.

I have also learned, if you run out of your rx early, you have to figure it out yourself as how you're going to get to the time of your refill. I have chronic pain. For two years, I stopped taking pain meds, and was in agony.

Maybe OP has a Dr. that would appreciate being told, you have to feel the situation out...in my personal experience, I've yet to meet a Dr. that was glad I told him "Im running out my script early because I abuse my meds". Unless, you're serious about stopping or tapering. That's all I meant.
 
Although i've never mentioned it and use mostly opiates I would say, most definitely not, as they will never ever perscribe you any benzos/opiates ever or ever again because they will always be suspicious of your motives
 
I tell him about past usage that might help with current issues and diagnosis, but not any current usage. I have never experienced any issue getting medications because of being labeled a drug user risk, but Ive only never needed benzos. Opates might be a different issue. He didnt want to give me any oxy for my occasional headaches and neck stiffness for example, so perhaps he does consider me a risk. I also failed at obtaining Larica and other GABA drugs for "research" purposes, but I did get valium for alcohol treatment so thats something I guess.
 
opiatekrzy said:
doctors respect honesty. you did the right thingl. nowadays they can find out if ur an addict or not...atleast in my state.if ur looking for a long term doctor..honesty is what u need to make the relationship work and trust to be built..it may not happen over night getting what u want..but u will get there
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This is fantastical. That is only one subtype of doctor, you cannot assume all or even most doctors are like this. Also they cannot magically tell you are an addict unless you were doctor-shopping or possibly if you have been arrested for drugs. Having this view could very well lead to a lot of suffering in many cases. It is not a perfect world, you must always watch out for yourself.
 
I was taking one more tablet of oxycontin per day than prescribed, one of the times I acted on "honestly is the best policy". I found it helped to do that before I went to sleep-it gave me a less number of times waking up in agony. I still woke up in pain, but the number of times and the intensity was decreased somewhat. I'll take whatever improvement I can get. My Dr. (s), that I was honest with, didn't see it that way.

Obviously I would run out early, and that was hell...taking care of my daughter, who was 2 at that time, trying to work, trying to get ready for work,I remember standing in the shower, leaning against the wall, hanging on to the handle above the soap thing, struggling.Looking professional was required. I worked in a locked down dementia unit. My patients demanded alot of my attention...my office was in the ward - they'd wander in, sit in the chair next to my desk. I'd give them, a tablet, pens, colored pencils, etc....stuff to drink. Calm them down when they'd suddenly get hysterical.....chase after them as they would attempt to leave the ward. This wasn't officially in my job description...but, I can't imagine not helping t and interacting with them. This was on top of all of paperwork and phone calls I had to get done in a time-sensitive manner. Ugh. Usually, I could easily manage all of it...not while in withdrawal.

I could barely get shit done. The quality of my work was not up to what it usually was. I'd get constant phone calls that this and that was running out or not there. And I felt horrible about it...I was on top of everything usually. Ahead. I know alot of you understand what trying to function in withdrawal is like...not to mention not sleeping or eaitng either. I looked horrible....it's also hard to put makeup on when in withdrawal. I was in alot of pain all day, I could barely stay there. I desperately needed that job, and was trying to hide an "unhideable" medical condition that causes alot of random episodes of excruciating pain as it was. My pain was out of control without medication. All around it was a nightmare.

So, I decided to tell my Dr., about this. I tried to get my rx written three days early...at 27 days, which it could be filled at, instead of 30 days. I called the office to explain my situation, and to ask for the hard copy of the Rx...he said he wouldn't write it on day 27. When I came to my scheduled appointment, on the 30th day. He DC'd me. That was my first Dr...I had no experience with anything. I had no other Dr. in mind, nor did I know anyone that sold pills. I walked out of his office, and nearly crashed my car I was so upset. I asked if he would at least write me one more months worth so I could find another Dr. No again. And he said "No other Dr.will write this for you"...well, he was wrong about that, but, I didn't know that when he told me...that was one bad day.

That's what being honest got me. My entire survival was hinged on my job. I went on to be honest a couple more times, and found it to always have a negative outcome. Dr's will just slam the door in your face...no matter how long you've been their patient, and no matter how much of a rapport you have built. This is what I have learned.
 
being young also gives us the disadvantage at our family doctor. Unless you have a good relationship with the doctor. as far as Opiates, the strongest opiate i ever gotten was Hydrocodone 10/325, and this was from getting hit by a car going 50mph, my femut was shattered, tibia and fibia, needed emergency surgery, have metal rods in my legs. all the hospital gave me was lortab, IDK if its cause of my drug abuse record or what, but i feel i should of gotten something stronger for an injury as severe as that, im still in wheel chair and have to be for 10 weeks..while in the hospital i was given dilaudid 1mg shots every 3 hours and 2 lortab..they knew i was on methadone maintenance 95mg, which made no sense to give me the hydros...the MMT lalone is helping my pain alot,, i didnt bother asking my primary for pain meds i admitted i was on klonopin, hpwever stressed i needed a benzo, which she had no problem giving me it for trauma. so honesty got me panic attack meds which i need, im guessing the hospital knowing my history only gave me lortab, i been to the same hospital for drug detox so im sure they know...i have in house physical therapists that come in, and sh had the doctor write me #90 xanax for anxiety, so i got a little play, but when it comes to ur personal family docgtor, they are much more emphathetic, caring, and will help u..who knows i prolly could of got oxy or more if i didnt admit being on methadone, but i cant lie to this primaty doctor, cause its my NO FAULT primary, for my lawsuit from getting hit by a car so i need honest reports
 
I wonder how many GPs view threads such as this one. I hope some of them do. Also, I recently read an article in international media that was very negative in regards to people in this profession. I didn't see the article posted on this forum. I don't trust these people and view them as having the power to destroy my life in the wrong situation. They are still human and I prefer to leave the option for them to protect freedom and privacy as much as destroy it.
 
most clinic doctors view us as numbers, sure they care about they're patient; they just care about themselves more and they're opinion verse yours. my doctor actually listens to me and works with me, i just got a new primary doctor due to the fact i got hit by a car,and my first visit, i talked to her, told her the surgery i went thru, and what happened, mentioned i was on benzos for 7yrs, my shrink wont give me it , and i said i was on klonopin 1mg 3x/daily, she said "klonopin is more of a 2x a day drug, i personally feel comfortable RXing it 2x a day, that my friend i can do for you, if ur shrink wont give you the klonopin, come see me in4 weeks" and i made it clear to her i was a methadone patient, i asked if she wanted a urine sample, she said "oh no, im sure ur methadone clinic tests u alot". she is a good GP..for my case legally and for my health,
 
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