7 Things You Should Never Hide from Your Doctor

Do you always tell your doctor the truth? The University of Michigan researches conducted a study with thousands of patients to which 2,500 were older. Their results showed that 60% to 80% of people admitted to fibbing to their doctor. 

Doctors are puzzled by why patients would lie about something that they could have help with. "When respondents explained why they weren't transparent, most said that they wanted to avoid being judged, and didn’t want to be lectured about how bad certain behaviors were," reported the research team. "More than half were simply too embarrassed to tell the truth. They're worried about being pigeonholed as someone who doesn’t make good decisions."

While most of us want to be seen as bright and shining students in our doctors eyes, by not giving the full truth about what we're experiencing we can put ourselves in more danger than we realize. Here are seven things that while may be hard to admit, need to be honest with at your next health exam.

1. How much exercise you get. The temptation to exaggerate how much you exercise when your doctor asks can be hard to resist. We get it. We also don't want our doctors to think we're couch potatoes. However, by being honest about your exercise regime, or lack there of, your doctor may be able to point you in the direction of activities that you could really enjoy doing and simultaneously benefit your body. 

2. All of the medications you take including supplements. It's important for your doctor to know all prescription and non-prescription medicine you take as to avoid harmful side effects. Some of the symptoms you're experiencing could actually be side effects from medication you're taking. If you're forgetting to take your medication or simply not taking it because of cost, your doctor needs to know this. Be sure to let them know what supplements you're taking. They could be having an effect on how your body reacts to medication. 

3. Symptoms that worry you. Maybe you've noticed a rash, lump, long-lasting pain that hasn't seemed to go away but for whatever reason are worried to bring it up in your health exam. It's natural to not want to acknowledge it and hope it will go away. However, your doctor went to school for a very long time and understands more about this subject than you or the internet. Even if you may feel embarrassed or uncomfortable sharing what's going on, it's really important that you're honest about it. Trust that your doctor has likely seen and heard it all anyways!

4. Your alcohol use. While people are likely to over-exaggerate how much exercise they're getting, they likely to under-exaggerate when it comes to alcohol consumption. Some providers advise, "Ask how much patients drink, then double that." Unfortunately as a result, many cases of unhealthy drinking fly under the radar until a patient suffers liver failure, a serious injury or other alcohol-related health event. It's important to open and upfront about your alcohol consumption with your doctor especially when they're considering which medication to prescribe.

5. Feelings of depression and anxiety. Nowadays, doctors are likely to ask you if you've been experiencing sadness and/or worry. Be honest when they ask you this. Anxiety and depression are common in older adults and both are treatable. Most people don't realize that emotional distress can be just as debilitating as physical illness and that there is nothing to be ashamed of when seeking help in this area. 

6. If you've been falling. One of the top causes for disability and even death among older adults is falling. It's understandable why seniors don't want to admit that they're falling or have fallen. They worry they'll be told to "take it easy" or be seen as weak and fragile. When, in fact, if you share with your doctor that you have fallen, or have been falling, they can assess what could be causing this and recommend balance classes, hearing and vision exam, medication review, and other steps you can take to be more low risk for falls.

7. Changes in memory. This area can be a trigger for denial. While it's easy to assume it's due to getting older, changes in memory can be results to medication or even treatable illness. It's better for your doctor to know and be able to make the best course of action. Even if we are diagnosed with Alzheimer's or a related condition, the earlier we know, the better

It can be tempting to want to hide these things or even fib about them to your doctor. However, they can't read your mind and aren't able to help if they don't know what's going on. Be sure to be open and honest with your doctor. They're there to help you the best that they can.