Medical Advice That Could Save Your Life
People don't always tell their doctor the 100 percent truth when it comes to questions about how much they really drink, eat or smoke; how much exercise they're getting ... even intimate (but vital) questions about their sex lives. "Don't lie to your doctor because if you do, it could result in some very bad outcomes, including death, so it's just not worth it," advises Dr. Travis Stork of The Doctors. "No matter how embarrassed you may be, we've heard it before, I promise."
A couple of Rachael's audience members come clean about their little white lies, and ask Dr. Travis to comment on their behavior:
If my doctor has told me to watch my weight, how important is it for me to tell him everything that I'm eating?
Dr. Travis: "If you're not honest, you may end up getting the surgery that you don't need, a surgery that can have a lot of complications. By lying, you're denying your doctor the chance to give you the best care that you can have. Just be honest with your doctor, because then they can help you through it: 'Why are you having trouble sticking to the plan we started with?' You can work through it together."
Is it bad to exaggerate your symptoms if you feel like the doctor isn't taking you seriously enough?
Dr. Travis: "It is bad to exaggerate your symptoms and I'll tell you why - if you came to the ER and you're telling me that you're having excruciating abdominal pain, you may end up with a CT scan. As a young woman, you get too many of those and it increases your risk for cancer. It's just not worth it. I promise you, we take you seriously."
"You don't want to under-exaggerate either," he continues. "Don't be too stoic, like, 'Oh, it doesn't hurt,' yet you're wincing in pain. Just be honest, be open and it will allow us to give you the treatment you need, not the things you don't."


