Am I lying if....

[zoiDman]

I tell my doctors I quit smoking? I planned on just saying I haven't had a cigarette since May 12th. I wasn't going to tell any of them I'm vaping.. but I feel a little sleazy about it. All 3 of my docs are on me really bad about my smoking, so of course they will be all.. Oh that's great! Congrats on stopping. and I will feel pretty bad. Mainly because I haven't suffered in the least..Just happily vaping away.. ha ha But seriously, should I just not tell them I'm vaping? And what about insurance companies? My husband pays a lot more because I smoke. Can he change it to non-smoker now? What would YOU do??

I am a Firm Believer in telling my Doctor about Anything I put in my Body. And Don't believe in Holding Anything back from Her.

But...

I have Seen insurance companies lump Non-Smoking Vapers into the Smoking Category just to Maintain or to Jack Up ones Premiums.

So it's kinda a Catch-22.

 

[Chrissie]

When I bought my first e-cig (coming up to 7 years ago) I told my doctor I had cut down smoking drastically with it. Back then, she had never heard of them but still said well done & that anything is better than smoking. When I got better gear & finally stopped smoking the last 2 cigs a day, I again let her know & she was thrilled for me & immediately changed my records to that of non smoker

 

[NYNURSE]

One more vote for being honest with your doctors. Worst case scenario is he gives you the evil eye and a frown. In the end you walked away with your integrity and he walks away with an honest health assessment.
As for insurance companies,when you fill out the application tell them you been using nicotine gum. Let them scratch their heads on that one.

 

[Deryan3]

I have let my doctor know that i vape and he was very supportive, as far as my health insurance, i had to be a "non tobacco user" for a year in order to qualify. I would encourage honesty with your doctor.

 

[birdy68]

Not lying at all if you mentioned that you have replaced your analogs with a vape. I would highly recommend you bring it up to your doctor(s) and see what their input/take is on it. As well, I don't think myself or anyone else on here is familiar enough with your medical history to let you know if it is a good idea to omit this information from a medical practitioner. For all we know, you could have been told to quit smoking due to adverse effects caused by nicotine and yet you are vaping at 24mg's of nic.

A bit of a longshot, I know. Just want to make sure you have all your bases covered when it comes to your health and vaping.

Ohmegas.. I have high blood pressure due to renal artery stenosis and am on 5 BP meds to control it. it. No lung issues. I smoked 2 PAD. I just cut back from 18 to to 12mg of nic.in my vape liquid. I have always found that no matter what your medical problems are, once a doctor finds out that you smoke.. and I have always been honest with them about it.. then every single problem, is due to my smoking. The Nephrologist was very kind and nice to me until he found out I smoke. Then he was openly hostile. Of course he was also extremely rude to be about the fact that I eat meat. If I decide to go back to him, I will tell him about the vaping and see what his reaction is. Should be very interesting.

 

[Ohmegas]

Ohmegas.. I have high blood pressure due to renal artery stenosis and am on 5 BP meds to control it. it. No lung issues. I smoked 2 PAD. I just cut back from 18 to to 12mg of nic.in my vape liquid. I have always found that no matter what your medical problems are, once a doctor finds out that you smoke.. and I have always been honest with them about it.. then every single problem, is due to my smoking. The Nephrologist was very kind and nice to me until he found out I smoke. Then he was openly hostile. Of course he was also extremely rude to be about the fact that I eat meat. If I decide to go back to him, I will tell him about the vaping and see what his reaction is. Should be very interesting.

Please do. Nicotine is empirically noted to cause vascular problems such as increasing your blood pressure and heart rate which pretty much falls right in line with your high blood pressure you are managing. Bring it up to your doctor and see what they recommend. At best, he may give you the green light on vaping at a low/no nicotine level.

Good luck!

 

[Panorama911]

In regards to insurance, It really boils down to being a smoker, former or not. The possibilities/risk of illness is still possible even though a smoker has quit. There are cases where a smoker had quit for over a decade and still got lung cancer for example. Insurance is a game of risk assessment and they will consider the risk a person may be so they will continue to make the cost high, or worse, dropping the person. They also know that most smokers who quit also start up again making the risk remain status quo. You really have no leverage in this regard other than having an insurer who takes quitting more to heart.

But I will agree that a patient must reveal any and all information to the Physician, after all, that info will remain in confidence.

Catch 22 really

 

[Ohmegas]

In regards to insurance, It really boils down to being a smoker, former or not. The possibilities/risk of illness is still possible even though a smoker has quit. There are cases where a smoker had quit for over a decade and still got lung cancer for example. Insurance is a game of risk assessment and they will consider the risk a person may be so they will continue to make the cost high, or worse, dropping the person. They also know that most smokers who quit also start up again making the risk remain status quo. You really have no leverage in this regard other than having an insurer who takes quitting more to heart.

But I will agree that a patient must reveal any and all information to the Physician, after all, that info will remain in confidence.

Catch 22 really

When I read this response and scratch my head.

The perks of being Canadian.

 

[VictorViper]

I don't see the insurance scenario as a catch 22 whatsoever. I agree it's a rotten industry, but there's just no sense in lying to them in case anything bad happens. What does your family do when docs find nicotine in your bloodstream and insurance denies your claim? Buy term life legit, or save your money, IMHO.

 

[PlayingWithFire]

It's important that your doctors know you are on "some kind" of nicotine replacement. If they start prescribing meds while under the impression that you are nicotine free, there could be serious complications. Maybe tell them that you are on the patch, or using gum? I'm from Canada, so I'm not familiar with the ins and outs of private insurance.

 

[VictorViper]

Private insurance is alive and well in Canada. Wherever you are, if it specifies nicotine in the policy, it's in your best interests to be honest. Paying cheaper premiums isn't worth the very real risk of claim denial - especially in a private healthcare system.

 

[Maiar]

I was straight up with my doctor and my dentist. Both support my choice.

 

[PlayingWithFire]

I was straight up with my doctor and my dentist. Both support my choice.

I would not be afraid of getting a second opinion, if my doctor wanted me to stop vaping. For me, the choice is vape, or smoke, and that's the reality of my situation. Sure, it would probably be best if I did neither, but it is what it is, and I need a doctor that can work in that reality. Telling them what they want to hear is not going to help. If I tell the doctor my led doesn't hurt when it does, that doesn't help him treat my broken leg, and will make sure he's confused about why I'm not taking his advice to go jogging...

 

[roxynoodle]

Here's an interesting tidbit about patients lying to their doctors.

I have chronic pancreatitis. 60% of the time, the cause is alcoholism. When my PCP asked me how much I drank, I said, "One or two beers a year."

He hesitated about what to write down, so said, "Some years it might have been 3 or 4, but usually just one or two."

He hesitated again, and I said, "I'm serious."

Then he told me that in medical school, they were taught to take a woman's answer and double it, and take a man's answer and multiply it by 3-5.