Am I lying if....
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I recently had to go to the doctor for a shoulder issue and the doctor asked. I told him I was smoke free since last august and showed him my setup (iStick 50 with a Kayfun Lite). He said he didn't know a lot about it but that it had to be better than smoking. He then put me down in my records as "Former Smoker".
My doctor knew I quit smoking as soon as he walked into the exam room and had no issue with vaping
Unfortunately, doctors are focused on what's best for us and insurance providers are focused on what's best for them.
Some insurance plans will accept a special form completed by your physician stating that it's in your best medical interest to use nicotine and exempt you from the tobacco surcharge. Some won't.
Unfortunately, doctors are focused on what's best for us and insurance providers are focused on what's best for them.
Some insurance plans will accept a special form completed by your physician stating that it's in your best medical interest to use nicotine and exempt you from the tobacco surcharge. Some won't.
That's good to hear. It'd be nice if the world accepted that we use nic substitutes when and however we want. I'm sure there are many that think that we should just use them for quitting and should only have to use them for maybe a week.
I have a debilitating disease and recently learned that nicotine can help with the symptoms of this disease - so this is good to know, I may have to use this!
I told my specialist I quit smoking and started vaping - she was delighted! But if I am filling out paperwork that asks if I smoke, I would put NO. If they ask specifically about nicotine use... hmm, why do they want to know? I would probably lie.
I'm the same way, using it for symptoms. And you're probably right in that if they assume nic use is equal with smoking I'll probably lie also.
Same if they asked if I eat broccoli and assume that it's all batter dipped and deep fried.
I think it will be better to tell the truth. From my personal opinion, vaping is very diff feom smoking analogs
Here is how I would put it..." I no longer use tobacco as my source of nicotine"....even sounds like a lawyer/politician
there is a possibility that one of your docs smoke - not all doctors have given up smoking I think a lot depends on the age of the doc younger ones would have been inundated with the horrors thereof older docs not so much in 1970 or so almost fifty percent of Canadians smoked I believe the current rate is about 20 ( that doesn't include smoking other stuff which has skyrocketed with the decline in tobacco use) a lab test can determine cotine which does not specify whether it comes from cigarettes, patches, gum or vaping. one of the horrors of tobacco control is and was tobacco smokers hiding from their kids and lying to the insurance man only your own heart can tell you if it is okay to fudge the truth either way I think you are doing a great thing by vaping and I wish I could give you a hug - live by what works for you my friend .
I think a lot depends on the age of the doc younger ones would have been inundated with the horrors thereof older docs not so much in 1970 or so almost fifty percent of Canadians smoked I believe the current rate is about 20 ( that doesn't include smoking other stuff which has skyrocketed with the decline in tobacco use) a lab test can determine cotine which does not specify whether it comes from cigarettes, patches, gum or vaping. one of the horrors of tobacco control is and was tobacco smokers hiding from their kids and lying to the insurance man only your own heart can tell you if it is okay to fudge the truth either way I think you are doing a great thing by vaping and I wish I could give you a hug - live by what works for you my friend .
The important thing to understand here is that the insurance companies don't care if you quit smoking and all your doctors are elated.
To them and to most employers, however illogical, the presence of nicotine (cotinine) makes you a tobacco user, period. 99% of the time, if they ask, they will screen.
It's unbelievable but sadly it's the reality. Insurance companies, big tobacco, and big pharmaceutical are all in cahoots at the expense of our well being through harm reduction.
God bless America, eh?
To them and to most employers, however illogical, the presence of nicotine (cotinine) makes you a tobacco user, period. 99% of the time, if they ask, they will screen.
It's unbelievable but sadly it's the reality. Insurance companies, big tobacco, and big pharmaceutical are all in cahoots at the expense of our well being through harm reduction.
God bless America, eh?
Tell them you vape. It's a heck of a lot better than sucking in all that tar and poisons, which doctors and insurance companies should be more concerned about than the actual intake of nicotine.
I feel like banging my head against the wall when I read stuff like this. People who "lie" to their doctors, or omit information that may one day save their lives.
If you can't trust your doctor, then find a new one.
I guess I don't get the point of a health partnership, paying somebody to help me, and then lying to them. It seems like a waste of money ..... It also makes me feel sorry for doctors who really want the best for their patients. It's like blindfolding them in one eye.
Stuff happens. Somebody gets into a bad car accident, or something, need emergency open heart surgery, and nowhere on their records does it mention nicotine (a vaso constrictor) . Thanks, but I want the guys trying to save my life to know as much as they can know about me, so they can cover all the angles.
Something goes wrong, don't think your life insurance policy is going to be worth squat if you have lied about medical information. Just sayin'.....
Yeah I was going to come here to mention something similar to this.
Firstly, you don't want to lie/omit any information to your doctors because it may negatively affect your health through a decision they make while you're under the knife or something.
Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, insurance companies don't currently differentiate between smoking and vaping. In fact, they usually avoid the mix-up in terminologies by just asking whether or not you use nicotine. They don't care if you're dipping, smoking, snorting, whatever.
When your doctor asks if you smoke, or are still smoking, you can tell them you quit cigarettes, but you should not leave out that you're using e-cigarettes in exchange. It might even be a good idea to mention the nicotine levels, which brings me to the gray area:
If you're using 0 nic and tell your insurance company you aren't using any nicotine products, you're not lying, but I don't know if there's any way for them to classify you as a "no nicotine e-cigarette user" or whatever. The industry is still so new I doubt insurance companies have made accommodations for this specific demographic.
Point is: Don't lie to your doctors.
Now mind you, I have a good relationship with my PCP, but one time when he was giving me a hard time about smoking, I replied, "And some doctors need to lose weight because that's not healthy either.". Luckily, he laughed and said, "Ok, ok, touche."
I don't lie to my doctor. She asked if I smoke, and I told her I switched to ecigs. She said "ok, well, work on getting you off of those as well, since those can have some bad chemicals in them".
.. I dared not bring out my mech mod and vape while I waited for the prostate exam. (Yes, this is a true story)
There is a lot of confusion to the doctors as well when it comes to ecigarettes. Sometimes I feel like asking the doctor out to lunch and explain exactly what research has been shown, the research she has heard about, and the products that are currently being used. As it is now, Unless the doctors do some research on their own, they only have to go by the studies that the FDA have done. They may have listened to some reports on the news, which use scaremongering tactics to get people to pay more attention to them.
It's like the old "Ford Pinto gas tank" example... one car, if rearended, could catch fire... that's good info if you're looking at buying old cars. But that one report shouldn't stop you from buying ANY car by saying "cars explode if rearended".... OH no.. I just took it there... ... no more venting.
.. I dared not bring out my mech mod and vape while I waited for the prostate exam. (Yes, this is a true story)
There is a lot of confusion to the doctors as well when it comes to ecigarettes. Sometimes I feel like asking the doctor out to lunch and explain exactly what research has been shown, the research she has heard about, and the products that are currently being used. As it is now, Unless the doctors do some research on their own, they only have to go by the studies that the FDA have done. They may have listened to some reports on the news, which use scaremongering tactics to get people to pay more attention to them.
It's like the old "Ford Pinto gas tank" example... one car, if rearended, could catch fire... that's good info if you're looking at buying old cars. But that one report shouldn't stop you from buying ANY car by saying "cars explode if rearended".... OH no.. I just took it there... ... no more venting.
I subscribe to the theory that one should hold nothing from their doctor, especially your cardiologist. Not only should they know you vape, but they should also be aware of your nicotine level.
I agree with the above post, tell them everything so they are ready to treat you if need be with the up to date info you provide. from a legal perspective if the wording of the question is, are you a smoker or a non smoker you can answer happily that your a non smoker as you vape, not smoke. but always keep your GP up to date, you never know when it could save your life.
I tell my Dr and insurance company that I vape.
I also gave my Dr a quick rundown on how little faith I put into the 'medical business' due to the barrage of drug commercials and the FDA, CDC..... blatant attacks on vaping.
In my opinion the Dr works for me so, if I don't give the information for him to do his job the best he can it is not his fault when things go wrong.
The lady signing me up for medical coverage asked if I smoked. I told her the truth No, but I was vaping. She had no clue what that was and said she would check No on her form.
Lying to your Dr or Insurance company is playing with fire.
I also gave my Dr a quick rundown on how little faith I put into the 'medical business' due to the barrage of drug commercials and the FDA, CDC..... blatant attacks on vaping.
In my opinion the Dr works for me so, if I don't give the information for him to do his job the best he can it is not his fault when things go wrong.
The lady signing me up for medical coverage asked if I smoked. I told her the truth No, but I was vaping. She had no clue what that was and said she would check No on her form.
Lying to your Dr or Insurance company is playing with fire.
Uh:
To clarify, lying to your doctor and omitting information are essentially the same thing. If your doctor asks if you're on any MAOI's and you say "no" but you ARE on an alternative to an MAOI (which there are plenty) you're putting your life at risk. And who cares who's fault it is "when things go wrong"? You'll be the one paying, and I've heard they don't accept credit cards in the afterlife.
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