Doc says I'm "still a smoker"

[SunnyMoon]

I'm SO close to zero nic, right now at 1.5mg/ml and I haven't touched an analog in over 8 months. Needless to say I'm pretty darn proud of myself especially after trying to quit and failing with the patches, gum, lozenges and nasty inhaler thing that the doc prescribed.

I had my annual checkup last week and the Doc asks if I'm still smoking, I told him no that I use a PV and I'm almost done with nic and he says "You're still a smoker". Talk about someone popping your balloon. I felt really defeated and that I got no credit at all for dropping the coffin nail habit.

This made me curious about things like health/life insurance. Most places I've seen say you can have a non-smoker policy once you've been smoke-free for a year. I wonder if they, too, consider you to "still be a smoker" if you're still using nic in your juice?

 

[Steeler Girl]

Unfortunately insurance companies are going to say you are still a smoker as well. My Dr actually considers me a non smoker now and is very proud of me but he is a very progressive kinda guy. I love him. As for the insurance company, just don't tell them. Especially if you get to 0 nic.

Congrats on being 8 months as a NON SMOKER!

 

[Edd Harbin]

Doctor is wrong , insurance company is wrong ! Both are.worried about their wallets . Insurance company does NOT care about anything but profits . Doctors worry about big drug company's not.giving them kickbacks for the patches/gums/ chantix and such . Dump your doctor and get a better doc .

 

[Hitmetwice]

Your doc. is a .... head.
Like an alcoholic is always an alcoholic even when they've been dry for years
is a state of mind that many ex alkies use, the take each day one at a time attitude.

It is not the same with vaping.imo.
We have switched!

Your doctor should be seeing improvements in your overall health due to quitting smoking.
If he/she fails to "notice" the improvements but you do.
It may be time to find a better doctor.
Every profession has a top 5%, find one of them.
Clearly this doctor is not in that category!

 

[Robino1]

Just as with everything there will be conflicting opinions.
What do you think you are?
Do you feel better?
Are you proud of what you have accomplished?

That is all that Should matter. This is a HUGE accomplishment for me. I am a non smoker and proud of it. I'm still addicted to nic and working on it. Will I feel bad if I'm not able to go to zero? No. Will I feel bad if I go back to cigs? Yes. In more ways than one....

Congrats on your personal accomplishment

 

[Leatherneck]

I had my annual checkup last week and the Doc asks if I'm still smoking, I told him no that I use a PV and I'm almost done with nic and he says "You're still a smoker".

Give a guy a MD or a PhD and they think they know everything. They don't.

Did you ask him why he had the opinion you were still a smoker? Might be because he doesn't know much about/understand vaping. Might be because of the one year thing. Might be because you're still taking in nicotine. Might be because he had a fight with his wife last night and was taking it out on you.

 

[zapped]

Id find a new doctor.

 

[Bosco]

The medical profession has really gotten into a sad state over the last 20 or so years. Honestly, a doctor is more like an auto mechanic than the classical doctor that we grew up with and still think of.

Dr's don't "know" thier patients anymore - they can't - they have to do 50 appointments a day. you're just a name and an insurance billing code.

Whenever I go to the doctor now - I already know what I want. ie . .I have an infection and I need antibiotics . . or I have had symptoms for over a week and need some tests done. I do not care much about a doctors opinion about anything. Certainly not whether he thinks I'm a smoker or not.

 

[Morticia Locke]

I cant wait for my next lung function test. Yes I know I shouldn't vape with COPD, but its a harm reduction excercise for me. I know it will be improved.

 

[EddardinWinter]

Funny timing of this post! I am in the process of hiring myself a new doctor. My last one moved to another state, so that kind of sucked for me. I really liked my former doctor. So I have met a couple, I am still in the process of deciding. Here is a closely paraphrased version of one of the conversations with one of the prospective MDs. The first question I ask him is...

Edd: How do you feel about e-cigarettes?
Doctor: They are dangerous and should not be used. They are no better than standard cigarettes.
Edd: Where did you get that information form?
Doctor: (clearly shocked at my question) The FDA and my 12 years of medical training. You want to argue with a doctor?

Now at this point, I am pretty sure that I am done with this doctor. But I want to make sure.

Edd: I did not realize I was arguing. It seemed to me I was asking a question as to where you got information from. You know, to learn something new.
Doctor: Sometimes a patient just needs to do what their doctor says. Why are you debating this with me? Do you think you are smarter than a doctor?

Now I am certain I am done with him.

Edd: Certainly I am smarter than some, not as smart as others. You think it's smart to get all of your information on a subject from the FDA? For that matter, to get all of your information on any subject solely from one source?
Doctor: (standing up, clearly irritated by my 'uppity' attitude, he is as done with me as I am with him) I think I don't need to explain myself to you. Patients like you are the problem with practicing medicine today.
Edd: (standing up as well) I agree, you do not need to explain anything. I won't work with a doctor who feels he does not need to answer my questions.
Doctor: (fuming, glaring) You will be looking for a doctor for a long time, Mr. XXXXXX
Edd: Perhaps, but there are worse alternatives, sir.

The consultation took less than sixty seconds. Okay, so in addition to it being an entertaining story, the lesson is to choose a doctor who suits you. You do not have to put up with the doctor you have now. You do not have to confront the doctor like I did, you can just hire a new one.

 

[MorpheusPA]

Mine happily changed my record to "non-smoker" at 5 months with a flourish and a huge grin. She's incredibly progressive, though, and already knew all about vaping and approved.

If he doesn't know about vaping, you'd have to educate him if he's willing to learn. Depending on his performance otherwise as your doctor, you might want to change. I wouldn't let one disagreement force a change if he's otherwise excellent. No one person can know everything about everything.

 

[Leatherneck]

Yah, what Edd said. I won't even consider a doctor that doesn't support and encourage questions.

My opinion is, if you're too good to answer some rather simple questions, I'm not good enough to pay you.

 

[SissySpike]

I agree with Leatherneck Id of had to find out why he said this. But I tend to question people when I dont agree with them. They could need some education or I might be looking at something wrong also ether way I like to know why people form the opinions they do, and I just like to argue with people also;-).

 

[boneshark187]

Your doctor is probably on the take of some pharmaceutical company promoting anti smoking drugs

 

[MorpheusPA]

I had something of the same experience as Eddard. When choosing a cardiologist--darned congenital issues, however minor, and darned genetics as it happens in half my family--the first one recommended was awful.

He wouldn't answer questions, just assured me he knew what I needed. Then prescribed a medication that caused side effects...which he refused to believe was happening.

Strangely, the second doctor shook his head, changed the meds, and everything's now perfect after some fiddling. During which he made sure to listen to what I was saying and respond to it. Fancy that. Yearly appointments are now a quick EKG and "you're fine, see you in a year."

In that case, even if he disagreed with vaping, I wouldn't change doctors. I also wouldn't quit vaping.

 

[acezzz]

Your doctor is an idiot. Just tell him you quit smoking and leave it at that. My wife had 2 neck surgeries and was required to quit analogs or they wouldnt do the surgery. She went to vaping 26mg juice and totally quit analogs immediately. She was required to have a "nicotine" test before both surgeries and still came out clean even though she vapes 26mg juice. So if you dont smell like an ashtray, there really isnt any way they can tell.

 

[vernhall]

First off congrats on being smoke free, Dude!! And, of course, your Doctor is going to say you're still a smoker! If you're going to quit he wants it to be on his terms using whatever concoction his Big Pharmaceutical suppliers are suggesting at the moment, not on something you've found yourself that actually works for you!! As far as the Ins Cos go -- well, having worked for one for a few decades before retiring I'd suggest reading your contract/application closely. Most, at least when I was still involved a decade ago, used the wording 'tobacco' free, not nicotine free. The logic there was that 'tobacco' free covered all the bases from cigs and cigars thru pipes, chew, and snuff...

 

[MaDeuce]

An electronic cigarette, also known as an e-cigarette, personal vaporizer or PV, is an electronic inhaler that vaporizes a liquid solution into an aerosol mist, simulating the act of tobacco smoking.

Smoking is a practice in which a substance, most commonly tobacco, is burned and the smoke is tasted or inhaled. This is primarily practised as a route of administration for recreational drug use, as combustion releases the active substances

Vaping requires no combustion therefore you ARE NOT a smoker.

 

[EddardinWinter]

I had something of the same experience as Eddard. When choosing a cardiologist--darned congenital issues, however minor, and darned genetics as it happens in half my family--the first one recommended was awful.

He wouldn't answer questions, just assured me he knew what I needed. Then prescribed a medication that caused side effects...which he refused to believe was happening.

Strangely, the second doctor shook his head, changed the meds, and everything's now perfect after some fiddling. During which he made sure to listen to what I was saying and respond to it. Fancy that. Yearly appointments are now a quick EKG and "you're fine, see you in a year."

In that case, even if he disagreed with vaping, I wouldn't change doctors. I also wouldn't quit vaping.

That is fine, too. Believe me, it was less about vaping than it was about his refusal to discuss the subject. There are 30 doctors offices within 15 miles of my house. Why should I settle for an who does not care what I think?

Now I don't know if I would switch over vaping, but I don't know if I will select my new one if he is hostile to it.

 

[EddardinWinter]

An electronic cigarette, also known as an e-cigarette, personal vaporizer or PV, is an electronic inhaler that vaporizes a liquid solution into an aerosol mist, simulating the act of tobacco smoking.

Smoking is a practice in which a substance, most commonly tobacco, is burned and the smoke is tasted or inhaled. This is primarily practised as a route of administration for recreational drug use, as combustion releases the active substances

Vaping requires no combustion therefore you ARE NOT a smoker.

In Virginia, it is the law that vaping is not smoking thanks to Ken Cuccinelli. Where there is smoke, there is fire. Where there is no fire, there is no smoke. Although technically, it should read "Where there is no combustion, there is no smoke" but that just does not have the same ring to it.