Doctors Share The Biggest Lies They've Ever Heard a Patient Tell About Their Medical History

Doctors Share The Biggest Lies They've Ever Heard a Patient Tell About Their Medical History
Free-Photos/Pixabay

Doctors deal with people from all walks of life and all different situations, but one fairly constant thing is the stuff people decide to lie about.

Whether it's out of embarrassment or some other motivation, folks lie about all sorts of things. Most doctors are just trying to help you the best they can though, and whatever embarrassing secrets you may have, they've probably heard it before.


Reddit user u/theElmsHaveEyes asked:

"Doctors of Reddit, what is the most obvious lie a patient has ever told about their health history?"

10.

We got a lot of mandible fractures in the OR and it was always the same basic story of what happened.

"I was minding my own business and some guy sucker punched me at the bar!"

"I fell off my bed and hit my nightstand."

You could tell these people very clearly were in a brawl of some sort. I have a very hard time believing ALL OF THEM were walking their grandmother to church and a random person punched them.

-SucculentOwl

I once gave myself a bruised orbital bone trying to pull my blankets up, so I'll believe a lot

-aholescared

9. 

The doctors that are dentists are probably thinking "I floss every day"

-AngelFrogHammer

Hygienist during my last visit: "So, you know how like, when you're flossing..."

Me, nodding my head knowing full well I don't floss: "Uh-huh!"

-Plynceresse

8.

I used to work in X-ray. Sometimes people don't know they're lying. 'Have you had any metalware replacement?' 'No they just fixed the bone'. Do the X-ray and it's a massive rod in there. And the patient literally had no idea that was there.

Or the sadder cases of elderly people who just don't know. You tell them they've had a hip replacement, and they just don't believe you

-Aethys23

7. 

I worked in a hospital for quite a while though not as doctor. Normally it isn't lying about stuff deliberately. They are often convinced of what they're saying. For instance a guy explained to me that it was normal for him to have very high blood pressure because he had it all the time. This is not normal.

-MrDantastic4269

6.

Not a doctor, but EMT. I love the ones who get revived by Narcan and claim to have only had a couple of beers.

"Um... Narcan doesn't work that way."

-ACorania

5.

Neurology resident here. Responded to a stroke code for a lady who had "acute ataxia and slurred speech." Her blood alcohol level was 0.34, although she claimed to have given up alcohol the year prior.

Mystery solved.

-Unbuzzled

4.

GSW [gun shot wound] to the leg: how did this happen? Well doc, you see I was just minding my own business and it happen. Even I want to know. - Police later confirmed he was caught burglaring by the homeowner. Dude got shot while robbing and jumped of a 2nd floor balcony while getting shot on his leg. He managed to get away with assistance from his "business partner".

-Procrastinating_Doc

3.

Nurse: How much they really drink. Had many patients in full on DTs stating that they only drink a couple of beers per day. Just be honest so we can treat you. We do not really care how much you really drink.

-Lanna33

2.

Working in health care field but not a doctor.

Patient lying about not being allergic to a medication that he was clearly allergic to and we are already wheeling him into the operating room when we kept noticing that he's getting more red as minutes pass.

-8boxes

1.

During my ER rotation in med school I saw several people- male and female, adults and kids- who came in with an object lodged in their rectum. It varied- vegetables, candles, flower vases, one time it was a toilet paper holder. Every single one of those people had the same story: They were naked and fell on it.

-NY568

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