Yesterday someone posted about the fact that she’s eaten things she was told not to eat while on her liquid pre-op diet.  And it wasn’t just one bite of something she was told not to have, it was a whole serving of something on three different occasions.  She was wondering if it would interfere with her surgery and I told her I thought she should tell her surgeon so he could make a determination about whether or not it would be safe to go ahead with surgery as planned or if surgery should be postponed so she could do the pre-op diet as advised.

Well, I was surprised when some other people posted that they would absolutely not tell their surgeon.  I can understand that people would not want their surgery to be postponed.  But I think it’s important to be honest with my doctors because if I’m not, how will they be able to offer me the best advice and prescribe the safest, most effective treatment for me? 

I wonder if people that aren’t honest with their doctors are people that look to their doctors as authority figures and if people that are honest with their doctors are people that view their relationships with their doctors as a partnership.  So here are my questions.

Are you generally honest with your doctors?  I’m not asking if you would or would not tell your surgeon that you had not followed the recommended pre-op diet.  I just mean in general, are you honest with your doctors about what you’ve been eating?  Are you honest with your doctors about any drugs or alcohol you’re using?  Are you honest with your doctors if you are not taking medication they prescribed for you for any reason?  Would you say you are honest with your doctors all the time or most of the time or just sometimes or hardly ever?

If you’re not honest with your doctors, why not?

And do you generally look at your doctors as authority figures or do you view your relationships with your doctors as a partnership?

As people on OH probably know, I definitely view my relationships with my doctors as a partnership.  I am generally honest with my doctors.  I was trying to think if there was a time I was not honest with one of my doctors and the only thing that is coming to mind is one time many, many years ago when I had to go to the ER for something and I had not been taking my lithium as prescribed and I told the ER doc that I had been taking it.  That was probably 20 years ago.  I think I was afraid the doctor would give me a hard time about not taking it.  He knew I was lying about it, though, because they did blood work and could tell based on the level in my blood.

 I absolutely am honest with my doctor (as well as everyone else). I look to a doctor as a partner for advice and assistance in getting well. I take ownership for my life and health and I am proactive in seeking solutions to be healthier. Even though I have never liked the fact that I do require medication ( Bi-Polar 1 and Rheumatoid Arthritis), I have come to understand how the medications I use improve the quality of my life. As far as RNY, I was totally prepared mentally/emotionally as well realistically about how successful I would be. I based this on my past experience with obesity, my knowledge of weight loss and nutrition, and my readiness to once and all overcome this battle with food with the tool of RNY. Because of my honesty with my doctor I have even taught him and his staff some lessons and serve as an inspiration to others.

 I do see my relationship with any of my docs as a partnership. One is that I know my body better then they do and they know medicine better then me. So we both bring our knowledge to the table to make sure I am as healthy as can be.


I am very honest with my doctors. It makes no sense to me why you would lie or omit something when you are asking to be treated for something. How can you get a true and helpful diagnoses if you lie/omit? 

I also expect honesty from my doctors and if I fell that I am not getting it I question them as to why.

I think people lie or omit things because they are afraid of being judged.  My mother works in a doctor's office and has worked there for a long time.   Close to ten years, I think.  She told me she remembers one patient that admitted smoking pot and that asked if that would cause a problem with the medication the doctor was prescribing.  It's hard to imagine that in ten years, her office has only treated one patient that uses marijuana.  The only reason I can think of for them not to be honest about it is fear of judgement.

I don't tell my doctors office everything. I know what I am supposed to do, but I don't agree with their nutritionist as far as eating plans/meal times. (Their nutritionist is also someone who has told me I can never ever drink diet coke again because it will stretch my pouch.) I do go to a nutrition counselor who specializes in eating disorders (went to her before the surgery, too, and going again now) and I take her recommendations. She treats a number of people who have developed eating disorders like bulimia AFTER RNY surgery.

My surgeon's office wants us to eat three meals a day, at least 4-5 hours apart, with no snacking allowed. With my schedule and traveling for work, and three kids, that just isn't feasible. I eat when I can. I get the protein in, the water in, and I am eating low carb. But some days I eat twice a day (meals) and have two snacks, and other days I might eat three meals plus a protein shake.

OK, I understand why you aren't following their meal plan and why what you're doing works better for you.  Eating only three times a day would not work for me, either.  I'd be hungry and I'd never get enough calories or protein.

But why is it that you don't tell your doctor and/or nutritionist that you aren't following their plan and what you're doing instead and why?

I tried at my three month visit and I just got a speech about doing it their way for their reasons. I do understand, and I dont think I know more than them, but I feel like I know what works for me personally.

I got you.  If my PCP was like that, I would change doctors but if my surgeon or dietician were like that, I probably wouldn't bother to change because I wouldn't need to see them very often anyway.

Exactly. I will see them at six months and one year now and thats it.

I wanted to add that I really like my surgeon, its just the nutritionist that bugs me. And since I am seeing a counselor who is also a NUT; I don't worry too much about it.