Doctors Records

[liz]

Hi,
On my doctors records I'm down as a smoker.
As I only vape now do you think it's appropriate to get that changed to non smoker. Has anyone done this? I think being classed as a smoker is not a good thing to have my records.

Liz

[Chrissie]

Yes, many folks have had there records changed to non smoker

[liz]

Thanks Chrissie
I'll be off to the docs and get myself de-stigmatised!

Liz

[Karma]

It turned out that I was already classed as a non-smoker as 3 years ago I quit for 8 weeks using the NHS patches scheme.

I didn't even complete the course and I didn't ask for my records to be changed. Ticking boxes perhaps?

[Anne (fuzzy)]

I'm registered as a non smoker now, but still get moaned at because I did smoke. No pleasing some people.

[mixdoctor]

you know peops I did not even think of this I must check myself as it also may effect some insurance forms like helth insurance etc. Thanks liz for bringing this to light.

Mixdoctor

[Karma]

May 23, 2012 21:24:32 GMT Anne (fuzzy) said:

I'm registered as a non smoker now, but still get moaned at because I did smoke. No pleasing some people.

What do they want you to do Anne? Step into a time machine?

[Anne (fuzzy)]

Lol, probably Karma!

[kibbutzangel]

My nurse changed my status the day after I quit the fags when I told her She hadn't heard of vaping but e-cigs, yes.

[hifistud]

May 23, 2012 21:27:21 GMT mixdoctor said:

you know peops I did not even think of this I must check myself as it also may effect some insurance forms like helth insurance etc. Thanks liz for bringing this to light.

Mixdoctor

It doesn't - a growing number of the insurance companies will check for cotinine in the urine or nicotine in the blood at medical check time.

[Bluefish]

May 23, 2012 23:30:43 GMT hifistud said:

May 23, 2012 21:27:21 GMT mixdoctor said:

you know peops I did not even think of this I must check myself as it also may effect some insurance forms like helth insurance etc. Thanks liz for bringing this to light.

Mixdoctor

It doesn't - a growing number of the insurance companies will check for cotinine in the urine or nicotine in the blood at medical check time.

So what, we say we still smoke then? If asked were going to say no, they will then ask when you gave up. ???

[Anne (fuzzy)]

There's a point. If you're going to have surgery, you're told, if you smoke, to give it up. (Just like that )
Why is this? If it's because of nicotine, then we're no better off in that respect.

[Tetsab]

May 23, 2012 23:51:15 GMT Anne (fuzzy) said:

There's a point. If you're going to have surgery, you're told, if you smoke, to give it up. (Just like that )
Why is this? If it's because of nicotine, then we're no better off in that respect.

Don't quote me on this as I could be wrong, but I imagine that having carbon monoxide in your bloodstream might well affect your requirements for oxygen support and so forth as it does affect the body's ability to absorb and transport oxygen. Vapers (of course) do not have CO in their blood because they are no longer inhaling any combustion products.

I've had two customers who have been into hospital for procedures under general anaesthetic and in both cases I advised them to make sure their anaesthetist was aware that they were using an electronic cigarette. I'm pleased to say that both times they came back and told me that the anaesthetists were absolutely unworried by it, and (almost best of all) neither of them said "Electronic cigarette? What's that then?" which I found rather reassuring.

I would still recommend that anyone here does make sure that the medics are aware that you are vaping as nicotine DOES have some effects on the body. You are always asked about any medication you may be taking prior to any operation and that would be the time to mention it.

After I'd explained what e-cigs were and how they worked to my GP (who DID say say "Electronic cigarette? What's that then?"!) he changed my records (unasked) to show me as a non-smoker probably over 2 years ago, which I must admit suprised me. I was totally open about the fact that I was still using nicotine and had every intention of continuing to do so. He couldn't care less, as long as I don't smoke tobacco.

[dave]

We just got a letter from the regional smoking cessation programme inviting us to come to them for help - we just replied that we had given up smoking as there was no option for vaping, surprise surprise! This was obviously linked to our doctor's records so I guess they will get changed, although I have already told him about it.

[hifistud]

May 23, 2012 23:36:43 GMT Bluefish said:

May 23, 2012 23:30:43 GMT hifistud said:

It doesn't - a growing number of the insurance companies will check for cotinine in the urine or nicotine in the blood at medical check time.

So what, we say we still smoke then? If asked were going to say no, they will then ask when you gave up. ???

Doesn't matter what you say your status is - if the medical shows nicotine/cotinine, the insurance companies simple assume "smoker" - or, more accurately, nicotine user. And since up until very recently, "nicotine user" meant "tobacco smoker", you can see why.

They also take the view that you haven't "quit" until you've quit nicotine altogether. Their take on it is if you can't use an e-cig, you'll smoke a fag. They're not altogether wrong, are they?