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So I was talking to my doctor the other day, and he asked me if I was a smoker and I didnt know how to answer.
I smoke about 10 bowls a week, and i dont inhale.
My question for everybody here is, if you are similar in habits to me, what would your answer be, if you only had yes or no as a choice?
yes doc, i am a pipe smoker
I would tell my DR. except for this if you do tell your DR. you better tell your insurance company if you have life insurance once the investigation starts God forbid it needs to if you tell them you dont smoke and its in your DR. notes you do thats your ass.
yes doc, i am a pipe smoker
+1
Sounds like the way to respond to me.
You should probably explain it to him just as you wrote it. "I smoke x number of bowls a week but don't inhale". Just because you don't inhale doesn't mean you're unaffected by nicotine. Because nicotine raises your heartrate and constricts blood vessels, this is very important for your doctors to know. It can help them prescribe correct medication for whatever you're seeing them about, or help them diagnose whatever unknowns there may be. Your lungs may be clean as a whistle, but us non-inhalers still get the nicotine by absorption.
I say yes the Doctor usually asks how much I smoke, etc. Some medication might react badly with nicotine like Dylan said.
My doctor knows I'm a pipe smoker and pays no attention to it at all. He knows that I don't inhale and don't smoke to excess. In reality, it probably helps relieve stress in my life as I am a type "A" hyper person normally. My pipe calms me down and helps me look at things in a more logical light. I also use nasal snuff.
Smokey
I always say no.
+1 Dylan, Frequency matters. I think 1 or 2 bowls a week would not quality as a smoker. 11 may be a pipe smoker. Another variable would be if you were going for the heavier nic kick tobaccos.
Also +1 to Dylans response.
There's rarely a good reason for subterfuge or deceit.
My view for just about anything is that you can't go too far wrong by telling the truth. Why on Earth would you withhold information from your doctor? The more he knows about you, the better he can treat and advise you. While your doctor is obligated to give you the best advice he can, you are under no obligation to follow it. I would be much more fearful of allowing my doctor to treat me with incomplete information, than I would hearing him tell me to quit smoking. So, to answer your question directly I would tell him yes.
I just say "only an occasional pipe or cigar".
That is a good ? i have a dr appo in 2 weeks as a long pipe smoker off and on since the mid 70's i stop and start up again all the time, and quit for 6-9 mos at a time. i smoke more in the winter than summer, i just started up again 2 mos ago i smoke 2-3 bowls a day give or take how busy the day is, dont inhale like (bill clinton) ha ha. if any only thru my nose to get the aroma,so if the ? came up from the dr which it has never 
i would say no! That's me
inhale or not inhale, im sry to say u r still subjectin ur lungs to secondhand smoke which is still smoke in lungs. Now please dont git me wrong, i gave up cigarettes because of health but i still know im still hittin my lungs with nic and smoke just to a lesser extent.
I went to the doctor on Wednesday and was asked the same thing. "Yes, I smoke a pipe."
And they ask "How much, how often?" and I tell them a few times a week. They wrote it down in the file.
To me smoking a pipe, and not (deliberately) inhaling, amounts to me as the medical equivalent of "being exposed to second-hand smoke"
I would tell him yes .It is a pipe and not as bad for you cigarettes but it is still smokin . Many here would have you believe it not harmful to you because it is a pipe . But trust me you do inhale and are still getting the the effects of nicotine .There is a noted increase in cancer of the mouth and the throat . 80% of these cancers are in smokers and heavy drinkers. I will say this after 30 years of smoking cigarettes , pipes and cigars . Eating fast and processed food is more harmful than smoking .
To me smoking a pipe, and not (deliberately) inhaling, amounts to me as the medical equivalent of "being exposed to second-hand smoke"
EXACTLY RIGHT
+1 with Dylan and Jship. Be honest and consistent
As to the whole "second hand smoke" thing: Does that mean that if you didn't smoke but were occasionally around smoke you would report that? I report it because you can absorb the nic in your mouth and nose, not just in your lungs but not because it's like 2nd hand smoke.
I was at My Doc. today and was asked, I said I smoke a pipe He asked if I would like to stop I said nope. No more was said about it.
Honesty is worthwhile.
I'm on a first name basis with my physician.
He knows that I smoke a pipe.
His concerns are non-existent.
He was however; happy when I put down the coffin nails.
Well I'm the lucky one, my Dr is a pipe smoker and I have had many a good conversation about the virtues of pipe smoking with him, he is also a Peterson nut like me.
I say "yes, I am seventy five and I started smoking when I was about twelve and you just told me I am disgustingly healthy so I plan to quit about six hours after they cremate me."
I think most of us deep down want to answer "no" because we want to be spared a verbal tongue-lashing (we get it from complete strangers, why would we want it from a Doctor?). I've been fortunate to have Doctors who have not freaked out over a little smoking. I guess it depends on how much they've bought into the brain washing crap from the "Antis". And if they will accept that junk science, do I really want them taking care of me?
Why would you lie? I've had the same doctor for 30 plus years, and on my first visit I told him I was a pipe smoker. and that I had no desire or intention of quitting. He's never mentioned it to me since.
I'd tell them that some questions do not have a "yes / no" answer. If he/she insists that you can only answer yes or no ask them - "Have you stopped beating your wife?" (again there is no yes/no answer as an answer of "yes" implies they used to do it!)
I'd be honest and say I smoke a pipe. Sadly people like insurance companies lump all smokers together.
I told the doc I smoke a pipe and cigar on occasion, I don't inhale and I do just fine in that department.
Yes. I am a proud pipe smoker.
Anonymous
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My Dr smokes a pipe and we trade tobacco's often. So I guess my answer would to say yes.
I've actually asked my Doctor and Dentist about my 1 or 2 cigars a week and a few bowls with my pipe. They have both considered this to be a non-discussion. They say "when we ask people if they are smokers, we are wondering if they constantly have a smoke going, for years and years on end, that's when we see problems". So I've always told them exactly what I have. I agree that the more they know about you and your lifestyle, the quicker they can figure out what you need or don't need.
I say no when asked.
As a side note, in the medical field there is a huge difference between confidental and anonymous.
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Yes, I smoke a pipe.
It's fine to want to be honest with your physician, but these days one has to be careful about what is told to whom. Insurance companies (like most people) see no difference between a cigarette smoker and pipe smoker, and can use this information to raise your premiums. There are also numerous documented instances of tobacco users being denied employment or losing jobs they have held for years because they used tobacco. While it's nice to want to be ethical and honest (what good person doesn't?) just understand that the "anti's" are not as fair or honorable as you may be; history shows they don't play fair.
There is an old-time saying from Rogers Rangers (Elite fighting force from 250 years ago) that states something like "it's not a sin to withold the truth from those who are not entitled to it." Please carefully consider what you share with whom, my friends.
On my insurance policy, through the State, all tobacco users must claim themselves as such, and pay a $30 a month surcharge.
As far as just general health care goes, my doctor knows what he needs to know and nothing else.
I was recently faced with that very question. I told him I "occasionally" smoke a pipe. I, in fact, smoke about one bowl per day. The Doc asked if I smoked cigarettes. I told him that I didn't and he said, "no problem". Not sure what he documented in his activity note.
There are numerous problems with being so forthright with your conventional doctor about numerous things so I'm not as apt to encourage people to acknowledge smoking a pipe.
If you do mention it to your doctor, however, you better make sure you have it noted on your insurance renewals or you could be in for a messy battle.
I usually say I don't smoke. Not to lie or mislead but because Sometimes I go months with out smoking.
My doc asked last time "You smoke or drink?"
I said I smoke pipe and drink. "How much?" " A couple scotches and a pipe a day"
Well she drilled me as to why I smoke, to which I explained I enjoy it. Continued to listen to how she wouldn't ever be concerned if a patient said the worked out...but smoking?!? Note: I had recently told her how I hit the gym 2-4 times a week, and I have quite healthy eating habits.
Anyway, after a 10 minute long and very excessive lecture on why I better not smoke, I left thinking one thing. She didn't say a word about the 2-3 scotches a day....guess I can increase my Whiskey intake!!!
I seem to remember in a discussion several years ago that a pipe smoker who worked for an insurance company found out that the actuarial tables showed pipe smokers to live longer than non-smokers. We figured it was due to stress reduction if it was true...
I would tell him" I cant stand cigarettes. I have never smoked them!" And then hope he leaves it at that!
I would let him know that you smoke occasionally.
Just like a glass of wine a day doesn't make you a drinker, neither would light pipe smoking.
Just tell him the truth, your Dr. is supposed to be your confidant in matters of health, yeah you may get an ear full from him but at least he knows your history and if there is ever a medical emergency he has all the facts not just some of them. My Dr. knows that I smoke, and in the beginning he told me you know you should quit and etc. etc. etc. I explained to him that I enjoy smoking and I know the risks, since then he does not mention it anymore and we have a great relationship and he takes very good care of me. I guess it depends on your Dr. if you trust him, he is your primary Dr. and how often do you visit him. I have the misfortune that I must see mine every 4 months or so, but it also is a blessing in hopes that any situations will be caught early. Now with regards to my pipe he told me on several occasions to keep smoking it because it relaxes me and with the migranes I get its a good thing.
My doctor asked me the same thing actually. I mentioned that I am a Pipe Smoker, and do not inhale, however since the smoke does go into your mouth, nicotine, tar, tobacco smoke stuff still gets in their and in some small capacity, inhaled as well (pretty much unavoidable, as the soft tissue on the inside of the mouth is super sensitive, and absorbs more things since it is normally protected by the mouth's ability to open and close.
I say yes to both Dr.s and Insurance companies. They can test you for nicotine use and I don't need my health insurance company to drop me or refuse to cover my health bills because I didn't disclose that I was a nicotine "user". Like other have said, when Dr.s ask ask how much I tell them a couple of bowels a week and it is not an issue.
The original 1964 Surgeon General's report on smoking and cancer found that pipe smokers that didn't inhale actually lived two years longer than non-smokers. My doctor knows I'm a pipe smoker and he said he's not worried about it, cigarettes are the real killers. I think the pipe smokers lived longer in the 1964 report because pipe smoking actually reduces stress. Think about all of the famous pipe smokers who have lived long and healthy lives: people like Einstein and Walter Cronkite. It obviously didn't shorten their lives.
Smokey
My term life insurance is based on being a pipe smoker. I can tell you that it is lot less than being a cigarette smoker; about a third less. Higher than a non-smoker, less than a cigarette smoker. One needs to shop around. My insurance agent is a pipe guy and found me this policy through Prudential (I state this only as being in my case, not to promote this insurer).
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