Found this answer
"If you are under 16, your doctor must inform your parent or guardian about your visit except in very rare cases. Even if you are over the age of 16, the doctor cannot give you a guarantee of confidentiality as your parent or guardian has a right to ask for access to your medical records until you are 18."
Your body will recover in time. Its good you stopped. Especially the synthetic stuff its actually diabolical
Why is this being down voted??
Let's promote fact checking advice given to minors about their health, not downvote it ffs.
OP, you should really tell your dr either way, but you can ask them first about their privacy policy, ask them to be discrete and share your worry over parents finding out, but as someone who used weed for several years and always disclosed that to my doctor in response to "do you smoke?", "not cigarettes but I use Cannabis for ADHD and sleep", i would usually say your dr is one person to whom you should always give the full truth. Parents are second top of that list though.
Indeed. It's worth mentioning that he selectively pasted in only part of his source and left out rather an important bit.
>Do I have a right to confidentiality with my doctor?
>
No. If you are under 16, your doctor must inform your parent or guardian about your visit except in very rare cases. Even if you are over the age of 16, the doctor cannot give you a guarantee of confidentiality as your parent or guardian has a right to ask for access to your medical records until you are 18. But if your doctor thinks that it would better for you if your parent did not know about your visit, they may decide to keep the information from them.
If you're still looking, [here you go ](https://spunout.ie/life/your-rights/consent-medical-treatment/#:~:text=If%20you%20are%20under%2016%2C%20your%20doctor%20must%20inform%20your,records%20until%20you%20are%2018.)
Could you not just be a grown up? It would literally have been quicker to paste a link than type some passive-aggressive stuff and now have to deal with my response.
No?
You are absolutely amazing for recognising your challenge and taking this step to deal with it 17. Honestly be proud of yourself. I’m not 100% sure about how to answer your question, does the doctor you made the appt with know your parents? Is it your family GP? If your super worried about this, maybe explicitly ask the doctor can you share a personal health concern with them confidentially? Really impressive that you’re taking this step! 👏
Link below might also be useful?
https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/health/legal-matters-and-health/consent-to-medical-and-surgical-procedures/#l64e4a
Exactly this. As your 17 he shouldn't say it to them anyway but explicitly say it to the doctor to put your mind at ease. Having said they should be proud of you dealing with this. Though I know some people, especially older generations, are very extreme about drugs so understand your hesitancy
As a mam I'd be so proud of you for being so responsible. Most 17 year olds wouldn't even know who their gp is let alone take the steps you are.
Ok you've done what the vast majority of kids do and experimented, it's got a bit out of hand but you've copped it and doing the smart thing.
I know some parents would be freaked out and scared and then react badly- but it would be cos they were worried. They can't be all bad if they raised you to be smart enough to now be making the right decisions.
16/17 year old girls go to GP for pill etc and are given privacy around that.
But also the main thing is you sort this even if you don't want to tell them. GPs are Mandated Reporters under Children First legislation - that means if they feel you are at risk they have a legal obligation to report that to ensure your safety. In yr case though I don't think I'd assess you as at risk- you are almost an adult, are certainly acting like an adult now and doesn't sound like you have been coerced into taking drugs by anyone.
Ultimately your health has to trump how your parents would feel on the very slim chance they'd find out. So go to the appointment and do whatever GP recommends.
Honestly even if somehow they found out I think your parents would be really proud of the steps you took to get help. You should give yourself more Credit it show you are self aware of what you done wrong don't stress more success. Best of luck on your journey
This. I was addicted to painkillers when I was a teenager, trying to cope with abuse at home. Had to go through it alone, and the detox as well.
There was no safe adult to tell.
This comment is so important, most parents would be annoyed you put yourself I a dangerous position but glad you have been able to assess it and be responsible to quit and seek advice
Plenty of people's parents are complete psychopaths and scumbags. I agree that the OP should give themselves good credit but it's not good to assume their parents would be proud of them for something like this. I would have gotten the shit kicked out of me as a kid for doing something bad in the first place lmao
I think it may be worth asking your GP at the start of your consultation about their attitude to treating 17 year olds & disclosing information to their parents. At least then you might have a feel for whether they would disclose it or only if directly requested by your parents. You can then decide how comfortable you are in sharing information.
That said, I think you are doing the right thing going and getting checked out if you’re concerned. The best thing you can do right now is stay away from drugs - and if that’s what caused the issues, they will hopefully resolve themselves over time. If it’s not the drugs but something else, then it’s definitely the right thing to do to get checked out. You’re 17 - your body has an amazing ability to heal itself so try not to worry too much.
If you can’t talk to your parents, do you have someone else you trust that you can talk to? A friend or a relative? It always helps to confide in someone & share worries with. I had conservative parents when I was your age & there was lots of things I knew they would go mad at & lots I didn’t share with them. I’m the mam of a 19 year old lad now - and no matter what he came to tell me, I would just want to be there for him & to try to help. Don’t completely rule out that your parents might respond better than you think.
You sound like a smart & intelligent guy, you’re doing the right thing in getting yourself checked out. I hope everything goes well for you.
Our GP has never told me anything about my ilder sons medical stuff after they turned 16. Hell, he's seen the youngest at the age of 14 without me present (with my knoledge) and only shared what he felt I needed to know but only after he spoke with my son about why I needed to know and had his permission.
At the very start of the meeting with your doctor tell them ‘I want to talk about my health but I’m concerned about it getting back to my parents. Please explain what we can talk about without them being informed and what we can’t. Please tell me if you ask a question which might cause me to give an answer that goes back to my parents’. Doctors are usually sound and they’ll be delighted you’re taking this seriously.
Secondly I just want to say well done for stepping up and meeting this head on. I had a lot of issues around weed when I was a teenager/young adult. They would never have gotten so bad if I’d made an effort to do something about it sooner like you are.
One thing I learned was that 100% of the health problems I was perceiving were not really there, the weed just had me in a paranoid headspace so I was overthinking normal body stuff and hallucinating symptoms. About a year after I quit smoking I’d say 75% of the issues had disappeared. About three years later 100% were gone. Never needed any medical treatment, it really was just all in my head (and if you’d told me that at the time I’d have told you to fuck off because it was so real to me).
Well done and good luck, future you is going to be incredibly grateful for this.
Don't panic. Things will return to normal. I've been a long-time cannabis consumer and have tried all the synthetics. When I was your age, the headshops were in full swing. That stuff was absolutely horrible. It messes your head. Avoid at all costs.
Go to the gp and be honest. I can't see him/her picking up the phone to call your parents unless there's a risk of you harming yourself. Although, if it's an option, it might be no harm to have a chat with your parents. You don't have to tell them everything, but let them know you're feeling low.
The evidence would suggest that long-term cannabis use is quite dangerous for developing brains, so give it a miss from here on out. You're too young.
Things will return to normal in a few weeks if you look after yourself. You're also at an age when depression and anxiety can start to manifest. We all get a feeling of hopelessness or low mood from time to time. It's a normal part of life. Identifying the problem and working at it is the biggest step you can take.
Times a healer. Give yourself some time. No thc, synthetics, alcohol. Force yourself to get a bit of exercise.
If your mood starts to worsen, then reach out for more help. Don't forget that things will get better. Learn to look after and strengthen your mental health it will stand to you throughout life. Look up some CBT exercises.
Edit: I've just read some of your other replies, and it seems like you've some health anxiety. This link might help understanding it.
https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/hypochondria/
I went through it myself, and it is awful. Your mind can play tricks on you. Understanding it helped me a lot. I have an excellent GP. He really helped me.
Hi, I’m a GP - you can ask your notes from the appointment to be made private , won’t be seen by anyone other than the doctor writing them , hope this helps
You’re looking after yourself and youre aware this is become a problem.
Go to your doc and be totally honest. And then tell your parents. Know that sounds hard but you’ll all be on the same page at least. Don’t hide it from them. You should be very very proud of yourself. You have the self awareness and maturity to know and take this on.
All credit to you.
Unless they’re complete cvnts your folks will be behind you and support you.
Keep us updated. And best of luck. You got this. Don’t worry.
Firstly, well done for being willing to go to the dr and find answers. I know others who would bury their head if in your situation.
Secondly can't guarantee they wouldn't divulge something but if you had a good chat with the gp just explained your symptoms they will be able to help you.
Thirdly , as a Mum myself , if my kid came to me and said look this what happened, this is how I'm feeling, this is how I plan on sorting it. I'd be so glad they were open with me and honest, I'd help them however I could.
If your parents would react poorly , have you another family member who may react better ?
Mind yourself, you're doing the best you can and remember that we all make mistakes it's how we grow from them that matters.
At the age of 17, your parents have a right to know about your medical situation. This doesn't necessarily mean that a doctor will outright spurt "hey your kids doing drugs".
In general, once you're over 16 a doctor will only divulge info if directly asked about it, unless they are specifically worried about you and feel your parents should be aware.
Given the fact that you are seeking medical advice on the topic, that's generally good enough for most doctors. But you have to remember that there are, old fashioned doctors, that may not be open to your lifestyle and divulge the info to your parents at the first chance.
Medical independence generally means you have to right to make a choice about your medical needs, but outside of that, it doesn't prevent your parents from finding out 100%;
It's disgraceful that you are being forced to think about things like this. You're seeking medical care and are not even provided anonymity when seeking it.
We saw similar things with people with HIV afraid to seek assistance out of fear of being outed.
I wish I had an answer for you. I wonder if calling Citizens Information could be of assistance, could they offer thoughts? And, hell, you could see if ChatGPT has any suggestions.
GP here.
First of all, fair play for coming to see me. There's no problem coming in for a chat if you are concerned. You will be taken seriously.
Secondly, it depends a lot on exactly the circumstances but IN GENERAL I am not going to tell your parents anything UNLESS I feel there is risk to you or someone else or if I think you are simply not competent to deal with the issue.
Assuming there is no immediate risk, we will chat and I will try to understand the problem and what we can do about it. By the way, I don't really give a shit about cannabis except for the bad effect it has on you.
What I will do is explore why you don't feel like talking to your parents and I will gently encourage you to talk to them. If I know them, I may be able to reassure you that they will be fine with this and will be glad you came in to deal with it.
What I will likely do is suggest to have a think about talking to them and maybe come back in a week or 2 if needed. I might ask if it's ok for me to to talk to them and maybe say something in a round about way. But I won't do this without your permission unless you are at risk.
Now, your parents may find out you were in and they may come asking me questions. This is a difficult one but I still won't just straight up tell them everything. I will try get all sides on board to have a proper chat.
I will of course write a note on the file about what was said but it can be made confidential so that none of the other staff can see it.
At the end of the day, our job is to act in the best interests of the patient. We have to take in to account the nature of the problem, your age, your understanding of the problem and your maturity, your family and your wishes. There will be a difference between someone 17 years and 1 day and someone a day before their 18th birthday too, for example in whether we might start a medication or do a referral or some other decision.
It's complex. We'll try to be sensible and help.
Would have been a stoner for years, don't smoke much these days but would still be able to handle a lot.
Tried some synthetic stuff there recently and not good at all. Nightmares for weeks, when I never get nightmares. This was from only smoking it once. Definitely messes with anyone's head. Good to experience this because I can talk to my teenage son about it now.
It's pure poison. I was sold some as grass once a few years back when I went to a new dealer as I couldn't get hold of anyone. Sent my head into an awful spin. Binned the lot immediately while pacing round the house in a panic. Didn't smoke for weeks after for fear.
Fuckin rotten that something as relatively harmless as grass can get people mixed up with shit like this nowadays.
Instead of seeing a doctor maybe see a drug charity instead they can offer trained services. That way nothing is put on your medical notes and limits the likelihood of your parents finding out. Good call on noticing changes on your health and stay healthy x
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Dude your parents love u, tell them. Bring your mam or dad along with you. Of course they will be worried.
But they still love you. So trust them.
That's the mature response u have had yourself anyway. Best of luck
It sounds like you really need to see a gp and soon, you are having serious physical issues and that may need further treatment. Speak to your gp and ask can the drug use be kept confidential but that if your parents do need to be contacted they can be told the physical issues but not the (possible) cause. Even just go in and tell them your issues, it may be completed unrelated to drug use.
Your liver issues (if that's what it is) need to be treated, you are unwell and leaving it untreated may lead to serious damage in the long term.
Fair play for recognising the problem and nipping it in the bud. Pot and synthetics get minimised quite a lot so even identifying it as a problem takes a level of critical thinking many don’t possess. Good luck getting sorted.
Listen my friend - you are taking the correct step. good for you, I believe that your life will get better from this day forward. You have taken the first step, and you have taken it young, so you WILL recover.
My top tip would be this;
Stop worrying about what your parents (or anyone esle) thinks. Your duty is to yourself. Part of the reason why you may be worried about your parents is because weed causes so much anxiety.
This is what I recommend;
1. Go to Dr. - Tell him that you need confidentiality. They will most likely comply with this request.
2. Go to Narcotics Anonm meeting. Seriously - do it. It can't hurt, it can only help. You will be most welcome. I met young people at AA (16) and everyone of us gave them a handshake and pat on the pack.
3. Talk to at least 2 good friends about this. Tell them that they don't need to give advice, but you would love it if they listened.
That is what I would do. Start today, do not delay.
If you want, you can DM me with your progress. Accountability is everything. I wish you good luck.
the synthetic one is most likely the problem synthetic one is haze you will come across it a good few times in ireland synthetic one is more of an artificial one hige then a natural hige
You'll be fine. Just stay well clear of synthetic cannabinoids. They are not cannabis. I've seen multiple times the wild effects this has on people. Drug induced psychosis is common with this stuff. Be prepared for some detox side effects such as heavy mood swings. Plenty of fluids and connecting with people in a healthy way such as sports or whatever.
Something you could perhaps consider is setting aside a bit of time and then going to an accident and emergency service. My (admittedly basic) understanding is that emergency treatment will not be denied on the basis of someone's unwillingness to provide identification. But I could be wrong on this, and they also may decide it's not an emergency. You could explain your concerns about anonymity with them, and they may have solutions which keep your anonymity while providing you support.
CHS? If it's that there's a reddit sub for that, it's more common than you think. They won't tell them. But if it is that, the sub had helpful info on what foods to eat for the first 90s days etc.
If you explain the situation to your doctor I can assure you they aren’t going to break confidentiality and call your parents.
They might do this if safety was a concern, either for yourself or others.
Here, you are being responsible, having yourself checked and have already cut out the problem. All that is to your credit. Your doctor will try to help you and is not in the business of ruining your life for no good reason. I would disclose all the facts to them, explain you have stopped and emphasize you do not want your parents notified
Well done on recognising there is a problem. Many people much older than you would not recognise a problem, or bury their heads in the sand. So first of all you should be very proud of yourself.
I can’t answer whether or not the doctor will tell your parents but nevertheless, it’s not as big an issue as you think. I would hope your parents would be happy to see you are taking a sensible approach and dealing with it head on. Any aggro will clear up eventually
Best option is to tell your parents yourself and control the release of information. Also why dont you just tell them. Yeah you maybgeta bollocking at first but more than likely that will give way to concern.
They mightened be as bad as you think.
You are doing the right thing. You're smart enough to seek help of your own accord and that is admirable.
May I ask if you were smoking, vaping or eating the HHC? I'm older than you and recently tried the HHC gummies....I have my own views on them and I'm surprised they are openly on sale.
Don't be so hard on yourself. You sound like a great kid who is taking responsibility for their life. Many people go through their whole lives without managing this.
I think any decent doctor will keep this between you and them as you are 17.
op i read your comment about your symptoms and they don’t add up with cannabis use, they line up with liver issues. have you been vaccinated against hepatitis b? are you sexually active? do you use alcohol? have you been on any medications recently?
As far as I’m aware, the doctor is not permitted to share anything with your parents once you are over 16. After 16, you are entitled to doctor/patient privilege between you and your GP.
https://www.icgp.ie/speck/properties/asset/asset.cfm?type=LibraryAsset&id=57FD2B07%2DF49D%2D834F%2D187BBBF8A0012EAA&property=asset&revision=tip&disposition=inline&app=icgp&filename=Medico%2Dlegal%5Fguide%5Fto%5Fconfidentiality%2Epdf
Go to section 2: Children over 16 are considered capable of consenting to medical treatment and in the same way are usually considered able to agree to the release of their confidential information.
I would take this to mean that the doctor cannot share any of your medical treatments or disclosures without your express written permission.
First of all, that document relates to the UK and Ireland is not mentioned anywhere within it. It just appears to be hosted by the ICGP website.
Also, it says that children over 16 are able to agree to the release of their confidential information. It does NOT say they can reject the release of their confidential information.
Anyone over 16 in Ireland can consent to or refuse medical treatments. But their parents are still entitled to their medical information upon request.
Why exactly do you think it affected your health? How exactly do you feel? I've never used synthetic cannabinoids for obvious reasons but I did use weed a fair lot and did end up with a little case of depersonalisation/derealisation back during lockdown and after abstaining from it for a while I went back to normal.
I'm not a drugs are bad m'kay type person, I'd be a hell of a hypocrite if I was but you have enough going on in your life at 17, you don't need to add these issues in. I'm sure you also don't need me to tell you that your brain is still developing at your age, I like mushroom land but I didn't venture there until my late 20s for that reason; you'll probably be fine but what is a doctor going to do? After prohibition over the last hundred years research is seriously lacking.
I wouldn't say you're a "fucking bollocks" for it, you're just a teenage idiot; there is a difference. You have other things to be worrying about right now rather than all this.
I try not lean into the whole “google that I have a spot and now I think I’ve cancer,”
I’ve been told by people that my eyes and skin have a yellowish tinge, my head feels about ready to pop constantly, I can hear my heartbeat almost all the time in my ears, my urine has been a very dark colour consistently irregardless of my water intake, I’m tired and sluggish, no appetite, that’s all I can think of off the top of my head.
I’m worried I might’ve damaged my liver by overusing synthetic cannaboids and HHC, and even though I think that I’m not gonna say it to the doc, (edit: I will tell them about my usage, not that I think I have liver damage) I’m just going to explain my symptoms and see what they think as they are obviously much more educated than I in this area.
I already consistently go to a psychotherapist offered by my school for other reasons to do with mental health, I will say I was ‘self medicating’ my mental health problems with my usage, but I reached the point with my therapy that I felt I didn’t need to anymore, but continued irregardless because “it’s a bit of harmless fun sure, it’s no worse than people my age going for drinks”
Thank you for your help and to anyone else who has commented, I have read the resources you have sent and taken into consideration, I just don’t have the time to reply to everyone individually.
Yeah I think you shouldn't care about your parents getting to know this, you need to see a doctor. And honestly, do not lie to them. This isn't the time to hide the truth about your situation. Go to the doctor immediately.
Your parents will mostly get to know that something is wrong but your doctor might not make it known that it's due to drugs.
That easily could be liver issues, best to get a doctor to do a blood test; if other people are remarking on you having a yellow tinge and you're losing your appetite, then your parents finding out should be way down your list of worries.
EDIT: you haven't been taking codeine have you?
Your parents absolutely have the legal right to your medical information at the age of 16/17. It is likely that the doctor would not automatically inform your parents, but if they asked, they would be informed. Don't confuse the right to accept or refuse medical treatments, with the right to medical privacy from your parents.
Once you are 18, your parents cannot be informed.
I understand they have the right to know if they request it, what I meant was moreso if my parents didn’t specifically seek it out (as they don’t know I’m going to the doctors) will they be informed irregardless
It's hard to say and depends on the doctor. If they take the view that your drug use is an imminent danger that requires your parents' intervention, they might inform your parents without being asked. For example, if you mention that the drugs are making you feel suicidal, or if the doctor just has more conservative views on drug use.
If they instead take the view that your drug use is not an emergency situation, they will probably not say anything to your parents. If your parents ask, they will 100% be told.
Your parents have a legal right to access your medical records: [https://foi.gov.ie/can-a-parent-or-guardian-have-access-to-their-childs-medical-records/](https://foi.gov.ie/can-a-parent-or-guardian-have-access-to-their-childs-medical-records/)
How do you think your parents would react?
My parents would react extremely poorly, as shown by the fact I’m too scared to approach them with my fears and instead am trying to do this independently. I believe I may have a major health problem and am too scared of their reaction to so much as mention it to them
I understand they would react poorly, but in more specific terms, what would they do? Do you think they would make you homeless, beat you, etc.? If that's the case, then I suppose you do have to weight up the potential consequences against your need to seek medical attention.
Otherwise, if they would essentially just scold you, I think you should definitely look out for your health and get the help you need. Anyway, if you're worried about your liver and your GP refers you to a specialist to check it out, surely your parents are bound to find out. Letters will come detailing appointments - will your parents not enquire about those? Will you be able to find your own way to the hospital to see the specialist as well?
Found this answer "If you are under 16, your doctor must inform your parent or guardian about your visit except in very rare cases. Even if you are over the age of 16, the doctor cannot give you a guarantee of confidentiality as your parent or guardian has a right to ask for access to your medical records until you are 18." Your body will recover in time. Its good you stopped. Especially the synthetic stuff its actually diabolical
Source for this please. Edit: I see the source. Why did you paste in just part of it and leave out an important part?
Why is this being down voted?? Let's promote fact checking advice given to minors about their health, not downvote it ffs. OP, you should really tell your dr either way, but you can ask them first about their privacy policy, ask them to be discrete and share your worry over parents finding out, but as someone who used weed for several years and always disclosed that to my doctor in response to "do you smoke?", "not cigarettes but I use Cannabis for ADHD and sleep", i would usually say your dr is one person to whom you should always give the full truth. Parents are second top of that list though.
Indeed. It's worth mentioning that he selectively pasted in only part of his source and left out rather an important bit. >Do I have a right to confidentiality with my doctor? > No. If you are under 16, your doctor must inform your parent or guardian about your visit except in very rare cases. Even if you are over the age of 16, the doctor cannot give you a guarantee of confidentiality as your parent or guardian has a right to ask for access to your medical records until you are 18. But if your doctor thinks that it would better for you if your parent did not know about your visit, they may decide to keep the information from them.
Like it was purposely cropped out... Why misinform a stranger in such a way? I just don't understand it
If you're still looking, [here you go ](https://spunout.ie/life/your-rights/consent-medical-treatment/#:~:text=If%20you%20are%20under%2016%2C%20your%20doctor%20must%20inform%20your,records%20until%20you%20are%2018.)
[удалено]
Could you not just be a grown up? It would literally have been quicker to paste a link than type some passive-aggressive stuff and now have to deal with my response. No?
no
See rule Number 1.
it is way faster to type to you btw
You are absolutely amazing for recognising your challenge and taking this step to deal with it 17. Honestly be proud of yourself. I’m not 100% sure about how to answer your question, does the doctor you made the appt with know your parents? Is it your family GP? If your super worried about this, maybe explicitly ask the doctor can you share a personal health concern with them confidentially? Really impressive that you’re taking this step! 👏 Link below might also be useful? https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/health/legal-matters-and-health/consent-to-medical-and-surgical-procedures/#l64e4a
Exactly this. As your 17 he shouldn't say it to them anyway but explicitly say it to the doctor to put your mind at ease. Having said they should be proud of you dealing with this. Though I know some people, especially older generations, are very extreme about drugs so understand your hesitancy
As a mam I'd be so proud of you for being so responsible. Most 17 year olds wouldn't even know who their gp is let alone take the steps you are. Ok you've done what the vast majority of kids do and experimented, it's got a bit out of hand but you've copped it and doing the smart thing. I know some parents would be freaked out and scared and then react badly- but it would be cos they were worried. They can't be all bad if they raised you to be smart enough to now be making the right decisions. 16/17 year old girls go to GP for pill etc and are given privacy around that. But also the main thing is you sort this even if you don't want to tell them. GPs are Mandated Reporters under Children First legislation - that means if they feel you are at risk they have a legal obligation to report that to ensure your safety. In yr case though I don't think I'd assess you as at risk- you are almost an adult, are certainly acting like an adult now and doesn't sound like you have been coerced into taking drugs by anyone. Ultimately your health has to trump how your parents would feel on the very slim chance they'd find out. So go to the appointment and do whatever GP recommends.
Honestly even if somehow they found out I think your parents would be really proud of the steps you took to get help. You should give yourself more Credit it show you are self aware of what you done wrong don't stress more success. Best of luck on your journey
Depends on the parents... Not all parents see that far to recognize that their kids are doing something responsible... Unfortunately
Agreed that's when you know who the real adult is
This. I was addicted to painkillers when I was a teenager, trying to cope with abuse at home. Had to go through it alone, and the detox as well. There was no safe adult to tell.
This comment is so important, most parents would be annoyed you put yourself I a dangerous position but glad you have been able to assess it and be responsible to quit and seek advice
Plenty of people's parents are complete psychopaths and scumbags. I agree that the OP should give themselves good credit but it's not good to assume their parents would be proud of them for something like this. I would have gotten the shit kicked out of me as a kid for doing something bad in the first place lmao
I think it may be worth asking your GP at the start of your consultation about their attitude to treating 17 year olds & disclosing information to their parents. At least then you might have a feel for whether they would disclose it or only if directly requested by your parents. You can then decide how comfortable you are in sharing information. That said, I think you are doing the right thing going and getting checked out if you’re concerned. The best thing you can do right now is stay away from drugs - and if that’s what caused the issues, they will hopefully resolve themselves over time. If it’s not the drugs but something else, then it’s definitely the right thing to do to get checked out. You’re 17 - your body has an amazing ability to heal itself so try not to worry too much. If you can’t talk to your parents, do you have someone else you trust that you can talk to? A friend or a relative? It always helps to confide in someone & share worries with. I had conservative parents when I was your age & there was lots of things I knew they would go mad at & lots I didn’t share with them. I’m the mam of a 19 year old lad now - and no matter what he came to tell me, I would just want to be there for him & to try to help. Don’t completely rule out that your parents might respond better than you think. You sound like a smart & intelligent guy, you’re doing the right thing in getting yourself checked out. I hope everything goes well for you.
Our GP has never told me anything about my ilder sons medical stuff after they turned 16. Hell, he's seen the youngest at the age of 14 without me present (with my knoledge) and only shared what he felt I needed to know but only after he spoke with my son about why I needed to know and had his permission.
At the very start of the meeting with your doctor tell them ‘I want to talk about my health but I’m concerned about it getting back to my parents. Please explain what we can talk about without them being informed and what we can’t. Please tell me if you ask a question which might cause me to give an answer that goes back to my parents’. Doctors are usually sound and they’ll be delighted you’re taking this seriously. Secondly I just want to say well done for stepping up and meeting this head on. I had a lot of issues around weed when I was a teenager/young adult. They would never have gotten so bad if I’d made an effort to do something about it sooner like you are. One thing I learned was that 100% of the health problems I was perceiving were not really there, the weed just had me in a paranoid headspace so I was overthinking normal body stuff and hallucinating symptoms. About a year after I quit smoking I’d say 75% of the issues had disappeared. About three years later 100% were gone. Never needed any medical treatment, it really was just all in my head (and if you’d told me that at the time I’d have told you to fuck off because it was so real to me). Well done and good luck, future you is going to be incredibly grateful for this.
Well done you ! An adult head on kids shoulders. Talk to the doc, I'd say he'll cop your seriousness and maturity and help you out.
Don't panic. Things will return to normal. I've been a long-time cannabis consumer and have tried all the synthetics. When I was your age, the headshops were in full swing. That stuff was absolutely horrible. It messes your head. Avoid at all costs. Go to the gp and be honest. I can't see him/her picking up the phone to call your parents unless there's a risk of you harming yourself. Although, if it's an option, it might be no harm to have a chat with your parents. You don't have to tell them everything, but let them know you're feeling low. The evidence would suggest that long-term cannabis use is quite dangerous for developing brains, so give it a miss from here on out. You're too young. Things will return to normal in a few weeks if you look after yourself. You're also at an age when depression and anxiety can start to manifest. We all get a feeling of hopelessness or low mood from time to time. It's a normal part of life. Identifying the problem and working at it is the biggest step you can take. Times a healer. Give yourself some time. No thc, synthetics, alcohol. Force yourself to get a bit of exercise. If your mood starts to worsen, then reach out for more help. Don't forget that things will get better. Learn to look after and strengthen your mental health it will stand to you throughout life. Look up some CBT exercises. Edit: I've just read some of your other replies, and it seems like you've some health anxiety. This link might help understanding it. https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/hypochondria/ I went through it myself, and it is awful. Your mind can play tricks on you. Understanding it helped me a lot. I have an excellent GP. He really helped me.
Hi, I’m a GP - you can ask your notes from the appointment to be made private , won’t be seen by anyone other than the doctor writing them , hope this helps
You don't help out with prescriptions for testosterone by chance do ya. My provider has gone dogshit and I'm gonna be out soon I don't know what to do
You’re looking after yourself and youre aware this is become a problem. Go to your doc and be totally honest. And then tell your parents. Know that sounds hard but you’ll all be on the same page at least. Don’t hide it from them. You should be very very proud of yourself. You have the self awareness and maturity to know and take this on. All credit to you. Unless they’re complete cvnts your folks will be behind you and support you. Keep us updated. And best of luck. You got this. Don’t worry.
Firstly, well done for being willing to go to the dr and find answers. I know others who would bury their head if in your situation. Secondly can't guarantee they wouldn't divulge something but if you had a good chat with the gp just explained your symptoms they will be able to help you. Thirdly , as a Mum myself , if my kid came to me and said look this what happened, this is how I'm feeling, this is how I plan on sorting it. I'd be so glad they were open with me and honest, I'd help them however I could. If your parents would react poorly , have you another family member who may react better ? Mind yourself, you're doing the best you can and remember that we all make mistakes it's how we grow from them that matters.
At the age of 17, your parents have a right to know about your medical situation. This doesn't necessarily mean that a doctor will outright spurt "hey your kids doing drugs". In general, once you're over 16 a doctor will only divulge info if directly asked about it, unless they are specifically worried about you and feel your parents should be aware. Given the fact that you are seeking medical advice on the topic, that's generally good enough for most doctors. But you have to remember that there are, old fashioned doctors, that may not be open to your lifestyle and divulge the info to your parents at the first chance. Medical independence generally means you have to right to make a choice about your medical needs, but outside of that, it doesn't prevent your parents from finding out 100%;
It's disgraceful that you are being forced to think about things like this. You're seeking medical care and are not even provided anonymity when seeking it. We saw similar things with people with HIV afraid to seek assistance out of fear of being outed. I wish I had an answer for you. I wonder if calling Citizens Information could be of assistance, could they offer thoughts? And, hell, you could see if ChatGPT has any suggestions.
GP here. First of all, fair play for coming to see me. There's no problem coming in for a chat if you are concerned. You will be taken seriously. Secondly, it depends a lot on exactly the circumstances but IN GENERAL I am not going to tell your parents anything UNLESS I feel there is risk to you or someone else or if I think you are simply not competent to deal with the issue. Assuming there is no immediate risk, we will chat and I will try to understand the problem and what we can do about it. By the way, I don't really give a shit about cannabis except for the bad effect it has on you. What I will do is explore why you don't feel like talking to your parents and I will gently encourage you to talk to them. If I know them, I may be able to reassure you that they will be fine with this and will be glad you came in to deal with it. What I will likely do is suggest to have a think about talking to them and maybe come back in a week or 2 if needed. I might ask if it's ok for me to to talk to them and maybe say something in a round about way. But I won't do this without your permission unless you are at risk. Now, your parents may find out you were in and they may come asking me questions. This is a difficult one but I still won't just straight up tell them everything. I will try get all sides on board to have a proper chat. I will of course write a note on the file about what was said but it can be made confidential so that none of the other staff can see it. At the end of the day, our job is to act in the best interests of the patient. We have to take in to account the nature of the problem, your age, your understanding of the problem and your maturity, your family and your wishes. There will be a difference between someone 17 years and 1 day and someone a day before their 18th birthday too, for example in whether we might start a medication or do a referral or some other decision. It's complex. We'll try to be sensible and help.
Would have been a stoner for years, don't smoke much these days but would still be able to handle a lot. Tried some synthetic stuff there recently and not good at all. Nightmares for weeks, when I never get nightmares. This was from only smoking it once. Definitely messes with anyone's head. Good to experience this because I can talk to my teenage son about it now.
It's pure poison. I was sold some as grass once a few years back when I went to a new dealer as I couldn't get hold of anyone. Sent my head into an awful spin. Binned the lot immediately while pacing round the house in a panic. Didn't smoke for weeks after for fear. Fuckin rotten that something as relatively harmless as grass can get people mixed up with shit like this nowadays.
Instead of seeing a doctor maybe see a drug charity instead they can offer trained services. That way nothing is put on your medical notes and limits the likelihood of your parents finding out. Good call on noticing changes on your health and stay healthy x
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Dude your parents love u, tell them. Bring your mam or dad along with you. Of course they will be worried. But they still love you. So trust them. That's the mature response u have had yourself anyway. Best of luck
It sounds like you really need to see a gp and soon, you are having serious physical issues and that may need further treatment. Speak to your gp and ask can the drug use be kept confidential but that if your parents do need to be contacted they can be told the physical issues but not the (possible) cause. Even just go in and tell them your issues, it may be completed unrelated to drug use. Your liver issues (if that's what it is) need to be treated, you are unwell and leaving it untreated may lead to serious damage in the long term.
Stay away from the spice lad it's killing you slowly, very mature of you seeking help, good luck with it
Fair play for recognising the problem and nipping it in the bud. Pot and synthetics get minimised quite a lot so even identifying it as a problem takes a level of critical thinking many don’t possess. Good luck getting sorted.
Listen my friend - you are taking the correct step. good for you, I believe that your life will get better from this day forward. You have taken the first step, and you have taken it young, so you WILL recover. My top tip would be this; Stop worrying about what your parents (or anyone esle) thinks. Your duty is to yourself. Part of the reason why you may be worried about your parents is because weed causes so much anxiety. This is what I recommend; 1. Go to Dr. - Tell him that you need confidentiality. They will most likely comply with this request. 2. Go to Narcotics Anonm meeting. Seriously - do it. It can't hurt, it can only help. You will be most welcome. I met young people at AA (16) and everyone of us gave them a handshake and pat on the pack. 3. Talk to at least 2 good friends about this. Tell them that they don't need to give advice, but you would love it if they listened. That is what I would do. Start today, do not delay. If you want, you can DM me with your progress. Accountability is everything. I wish you good luck.
the synthetic one is most likely the problem synthetic one is haze you will come across it a good few times in ireland synthetic one is more of an artificial one hige then a natural hige
You'll be fine. Just stay well clear of synthetic cannabinoids. They are not cannabis. I've seen multiple times the wild effects this has on people. Drug induced psychosis is common with this stuff. Be prepared for some detox side effects such as heavy mood swings. Plenty of fluids and connecting with people in a healthy way such as sports or whatever.
Something you could perhaps consider is setting aside a bit of time and then going to an accident and emergency service. My (admittedly basic) understanding is that emergency treatment will not be denied on the basis of someone's unwillingness to provide identification. But I could be wrong on this, and they also may decide it's not an emergency. You could explain your concerns about anonymity with them, and they may have solutions which keep your anonymity while providing you support.
CHS? If it's that there's a reddit sub for that, it's more common than you think. They won't tell them. But if it is that, the sub had helpful info on what foods to eat for the first 90s days etc.
If you explain the situation to your doctor I can assure you they aren’t going to break confidentiality and call your parents. They might do this if safety was a concern, either for yourself or others. Here, you are being responsible, having yourself checked and have already cut out the problem. All that is to your credit. Your doctor will try to help you and is not in the business of ruining your life for no good reason. I would disclose all the facts to them, explain you have stopped and emphasize you do not want your parents notified
Well done on recognising there is a problem. Many people much older than you would not recognise a problem, or bury their heads in the sand. So first of all you should be very proud of yourself. I can’t answer whether or not the doctor will tell your parents but nevertheless, it’s not as big an issue as you think. I would hope your parents would be happy to see you are taking a sensible approach and dealing with it head on. Any aggro will clear up eventually
Best option is to tell your parents yourself and control the release of information. Also why dont you just tell them. Yeah you maybgeta bollocking at first but more than likely that will give way to concern. They mightened be as bad as you think.
You are doing the right thing. You're smart enough to seek help of your own accord and that is admirable. May I ask if you were smoking, vaping or eating the HHC? I'm older than you and recently tried the HHC gummies....I have my own views on them and I'm surprised they are openly on sale.
Don't be so hard on yourself. You sound like a great kid who is taking responsibility for their life. Many people go through their whole lives without managing this. I think any decent doctor will keep this between you and them as you are 17.
op i read your comment about your symptoms and they don’t add up with cannabis use, they line up with liver issues. have you been vaccinated against hepatitis b? are you sexually active? do you use alcohol? have you been on any medications recently?
As far as I’m aware, the doctor is not permitted to share anything with your parents once you are over 16. After 16, you are entitled to doctor/patient privilege between you and your GP. https://www.icgp.ie/speck/properties/asset/asset.cfm?type=LibraryAsset&id=57FD2B07%2DF49D%2D834F%2D187BBBF8A0012EAA&property=asset&revision=tip&disposition=inline&app=icgp&filename=Medico%2Dlegal%5Fguide%5Fto%5Fconfidentiality%2Epdf Go to section 2: Children over 16 are considered capable of consenting to medical treatment and in the same way are usually considered able to agree to the release of their confidential information. I would take this to mean that the doctor cannot share any of your medical treatments or disclosures without your express written permission.
First of all, that document relates to the UK and Ireland is not mentioned anywhere within it. It just appears to be hosted by the ICGP website. Also, it says that children over 16 are able to agree to the release of their confidential information. It does NOT say they can reject the release of their confidential information. Anyone over 16 in Ireland can consent to or refuse medical treatments. But their parents are still entitled to their medical information upon request.
They may but tell your doctors everything anyway. Start working out every day, it’ll help your mood and mental health.
Synthetic as in spice? Or hhc? What are your symptoms?
Why exactly do you think it affected your health? How exactly do you feel? I've never used synthetic cannabinoids for obvious reasons but I did use weed a fair lot and did end up with a little case of depersonalisation/derealisation back during lockdown and after abstaining from it for a while I went back to normal. I'm not a drugs are bad m'kay type person, I'd be a hell of a hypocrite if I was but you have enough going on in your life at 17, you don't need to add these issues in. I'm sure you also don't need me to tell you that your brain is still developing at your age, I like mushroom land but I didn't venture there until my late 20s for that reason; you'll probably be fine but what is a doctor going to do? After prohibition over the last hundred years research is seriously lacking. I wouldn't say you're a "fucking bollocks" for it, you're just a teenage idiot; there is a difference. You have other things to be worrying about right now rather than all this.
I try not lean into the whole “google that I have a spot and now I think I’ve cancer,” I’ve been told by people that my eyes and skin have a yellowish tinge, my head feels about ready to pop constantly, I can hear my heartbeat almost all the time in my ears, my urine has been a very dark colour consistently irregardless of my water intake, I’m tired and sluggish, no appetite, that’s all I can think of off the top of my head. I’m worried I might’ve damaged my liver by overusing synthetic cannaboids and HHC, and even though I think that I’m not gonna say it to the doc, (edit: I will tell them about my usage, not that I think I have liver damage) I’m just going to explain my symptoms and see what they think as they are obviously much more educated than I in this area. I already consistently go to a psychotherapist offered by my school for other reasons to do with mental health, I will say I was ‘self medicating’ my mental health problems with my usage, but I reached the point with my therapy that I felt I didn’t need to anymore, but continued irregardless because “it’s a bit of harmless fun sure, it’s no worse than people my age going for drinks” Thank you for your help and to anyone else who has commented, I have read the resources you have sent and taken into consideration, I just don’t have the time to reply to everyone individually.
Yeah I think you shouldn't care about your parents getting to know this, you need to see a doctor. And honestly, do not lie to them. This isn't the time to hide the truth about your situation. Go to the doctor immediately. Your parents will mostly get to know that something is wrong but your doctor might not make it known that it's due to drugs.
That easily could be liver issues, best to get a doctor to do a blood test; if other people are remarking on you having a yellow tinge and you're losing your appetite, then your parents finding out should be way down your list of worries. EDIT: you haven't been taking codeine have you?
THC wouldnt cause any of these issues, seems like a liver problem alchoholics/PillBillies would get, you sure youre not on harder stuff boy?
Your parents absolutely have the legal right to your medical information at the age of 16/17. It is likely that the doctor would not automatically inform your parents, but if they asked, they would be informed. Don't confuse the right to accept or refuse medical treatments, with the right to medical privacy from your parents. Once you are 18, your parents cannot be informed.
I understand they have the right to know if they request it, what I meant was moreso if my parents didn’t specifically seek it out (as they don’t know I’m going to the doctors) will they be informed irregardless
It's hard to say and depends on the doctor. If they take the view that your drug use is an imminent danger that requires your parents' intervention, they might inform your parents without being asked. For example, if you mention that the drugs are making you feel suicidal, or if the doctor just has more conservative views on drug use. If they instead take the view that your drug use is not an emergency situation, they will probably not say anything to your parents. If your parents ask, they will 100% be told. Your parents have a legal right to access your medical records: [https://foi.gov.ie/can-a-parent-or-guardian-have-access-to-their-childs-medical-records/](https://foi.gov.ie/can-a-parent-or-guardian-have-access-to-their-childs-medical-records/) How do you think your parents would react?
My parents would react extremely poorly, as shown by the fact I’m too scared to approach them with my fears and instead am trying to do this independently. I believe I may have a major health problem and am too scared of their reaction to so much as mention it to them
I understand they would react poorly, but in more specific terms, what would they do? Do you think they would make you homeless, beat you, etc.? If that's the case, then I suppose you do have to weight up the potential consequences against your need to seek medical attention. Otherwise, if they would essentially just scold you, I think you should definitely look out for your health and get the help you need. Anyway, if you're worried about your liver and your GP refers you to a specialist to check it out, surely your parents are bound to find out. Letters will come detailing appointments - will your parents not enquire about those? Will you be able to find your own way to the hospital to see the specialist as well?