topic Re: Do you have any self-diagnosed hypochondriacs? in Community Chat

Do you have any self-diagnosed hypochondriacs?

sam96 — Fri, 01 Apr 2016 00:51:07 GMT

In your family? I have my MIL, who believes she is a celiac despite what her doctor says, and despite the fact that she can put down half a dozen Krispy Kreme donuts with no ill effects (I mentioned this on another thread)!

This is a constant source of amusement and entertainment with our family, and makes any get togethers interesting since food is a big part of family life.

What are your stories? 😄

Re: Do you have any self-diagnosed hypochondriacs?

Lila Belle — Fri, 01 Apr 2016 01:13:02 GMT

No I do not and neither do I think it's funny.

Re: Do you have any self-diagnosed hypochondriacs?

Gooday — Fri, 01 Apr 2016 01:24:46 GMT

I absolutely know of one in particular. People have thoughts of various subjects, personal health being one. They can become fixated or zone in on their health and it is unhealthy.

The human brain is very complex and that is why we all have "issues" of one form or another. I am an imperfect being and a daily work in progress.

I am not the least bit offended in the OP.

Re: Do you have any self-diagnosed hypochondriacs?

Desertdi — Fri, 01 Apr 2016 01:27:57 GMT

My ma and her ladyfriend bought a medical encyclopedia together. Between the two of them, they had symptoms of everything............

Re: Do you have any self-diagnosed hypochondriacs?

sam96 — Fri, 01 Apr 2016 01:41:17 GMT

@Lila Belle wrote:
No I do not and neither do I think it's funny.

@Lila Belle My post was not meant to be offensive, and we all do not wish my MIL ill health. In fact, we do our best to convince her that she is healthy and strong, just as her doctor has repeatedly assured her she is!

It's strange to have her insist she has a serious ailment her doctor has repeatedly told her she does not have in the presence of family, and watch her regularly consume food that would hospitalize a person with that affliction, yet she has no ill effects at all. Instead of the constant arguing, we've elected to just celebrate her health instead!

If she wants to eat half a dozen donuts or other items (which would put her in the hospital if she were truly a celiac) and claim to be a celiac, then so be it! But, that can't mean we, the people who love her, can't Get a kick out of it during moments of stress.

Re: Do you have any self-diagnosed hypochondriacs?

Karnerblue — Fri, 01 Apr 2016 01:49:31 GMT

I don't have family members but I worked with someone who was. She was at the doctors more than she was at work. They would prescribe her medicine, she would have it filled, and then not take it. Anything you had wrong with you, she had something worse ... or the same thing. She spent her entire day whining and crying over aches and pains. She even had a disabled parking pass and half the time didn't park in the protected parking spots. Her daughter is exactly like she is. She's 30 years old and addicted to meds.

Re: Do you have any self-diagnosed hypochondriacs?

Mominohio — Fri, 01 Apr 2016 02:16:31 GMT

I think there are those who are hypochondriacs, and then there are those that really do not feel well, and the medical profession has no real interest in figuring out why.

Some people are scared about their health and conjure up things for whatever reason (attention, fear, etc.), and others truly do have issues, but I and my family personally have seen countless doctors (not just immediate family, but I'm talking over decades, and many in extended family) that really don't get to the root of someones pain, illness, symptoms, and don't seem to care to. Most have been 'vindicated' by eventually getting diagnosed, usually after much time and much looking for the right health care provider.

I think that some people's health claims need to be taken with a grain of salt, and others do truly have issues, just not a diagnosis to go with it.

Re: Do you have any self-diagnosed hypochondriacs?

Noel7 — Fri, 01 Apr 2016 02:42:44 GMT

@Karnerblue wrote:
I don't have family members but I worked with someone who was. She was at the doctors more than she was at work. They would prescribe her medicine, she would have it filled, and then not take it. Anything you had wrong with you, she had something worse ... or the same thing. She spent her entire day whining and crying over aches and pains. She even had a disabled parking pass and half the time didn't park in the protected parking spots. Her daughter is exactly like she is. She's 30 years old and addicted to meds.

****************************

@Karnerblue

It can be a form of anxiety disorder and there is some evidence it can be genetic, so it may not be a surprise her daughter is also like that.

Re: Do you have any self-diagnosed hypochondriacs?

sophiamarie — Fri, 01 Apr 2016 02:49:40 GMT

I believe we have a couple on these very forums......

Re: Do you have any self-diagnosed hypochondriacs?

Nancy Drew — Fri, 01 Apr 2016 02:50:49 GMT

My nephew's wife thinks her three kids have tons of medical issues. They don't and are healthy. I wish she would count her blessings.

Re: Do you have any self-diagnosed hypochondriacs?

Lila Belle — Fri, 01 Apr 2016 02:54:32 GMT

Why would anyone make fun or light of mental illness ?

Re: Do you have any self-diagnosed hypochondriacs?

sam96 — Fri, 01 Apr 2016 03:03:36 GMT

Mental illness is definitely something that should never be taken lightly. Those that suffer from mental illness fight a daily battle that normal people can never truly understand or appreciate.

My mother, when she was still with me, suffered from bipolar disorder. However, she was not diagnosed until she was an adult. It took a long time to find the right psychiatrist, and even longer to find the right cocktail of medication, to get her to a balanced mental state.

I shudder to imagine what her short life would have would have been like had I not been there to be her advocate!

What my MIL is doing is not the same. The next big fad will be her new "thing".

Re: Do you have any self-diagnosed hypochondriacs?

Lila Belle — Fri, 01 Apr 2016 03:06:12 GMT

Are you a psychiatrist?

Re: Do you have any self-diagnosed hypochondriacs?

sam96 — Fri, 01 Apr 2016 03:12:23 GMT

Clearly not.

Are you?

We have talked to hers, though, in her presence, about this very topic.

Why are you so determined to find fault with this issue?

Re: Do you have any self-diagnosed hypochondriacs?

Lila Belle — Fri, 01 Apr 2016 03:33:15 GMT

How many people diagnose themselves as hypochondriacs ? Yet you seem to think you are qualified to do so.
You clearly find this amusing and entertaining. I don't.

Re: Do you have any self-diagnosed hypochondriacs?

151949 — Fri, 01 Apr 2016 03:37:33 GMT

First OP - exactly what do you mean by "self diagnosed hypocondriac". A hypocondriac is a person who has a mental illness that makes them believe they have illnesses they do not have. self diagnosed means they figured out what is wrong all by themself - then you go on to describe your MIL who has not self diagnosed anytrhing.

In nursing school we are taught to believe what a patient tells us - if they say they are in pain then we treat that pain, if they say they feel short of breath we ttreat their breathing , if they say they are depressed we treat their depression. Because it is almost impossible to know when someone is faking or is a hypocondriac. For instance - i was going to my PCP for 3 years because I had terrible pain in my rt hip and down my rt leg. He never took an x ray or anything - would lift up my leg and tell me there was nothing wrong with it and I was a hypocondriac. I needed a referral from him to see a specialist but finally decided I would pay cash for the ortho doctor because I really had pain in that hip. When I went to the ortho doc he did an x ray of the hip and you could see my spine on the x ray. I had some serious spine issues that were causing my hip pain and required surgery. He asked me why i waited so long to see him and I told him about the PCP calling me a hypocondriac. He immediately called the PCP and told him what he had found and what an a$$ he was.

Re: Do you have any self-diagnosed hypochondriacs?

sam96 — Fri, 01 Apr 2016 04:04:43 GMT

@151949 By "self-diagnosed hypochondriac" I mean that as soon as some health-related thing stares becoming news, suddenly she will claim to have symptoms, even though she isn't sure what those symptoms are until she looks them up on the internet (her story changes all the time).

Her doctors run thousands of dollars in tests, confirmed by her nephew (our cousin, a dr) showing nothing wrong. No one ever observes her symptoms. She's always alone when they happen.

The celiac is just the latest. We had the blood test and even the biopsy. All clean. Even the psychiatrist says there's no reason for her behavior...she's got no signs of a major mental health disorder. They've all told her she's fine! In fact, she's in excellent health, and we all want her to celebrate her great gift.

So, when she "sneaks" wheat-based foods almost daily, which you can't do if you're truly a celiac, and keeps insisting she's ill...we say the Drs say you're not! It's just one big circle.

Re: Do you have any self-diagnosed hypochondriacs?

Shorty2U — Fri, 01 Apr 2016 04:12:55 GMT

No hypochondriacs in the family. But someone I used to work with went out with back issues and now she has dreamed she has cancer, lupus and a list of other diseases which all come back negative in testing and her back? Well suddenly that didn't bother her but now everything else does.

And I don't want to be mean, but frankly I think she is scamming the place she worked at because she has been on medical leave with full pay for 2 years!

When I had my spine surgery I got 120 days off, and I was fired when I couldn't go back to work anymore (Drs orders), and I have 11 MRIs (over the years) of various damage to my entire spine.

So I don't get how she is getting away with this and frankly I don't talk to her anymore because of it. I tried to be her friend and help her but she made excuse after excuse and kept dreaming up diseases that werent there.

Re: Do you have any self-diagnosed hypochondriacs?

Karnerblue — Fri, 01 Apr 2016 04:16:27 GMT

@sam96 I'm sorry you're experiencing negative feedback. I don't think you meant anything hurtful. Good luck!

Re: Do you have any self-diagnosed hypochondriacs?

hckynut — Fri, 01 Apr 2016 04:19:04 GMT

hckynut(john)