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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to think my mother in law is a hypochondriac?

14 replies

Mapley · 27/10/2010 18:55

I've known my MIL about two years now and I'm becoming increasingly suspicious that she is not infact constantly ill but a hypochondriac. I thought I might start this thread and add to it every time she is poorly.

To start it off in the past month she has had flu, a urine infection (which the doctor wouldn't give her anything for, just told her to drink cranberry juice), and now she has a bad back "so bad that she can't wipe her arse herself" but not so bad that she can't sprint past me into the nursery , bend down and scoop up my baby and carry him off. Apparently the doctor has told her that she has damaged "not a disc, but the thing attached to the disc" .

Earlier in the year, as far as I remember amongst other viruses and infections things she has had sciatica,, rheumatism and suspected ME.

It's driving me a bit crazy, as my DH just panders to her and everyone just gives her sympathy. I guess hypochrondriacs deserve love too, mental illnesses are just as bad as physical illnesses. But why doesn't anyone else notice?

OP posts:

babyicebean · 27/10/2010 19:10

My gran was the same as if anyone ever dared to visit her ill she would develop the same or very similar symptoms about a week later.

We used to give her random symptoms to see how far she would go.In the year before she died she had - leprosy,ebola,pregnancy,rabies,influenza,computor virus's,balck death,swine fever,bird flu and numerous colds and other flus.

LynetteScavo · 27/10/2010 19:14

Blimey, no wonder she died!

borderslass · 27/10/2010 19:15

my dad was the same he wasn't what you call a well man but he bloody well played on everything if he had a cold he was dying. when I had my hysterectomy at 30 he fell out with me because I didn't phone him to find out how he was, he supposedly had pneumonia but DD1 then aged 10 saw him in town and he ignored her when she tried to speak to him.

diddl · 27/10/2010 19:21

I suppose every one else is used to it & ignores?

Sad really-is she lonely & doing it for attention?

ENormaSnob · 27/10/2010 19:24

I really can't stand people that do this.

Yanbu

onceamai · 27/10/2010 19:27

No - Just got back from my mum's. She's got a bad neck and DSF needs a knee replacement. They have had something wrong with them for the last 40 odd years. The true hypochondriac never has sympathy for anyone else in spite of showing huge interest in everyone else's symptoms.

ZombiePlan · 27/10/2010 19:33

LOL at babyicebean's gran having a computer virus!

babyicebean · 29/10/2010 22:51

Gran was fab - she was always the ill one in the family - it started with her having cateracts when she was a little girl and she was always 'frail' so the older women in the family tended to pander to her every whim and she got used to it.We just used to see how far she would go to outdo anyone who was ill, describe the symptoms roughly and wait to see how long it would be before she came down with whatever was suggested.

Notyetamummy · 29/10/2010 23:12

The thing is,

often people who have Hypochondriasis truly are concerned that each of their symptoms are that of a serious disease. Even if they are not suffering with the disease it is still distressing for them.

I always take the view that pain is what a person says it is, and symptoms are what a person says they are.

Notyetamummy · 29/10/2010 23:14

I also would not be surprised if an older lady suffered from viruses, UTIs, rheumatism, sciatica, suspected ME and more in one year.

Notyetamummy · 29/10/2010 23:19

Also, one of the most common causes of lower back pain is damage to the facet joints. So "not a disc, but the thing attached to the disc".

It is common to damage them if you twist quickly.

Notyetamummy · 29/10/2010 23:20

However,(sorry I keep thinking of something extra to add) it can be very trying for people around hypochondriacs so I do sympathise with you OP.

moondog · 29/10/2010 23:23

Sounds like my cousin and her entire family.
It's their only topic of conversation, their litany of imaginary ailments (which entail vast amounts of tax paters' money being spent on them)
They are appalling peopel.

maighdlin · 30/10/2010 00:03

my mother is a complete hypochondriac. no one ever haves bigger problems than her and no one is ever as sick as her(and has as much to do as her, even though retired with no dcs at home [hhmm]. If a cold goes round the family my mother gets the flu. if you tell her your not well and what is wrong, she has it worse. its just so hard to stop yourself from telling her to wise the fuck up, but we just accept it. the worst ever, when we actually considered calling in professionals, was when she took "the worst headache anyone could ever have" whilst we were visiting my sister after surgery....brain surgery to remove a tumour. this is the way her mind works. She also gets "sick" when she has a fight with my dad.

Im used to her own hypochondria but she no does it with my DD (and her PFBGC). she doesn't have just a bit of sleep in her eye she has an eye infection. she doesn't have the cold she has whooping cough.

I hate the way she gets on. has she never heard of the boy who cried wolf?

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