To think my MIL might be a hypochondriac because.

[lechatnoir]

..since arriving at my house 2 days ago I've discovered she's suffering from:

1. Diverticulitus (given as the reason she can't eat tomatoes) Really??
2. Dangerously high Cholesterol (given as the reason she can't miss a Bencol drink with dinner)
3. A range of side effects from her breast cancer (14 years old) including poor circulation, weak joints, nails & hair and most serious is weakened immune system which has caused...
4. ...a serious upset when getting a thorn in her finger today. Lack of lymph glands & compromised immune system from number 3 illness have left her open to infection and she's talking about visiting an emergency doctor for preventative antibiotics. Seriously, after so long?
5. Allergy to: Wheat, Chilli, Boots own Garlic tablets (which I bought for £7 instead of her usual £15 branded ones) and bizarrely, TCP.

Think of me whilst my in laws stay for the next week and tell me honestly, is there any chance she is suffering from any of the above? I don't want to be unfair as I don't know much about cancer side effects etc but it all sounds a tad OTT and melodramatic

LCN

? :o

I think probably having been ill with breast cancer shes very cautious about her health,I dont know if she does have these illnesses but if she beleives she does you should accept it as confrontation wont help her.

If her immune system is compromised I'd tend to believe her.

Depends what she is like otherwise though. Is she fussy generally?

I doubt cancer 14 years ago would cause an allergy to own brand garlic tablets! She is attention seeking.

I do think anyone who has been through a life threatening illness such as cancer has a tendency to be paranoid or to genuinely believe they have certain symptoms,so I am going to say yabu on that point yes.But a week,god that's going to be tough on you,she is going to drive you crazy!

I'm not going to confront her about anything (although DH keeps making under the breath comments about her various ailments which isn't very helpful) as I find it more sad than anything else as bar the cancer I've always thought of her as the picture of good health & definitely not a fusser!! My FIL is quite a bit older and showing signs of ageing and I wonder if this is her reaction/way of coping/shifting attention? But then I do think she thinks she does genuinely suffer from all these awful things.

I think the side effects from cancer are possible (I've had breast cancer and am still suffering from some effects of chemo and other treatments 3 years on). I would also cut her some slack because having cancer can very much scare the hell out of you. Also the effects of cancer treatment can vary enormously from person to person.

Also if she had lymph nodes removed her arm on the surgery side will always be susceptible to infection (a and e type jobs) so she will always have to be careful and keep her hand and arm protected.

Chemo can also leave you with a very sensitive bowel and digestive system due to the nature of the treatment.

I answering on the assumption that she had chemo obv.

Not sure about the immune system in general though - I think its entirely possible that she is being a bit of a hypochondriac, but maybe understandable under the circumstances.

Yeah what a cow, being a bit of a hypochondriac after surviving cancer. How fucking dare she?

Oh feck off

"Lack of lymph glands & compromised immune system from number 3 illness have left her open to infection and she's talking about visiting an emergency doctor for preventative antibiotics. Seriously, after so long?"

Yes. The lymph glands don't grow back y'know!

All being well she SHOULD be able to survive the odd thorn but it's a situation she'd be wise not to invite.

I got bitten by a mozzie on my right arm last summer - the same arm under which there are no lymph glands. I scratched it, like you do, and two days later had to go to the GP for antibiotics as it had swelled to about twice it's normal size with infection.

Hair and nails - yes quite possibly if she had hormone reduction treatment such as Oophorectomy.

The rest, haven't a clue, but as a fellow breast cancer survivor I can tell you that she's not entirely having you on.

Vallalas given good advice with the immune system, I think the garlic tablets somewhat insane sounding ... surely she'd know what is in those ones thats an allergen if she takes other?

It's a week you'll be fine

And yes getting cancer can make you a bit cautious and paranoid, so better to say something on here then to her

Val can testify to this after she helped me calm down on a thread I started when my dm took it upon herself to make a ridiculously risky journey in bad snow for a dr's appointment she really did not need, leaving the dog stuck potentially without food or water if they got stuck . I ranted, dm realised she may have been a nobber 6 weeks later, and I remained gracious

Agree with the others RE breast cancer treatment side effects.

I'm assuming that she has diverticulitus, until a few years ago drs used to recommend that patients stayed clear of tomatoes, strawberries etc as they were worried that the smll seeds would irritate the colon. If she was told this, she won't change now, no matter how the guidelines have changed

If she does have a high cholesterol, lots of drs don't now treat with meeds but will start with things like benecol as they have shown to be very effective in treating it. I can understand your but to her it's the same as taking a statin pill.

Maybe chat to her and see if she's upset or worried about anything as you said that she's normally healthy and not a complainer. Anyway good luck

I'd agree with the cancer and chemotherapy too. Lots of people have long term and permanent side effects from chemotherapy and all you have mentioned sound plausible.

Presumably the first one is some sort of bowel/colon disorder if she has to avoid tomatoes and that sounds very real too.

OK I think it's fair to say IABU & thanks for the info too