Munchhausen disease

[hatredisnotavalue]

does anyone know of anyone with this? I am pretty sure my 80 yo mother has this. I would love to hear from anyone who has some first hand knowledge of this disease. Thanks so much in advance.

[Behind the Aegis]

1. munchausen syndrome

[mduffy31]

2. I currently have a patient who suffers from this

She gets to a certain point and then causes herself harm which puts her back a few months in her rehab.

[elleng]

3. Difficult

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munchausen_syndrome

Why you think she has?

[Hanse]

4. Syndrome, not disease.

A syndrome is a collection of symptoms or behaviors. I'm not sure if Munchausen is even considered a mental illness.

I used to know a girl who I was pretty sure had it, but I'm no psychiatrist. She'd on almost a daily basis make up stories about getting hurt- getting hit by a car, burning herself, falling down stairs. I never actually saw any injury.

[proud2BlibKansan]

5. I had a student years ago whose mom had the by proxy type

She had a psych profile a mile long and was literally on the run from Division of Family Services. Very scary lady.

I still worry about that kid.

Good luck with your mom.

[MichiganVote]

6. Usually a pattern of repeated reports of physical symptoms of severe illness.

More common in males and often cardiology problems are reported. In general, the "patients" goal is to be hospitalized for a secondary cyclical gain of attention, fear, relief, etc...Most commonly associated with personality disorders.

An 80 year old woman may in fact have a variety of healthcare issues as well as significant fears and anxiety about her health, security, etc. This circumstance would not represent Munchausen syndrome.

[varkam]

7. I think it's actually called Fictitious Disorder now eom

[kickysnana]

8. Be careful. Some chronic disease manifests oddly.

We just had a person who was atoning for not believing a long time friend was in chronic pain until they saw Xray proof that the person had had degenerative disease for years.

[Warpy]

11. Right, but those symptoms were consistent and reflected pain

so the person was dismissed as a garden variety drug seeker.

Munchhausen's patients don't want to be given pills and sent off to happy land for a few hours. They want to be told their problems are physical and serious enough that they don't have to face the emotional ones.

But yeah, it's often not an easy call. There are some real giveaways for experienced psychiatrists, though.

[hatredisnotavalue]

13. Well that is what scares me

As soon as my mom was put on oxycotin...she still did the same i am in pain routine...and did the same eye drop and mineral oil thing... she wasn't seeking high end drugs

[mduffy31]

19. Before pain is dismissed

It is very possible she is in pain but the oxy is not treating it. Oxycontin doesn't always relieve pain that people are having. If it is nerve pain oxycontin doesn't treat it well.

[Warpy]

9. It's pretty rare, I've only seen a few cases and

I've worked a lot of psych over the years.

Basically, it's one of the conversion disorders, when there is something overwhelmingly stressful in a person's life that s/he converts into a physical symptom. People suddenly lose the ability to move their legs, for example. The hallmark is that they don't seem to be particularly concerned they can't move their legs and are threatened by attempts to get them to. They just want other people to focus on the fact that they can't move their legs so they can too and won't have to focus on the real problem.

Munchhausen's people go so far as to take drugs to mimic certain conditions. I saw one who had a supply of a diuretic--probably from Mexico--and would show up at the ER with her electrolytes in the toilet. The diuretics were "vitamins" and there was no way you could tell her that taking them was threatening her life. She didn't even particularly want to be treated, she just seemed to need the confirmation that something was wrong with her. As long as it was physical, she didn't have to confront her underlying problem.

Other people either self mutilate to mimic surgical scars or might have actual surgical scars from exploratory surgeries over the years.

Such patients drive most doctors completely up the wall because they show up multiple times with multiple problems and such problems are always pretty easy to bust as non physical in origin. They are extremely resistant to any treatment at all, especially psychiatric treatment. They are very sick people and their illness might turn fatal, but a lot of medical doctors wash their hands of them.

It goes beyond simple hypochondria because it often involves self injury.

Quick overview: http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=5652

[hatredisnotavalue]

10. Probably I should give more info

I am 51 yo and my mother has never not been sick. She came to live with us six years ago and I was able to view her symptoms daily. She would overuse eye drops until her eyes became infected. She had knee surgery ten years ago and had to have the knee checked weekly because she was convinced her leg was coming apart. She would take mineral oil to the point where she would make herself bleed rectally and then was convinced she had rectal cancer. She just loved any surgery before her...and had her spleen taken out and was just gleeful during the whole process.

[Warpy]

12. A gleeful splenectomy is a cause for concern

because it's not going to make any sane person's day. Her pattern certainly seems suspicious and kudos to you for picking up on it.

Good luck on getting her to a psychiatrist. Such people are extremely resistant to treatment. The last thing they want to face is the real demon.

[foxfeet]

14. A couple of suggestions:

1. If your mom has a regular primary care provider, call and discuss your concerns with that person. He or she may not be able to tell YOU anything due to HIPAA privacy requirements, but you can tell HIM/HER pretty much anything you want.

2. The next time your mom goes into the hospital for some procedure or treatment (and there will be a next time if she truly has Munchhausen Syndrome) make sure you alert the hospital staff, especially the attending physician, about your concerns. They might be able to arrange a psychiatric consult while your mom is an inpatient on a medical unit.

Good luck!

[sakabatou]

15. Eminem's mom has it

according to the singer.

[LisaL]

16. The woman is 80, you say?

At this age, it would not be surprising if she had legitimate health issues, and many of them.

[pnwmom]

17. I bet this is even a rarer diagnosis at age 80 than it is in earlier decades.

By the time most people are 80, they have plenty of real chronic illnesses to focus on.

Also, I've read that doctors tend to under-treat the elderly for symptoms of depression. I hope you're talking to her doctor about this.

[LisaL]

18. Lots of people don't even make it to 80.