Munchausen by Internet: Faking Illness Online

[ziggidypoo]

If a person has had numerous REAL and DOCUMENTED with scans, EEGs, EKGs, Xrays, BloodTests, etc. afflictions AND temporal lobe epilepsy - over many yrs and normal aging - and psychiatrists claim nothing - and neurologist claims REAL illness - it would seem that a long history of ailments, particularly associated with severe obesity could be confused w/ faking. complex partial/PC with a long post-ictal can often be associated w/faking until the neurologist shows up with the proof. Extreme obesity causes heart / lung / muscular-skeletal / digestive / etc. diseases / disorders / and even death. Would such be considered mauchausen's (spelling???)

[RobinN]

Psychogenic seizures are not faking... totally different animal
Seizure like disturbances can also be attributed to many different ailments.

Munchausen is faking your illness for need of attention. A sickness of another sort.

[Cinnabar]

I've just learned (from one source) that Psuedo seizures (could Psychogenic seizure be akin to or another name for Psuedo seizure?) has nothing to do with Munchausen's by Proxy Syndrome or when one decides to fake it. I know of a young member, here, who is quite confused and frustrated, speaking with his doctor about his "psuedo seizures".

[misseschris]

Munchausons is still an illness-not the same or similar to Epilepsy in any other aspect than it being an illness. That being said this may still be a place of support for someone who has munchausons. There is one thing about dealing with something that not everyone has experience with or even knows exsists. I've read some questionable threads but after catching the back end of this one I now understand what we're dealing with. My approach may be a bit different but these people obviously need attention-if I can relate in any way to their particular story rather imaginary or not i'll certainly still chime in with my experience or opinion.

[Cinnabar]

Yes. Munchausons by Proxy Syndrome "is" as legitimate as any form of Epilepsy. The miswording/implication that it is not was unfortunate and has been set straight. Some people have been on the other side of this Syndrome, feeling that they've been victimized. Trusting someone who has this hidden Syndrome, even making grand sacrifices for them, can lead to personal devastatation upon the "realization", especially, for the caretaker. From "their point of view" they see that they've been taken for a ride down hill. These people can have a difficult time being objective and often for sometime afterwards. It's very difficult for them to see the whole picture. There are both sides to this story as with any story. Sometimes, it takes time to stand back and let the healing begin.

[droolmonster]

I'm amused, probably because I'm tired. I think it's sad if someone did that, whoever has this disorder must adore pity. I need coffee or my brain doesn't work.

[stilldancing_98]

Yes, but who are we like any other illness are able to diagnose and treat it. We are not Dr.s . We can give our opinions but don't over rate yourselves. These people need good counseling and a lot of love. Is that what you would want?

[Loopy Lou]

I can understand that some people are so insecure that they feel like they need more attention (everyone needs attention at times i guess)

But why put yourself through the time, effort and sometimes the money and pain of faking illnesses?

I hate doctor's, hospitals, all of that stuff, and why someone would do this to themselves and other people really baffles me.

At the same time i'd feel sorry for someone with Munchhausen's, but i'd also feel annoyed if i was taken in by one.

[stilldancing_98]

I don't think they really know that they are doing it until a Dr. sais so. There is much more behind the disease then just faking an illness.I think if we feel that we know somebody has the disease,help them get to a dr. What if it were your mother or son who had it and you didn't know. Wouldn't you appreciate it?

[Chatter-box]

Epilepsy can sure be a handful to deal with in real life! Why in the world would you want to fake it? But all of us may be old someday (as is my bed-ridden mother) and will have enough illness and disability to keep us busy, then. So, these people can try to fake illness and disability now, but give chance...they will get the real thing, someday!

[kmcc]

I think we should accept this as how its described.....a disorder.

I pity them.

Did I ever tell you how I lost 3 limbs in an air crash?

[Junebug]

Blogging is another form of Munchausens via internet and lately there have been quite a lot of mothers with sick children who are actually making $ off of their sick children by using a blog.
It's all very sad and things just don't add up to what they are posting/tweeting/digging, one day their child is dying and the next day there is a huge improvement w/o the doing anything other than what has been done in the past. The next month everything is just fine and then all of a sudden there is a huge change and the child is dying again and/or in the hospital. It's all very very sad.

[kmcc]

To be honest I'm not sure if this thread is beneficial to anyone.

New people all the time are joining forums like this and perhaps the first thing they read is people faking illnesses etc.

Who's to say anyone is believed that they are a genuine case?

I think most here should be able to distinguish between a genuine case and a "tall story"

Instead of giving the impression that this is widespread......we should just think what a sad case and let's get on with trying to help each other.

[Cinnabar]

Yes, it's a sickness. If I were a therapist and had such a patient I'd not be treating them for very long. I find it difficult to summon up compassion for those who put others lives at risk for attention. They are manipulative, pathalogical liars. It comes to mind now. Is there any medication these people can take? Now, as I think of it, I wonder who would they give this medication to? Obviously, I have very strong feelings about the matter, having met and had an experience with such a kind of person.

[kmcc]

Through a few well covered stories in the media ............this condition is not common and is rare on line.

It just causes doubt for new people coming to a forum like this for the first time.

[joey]

i have the opposite of this affliction, i fake like there is nothing wrong with me so people will leave me alone.

[Birdbomb]

Through a few well covered stories in the media ............this condition is not common and is rare on line.

It just causes doubt for new people coming to a forum like this for the first time.

Did you read the article in the first post?

What do you base your statement on? As a support site owner myself and Moderator of several support forums for years, it is actually more common that you imply. There are specific tell-tales sign even from hard core Munchausen suffers. One of our jobs as mods is to keep an eye on developing situations. If it walks like a duck, looks like a duck quacks like a duck, chances are it's a duck.

[Kansas Educator]

It is definitely a sickness. I knew a woman who had numerous children. She went from Dr. to Dr. complaining about one thing after another until she finally got a diagnosis of some sort for most of them. One of the Dr's she took them to was a neurologist my daughter used to work for before she went to medical school. She asked the Dr. one day why he continued to treat her since, in her opinion, she had Munchausen's by Proxy. The Dr. said that of course she has Munchausen's by Proxy but that it was better to go ahead and continue to see them so he could keep an eye on the situation rather than to refuse to see her.
It is a very sad situation and, while social services has intervened on several occasions, I doubt these children have much of a chance at a normal life. I am sure that if she has internet access she uses it for attention just like she does in her life.

[kmcc]

Im basing my reply on the fact this is an epilepsy forum.

People are joining for the first time....some teenagers, and they are reading here that "beware of frauds"

If their are people like that here then deep down so what?

[kmcc]

As a moderator? This gives you an expert eye?

So when you spot someone whom you believe is "Munchausen" what do you do?

.......not forgetting what if you have got it wrong?