I don't know what's wrong with my friend

Hey, I was wondering if anyone could help on this, my friend is most definately ill in some way but I'm not sure which. This is her long story:

She started lying when she was 18 just before she started uni, telling me she had had an eating disorder, an alcohol and a painkiller addiction when she was a young teenager - all this I know to be untrue as I know her family very well!

It then progressed from there - she had been involved in a bump in the car and claimed whiplash, but carried it on claiming the physio wasnt helping her any (whilst still attending martial arts classes) and that she may need surgery to fix the problem. She saw an osteopath once, he said nothing was wrong with her and shes not complained of it since! I must add that she used the pain as an excuse not to do her uni work as she claimed sitting at a computer hurt her neck.

Then it progressed, she complained of stomach pains and said the bump in the car had made the seatbelt damage her ovaries. The doc denied this and her symptoms changed to those of a UTI (urinary tract infection), the doc put her on antibiotics and did tests but nothing found, doc suggested ovarian cysts and her symptoms changed to those of ovarian cysts, tests were preformed and nothing was found. By this point shes spending most days in bed and isnt doing any uni work cos of the pain. Doc suggests endometriosis and her symptoms change AGAIN, a surgical diagnostic procedure is performed and nothing is found. Shes diagnosed with IBS (she claimed early on that IBS meds didnt work and there was nothing wrong with her bowel movements) and miraculously now the meds work.

We went on a trip to a haunted mansion and in every room she drew attention to herself claiming something had touched her, pushed her etc.

She accused someone of touching her inappropriately when they didnt.

She drags her entire family into arguments with 1 member, always playing the innocent victim.

Her latest 'illness' once again coincides with having to resume uni work after a yr out to 'recover from her operation'. She started out complaining of ear ache, doc saw an inflammation in her ear and gave her anitbiotics. After infection cleared the pain continued and now shes heading to see yet another consultant about possible jaw problems. Her symptoms have changed accordingly. And shes too ill to do her uni work.

There is more, but they are the big ones - I'm really worried about her because shes talking of wanting suregery on her jaw and thats a really risky place cos of al the facial nerves... I don't know what to do!!!

Hi, epo...
Wow, I was completely unfamiliar with "Factitious Disorder" (although I'd heard about Munchausen), so I had to look it up at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Factitious_disorder

Anyway, like with a lot of psychological disorders it can be *really* difficult to get someone to even admit they might have a problem -- let alone agree to seek treatment for it.

I'm wondering how the rest of the family responds to her strangeness ... or are they sucked in a and faked out by it? ...and what sort of strangenesses do others in family have (since I doubt this FD would just pop up with strange family patterns).

I'd be guessing that the whole family has a bunch of stuff going on... because otherwise they'd have been seeking to get her help. Do you know anything about that home situation?

Sorry I can be more helpful right off the bat...
—LQ

Hey thanks for ur reply.
Her mum is hard of hearing so has troublekeeping up with lot of what goes on I think so she is sucked in. The older sister doesnt live local and so doesnt see what goes on that much, but she still views her as a baby who needs to be looked after by the older members of the family (I must stress that the girl in question is 21!!). Her brother doesnt believe at all and is worried but doesnt know what to do - hes worried if he questions it the family will hate him for daring to doubt the baby of the family. The dad I think has is suspicions but doesnt want to act on them in case he is wrong and she is actually sick.... which I suppose if I was a parent that would be my dilemma too. I think her being molly coddled and treated as a baby all her life definately has helped to cause her behaviour - maybe part of the stuff is she needs the attention because shes growing up now and doesnt get as much attention or sympathy as she did when she was a kid....
I dunno, but my and her brother agree that this needs to be stopped somehow before she goes thru more surgery and ends up damagin the nerves in her face!!!!