told me that stress causes physical symptoms of illness, the physical pain is real, even though it it caused by mental anxiety. Once the cause of the stress is eliminated mostly the physical symptoms go too. I think maybe thats why you feel better. These pigs are dispicable, they not only wreck your head they do over your whole being!
Stay strong hunx

In my opinion this is where a narcissist crosses the line into psychopath. I thought this kind of stuff was only in the movies and then I encountered my best friends ExNPsycho. He liked to use the hidden tape recorder that he kept in his pocket and clicked on after he had baited her into a sobbing, crying, blabbering mess....Thank the Lord she discovered what he was doing, got his creepy a## out of her house and kept the tapes. They are now evidence against him, but for a very long time he tried to convince her she was the one in need of help...It's still not over though as he somehow listens in to her at home. It comes back through his interactions with their children all the time that he knows what she says and does. At first it was kind of funny because we thought he was such a dickish Sherlock Holmes wannabe but now it has crossed into scary stuff. I saw Tony Curtis on a preview for Boston Strangler the other night and all I could think of was this guy. PS He gave her a copy of the book for Christmas one year. Be careful out there.

Definitely brainwashed, he kept telling me I was putting on weight, I never exercised, I had to look after myself because I would end up really fat...

When we started living together I was a size 4, I gained a bit of weight because of contraception and then fell into depression and actually became a size 8. So what? Female bodies change all the time, I didn't deserve so much crap for it!

He even started criticising me and made me cry while having dinner with another couple I had only seen once before! (she is now divorced from a N herself and one of my best friends, and she still freaks out when she remembers the way he abused me that night!)

Now I'm alone I'm starting to lose weight again!

My health, both physical and mental, deteriorated very badly under the N's influence. Narcs intentionally subject us to so much stress and abuse that it's almost impossible not to suffer from ill-health when we are with them.

My health is better now he is gone I was very sick during both pregancies(sp). Now he is gone it has got better med free for 2 months. LOL @ him calling me a psychopath and telling me I was crazy

Sounds like that's what you're talking about...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%BCnchausen_syndrome_by_proxy

Or are you talking about the impact of having the life sucked out of you, and being sick as a result of the highs and lows and hormone imbalance due to the adrenaline, all that brain chemical stuff...because I was Crohn's free for over 11 years and while all the D&D stuff was going on and the rollercoaster and the emotional exahstion I started losing weight...when he finally dumped me I was losing more and was starting to remind myself of the "sick days"...then I found out my disease is back. Trying to gain back the weight and taking my meds religiously...it will be interesting to see if my letting go of this for once and for all will result in getting better and my once-ample booty returning.

a supplement he added to my food caused me to become unbelievably manic off the wall. I have taken this supplement before when I had bought it. No problem. When he brought his own and put it in my food - I was so off the chain I was terrified. The next day I was horridly weepy and felt hungover.

Have tried the supplement again since - bought it alone - no reaction to it.

I'm so sorry Emmy, I wonder about this sometimes myself. Without proof, I'm left wondering. I'm trying to focus on what I do know happened, know for sure and there's enough of that all by itself! It wouldn't surprise me either though.

Mine wanted me sick, said he loved taking care of me but he was only building me back up so he could knock me down again.
He got me to feeling so crazed at one point, I told him I was going to check myself into the hospital that I must be losing my mind! His reply, "Okay, just as long as you're aware, I'll be selling the house while you're in there. I have to, do you know how much that shit costs?!! A@#hole!!

Brainwashed for sure. I was told I was too stressed, depressed,etc. to carry on in my work. He would take care of me. I was one inch from falling for it. Then where would I be? Mind-fuckers period. Sorry hun.