Q. My husband, aged 56, mutters constantly that he is not well. He has a variety of symptoms and I suspect hypochondria, yet he will not put his mind (or mine) at rest by making an appointment with a doctor. How can I make this happen?
— A.O.T., London SW11
A. The way to make men go to the doctor is with a white lie, told for their own good. Tell them the surgery has rung, asking them to make an appointment for a check-up. This jolts them into action. By the time they have arrived in the consulting room, they are less concerned with whether their wife has tricked them into being there, and more interested in remembering what their symptoms are. Wives can help with a well-timed reminder by text. With any luck he will return with prostate, thyroid, diabetes, blood pressure and liver function all having been tested.
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