Becoming Aware That You’re Not Just Fat, Part 3: The Symptoms and Conditions Caused by Lipedema
Many women don’t even know they have this condition.
Since Lipedema is purely based on clinical diagnosis. There is no imaging, bloodwork, or other medical diagnostics (yet) that diagnose this disease. A physician will diagnose the signs and symptoms of this illness. The cause of Lipedema is unknown but seems to be connected to hormones and genetics.
Lipedema presents during the three major hormonal times in a woman’s life: Puberty, Pregnancy, and Menopause. Typically, the onset is at puberty, and an acceleration or exacerbation happens later. Because the public and medical community are not aware of this disease, we are told these physical changes are normal.
However, we have something else going on in our bodies besides the cascading hormones. We’re experiencing an under-recognized disease causing havoc on our bodies.
Because Lipedema is frequently undiagnosed or improperly treated, we can go around in circles trying to alleviate our bodily symptoms without success. I’ll call these symptoms repercussions from the bodily stress of Lipedema, which contributes to other physical and mental problems.
- Fatigue: This is one of the most common symptoms. Walking up a flight of stairs causes leg cramps and leaves you winded. The fat tissue and edema feel like carrying around 40 lbs on each leg. It’s difficult to be active when your body is overly fatigued.
- Chronic pain: The diseased adipose tissue is not like normal soft fat cells. Instead, they become hard nodules and can be painful to the touch. Sitting is uncomfortable. The swelling makes the skin tight and tender to the touch. Standing and walking are also painful.
- Falling down: I honestly don’t know if this is a listed symptom in medical research. However, I’ve personally found that because of pain and fatigue, the weight on the lower joints, and the weakened core due to the inability to exercise can make a person a fall risk. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve fallen. Falling also increases your risk of injury.
- Heartburn and other digestive issues: The growing lipedema in the torso and abdomen puts more pressure on the stomach. As a result, stomach acids work back into the esophagus and cause heartburn. This can also be from wearing compression hose. I’ve also found that EDS (Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome-hypermobility) causes digestive issues of heartburn and constipation.
- Eating disorders: Before diagnosis, women may try to lose weight through all sorts of strict diets and exercise regimens. Our culture has been conditioned to believe if you are overweight, it’s because you overeat and don’t exercise. The blame is placed completely on the obese person. Constant dieting will wreck your relationship with food. Women who constantly diet without success can develop eating disorders.
- Depression and anxiety: Lipedema shapes a woman’s body that’s undesirable in our culture’s mind. Body image and fat shaming are prevalent in our society.
- Isolation: Whether a woman isolates herself because of pain and fatigue or because she is ashamed, isolated from social activities, picture-taking, or feeling stigmatized, the level and quality of social relationships and support decreases.
If you find you are having many of these issues, especially the first two, it is another indicator, along with other signs and symptoms from the past two articles, that points toward a Lipedema diagnosis.
Lipedema is starting to come to the forefront. In the past two years since I realized I had this, there’s been an explosion of information about Lipedema and treatment. When we in this community share our personal experiences, we open the door for other women.
Do you have Lipedema, or think you might? You’ve come to the right place!
Read more from posts like this in my Lipedema newsletter: Lipedemaandme.substack.com. I talk about managing this chronic condition and getting approved for lipedema surgery.
Go to my website: www.getyourlipedemaapproved.com, and make an appointment with me to discuss where you are in your Lipedema journey and what help you need (diagnosis, conservative care, lipo surgery) for treatment.
