Diagnosed with Lipedema? Read This.

Since puberty, I have had what is best described as “an hourglass figure with all the sand at the bottom.” At the age of 35, I weighed 110 lbs, wore a C cup bra, had an impossibly tiny waist, but never wore smaller than a size 8 pants because of my hips and thighs. As the years went on, the lower half increased in size, and menopause put an end to the tiny waist. In my mid-60s now, I bought size 14 pants, and if a 14 was too tight, I wouldn’t buy those pants! When I lost weight, the discrepancy between my upper half and lower half was more marked, so I didn’t try to keep the weight off, thinking that it looked better if I were more proportionate.
Through a fortuitous set of circumstances, last year I learned about lipedema for the first time, and I realized immediately that I almost certainly had it. I researched lipedema experts in my home state, and found that there are none. Since I have family in St Louis, I decided to visit Dr Thomas Wright at the Laser Lipo & Vein Center. Dr Wright immediately confirmed that I do have lipedema. He recommended medications to strengthen the veins in my legs, manual lymphatic drainage, compression garments, a compression pump, and liposuction, not for the cosmetic benefits (which are considerable), but for the medical benefits. Although lipedema may be dismissed by many physicians as just obesity, the excess fat of lipedema can impede lymphatic drainage, leading to lymphedema. Lymphedema can lead to cellulitis and an infection of the lymph vessels themselves called lymphangitis.
After several months of preparation, I had my first liposuction procedure on my outer thighs and hips. I won’t lie…it wasn’t a walk in the park. While I never had true pain, I had my share of discomfort, and for a couple of days I felt like someone had taken a baseball bat to my legs. I managed the pain with occasional acetaminophen, though, and within a week the bruising was fading. My second liposuction, on my inner thighs and knees, was two months later, and the recovery was a repeat of the first surgery.
The difference in my legs is striking, both in appearance and functionality. While they are not pretty, I never expected a bikini body, and I’m happy to look a lot better in clothes. And my legs feel lighter and oddly, my balance is better.
Throughout the months of treatment, Dr Wright and his staff were a joy to work with. From the first visit, when Dr Wright referred to my fat as “lusciousness” (which made me laugh!), to my final postop visit, the effort was made to ensure that I understood everything about lipedema and the treatment I would receive. My questions were answered promptly, and everyone was compassionate and professional. I wholeheartedly recommend Dr Wright to anyone who suspects that she might have lipedema.