Throughout my career, I was always typically shaped like our lovely Poppy – even when I was trying to trim down to a size 8/10 in my early “straight size” modelling days, I could never seem to lessen the extra inches that used to reside on my lower half.
In July 2014 – I was officially diagnosed with Lipoedema by Professor Mortimer at St Georges Hospital in London. Finally! I had an answer as to why I had struggled so much with the shape of my legs and bottom over all these years.
Lipoedema is a fat disorder that progressively affects the lower half of your body – it is a long term condition which is caused by an abnormal build up of fat cells in your legs, thighs and bottom area – and it is very painful. It can also affect your arms and sometimes certain other parts of your body.
There is no cure for it and no one knows why you get it although, they are starting to think that it may be hereditary.
Lipoedema is known as the painful fat condition. No amount of diet or exercise will shift the lipoedema fat which has a completely different structure to the “normal” fat that we all carry on our bodies.
Lipoedema, sadly, is often misdiagnosed as obesity. I went to a number of Dr’s searching for help – I kept being told to go away, eat less and exercise more. Eating disorders are prevalent in Lipoedema sufferers, it is easy to see why.
More and more women are being diagnosed with Lipoedema and many more women don’t know that they have it – infact, it is believed that 11% of the female population have some form of lipoedema.
There are different stages that the condition goes through and all we can do as Lipoedema sufferers is try and manage it as best as we can – with compression garments, manual lymphatic drainage as a massage and also it is believed that non inflammatory foods can help reduce the swelling.
I will be doing many more posts on Lipoedema here on Love Curves as I am determined to try and help get the word around about this condition. In the meantime, if you want to find out more information, please go to www.lipoedema.co.uk I am also part of an amazing support network of ladies – www.talklipoedema.org Such beautiful, strong, amazing Ladies – we love them all here at Love Curves 🙂
Lots of Love
