Lipoedema is a very painful fat distribution, in which the cells of the subcutaneous fatty tissue change pathologically and enlarge symmetrically, which means they grow equally on both sides of the body. Typically, Lipedema  begins at the legs, after that the arms are affected. While healthy fat cells normally react to diet and exercise (which means that the fat cells increase in size if you eat too much and they  decrease when you eat less)  Lipoedema fat cells unfortunately don`t react to  to a diet or exercise.

And even worse: Due to the pathological change in the cells, there is a steady increase in them, as if they were almost out of control. This makes the disease an incredible physical as well as emotional burden, as it is inexorably progressing, and therefore urgently requires therapeutic measures. The constant progression of the disease also favors secondary diseases such as joint damage or lymphedema, so it is important to recognize the disease as early as possible.

This makes the disease an unbelievable physical burden, as it is almost unobtrusively progressive, and urgently requires action. Due to the constant progress of the disease, the joint damage or the so-called lymphedema are favored, so it is possible to make the disease as early as possible and recognize. But unfortunately this is not so easy in everyday life …

Why is it so difficult recognize the lipoedema in the initial stage?

In the first stages it may seem like normal female curves first. Often there is already pain, but the lipoedema is not even visible yet. Most girl/ women already know that something is wrong and their body does change in a way they didn`t know before. Any signals such as pain or touch sensitivity might be ignored at this stage….Often the environment doesn`t take it seriously neither, that’s why it’s not easy to be understood and seek help.  

Enlightenment is the alpha and omega in lipoedema!

Not only do affected women learn what they have, which is already a huge relief itself knowing that it is NOT their fault –  even the environment is able to raise understanding for those affected by being sensitized! 

Without education / sensitization many sufferers get into a psychic vicious circle:

After some time has passed and the symptoms have continued to worsen, self-doubt, accusations from outside and inside, as well as doubts about their own perception and lifestyle begins. It is not uncommon for many women to exercise excessively in this phase or to try to go hungry or eventually give up on theirselves. However, in lipoedema, success won`t show, but often enough it ends with the sad result of developing a massive eating disorder.The body feeling, the trust in the own body got lost over time, one does not know what is right and what is wrong anymore.

Also, depression is not an untypical development in the life of a lipedema patient, which in turn can have a massive impact on other areas of life.Relationships are terminated, friendships diverged, contact to family members are cut down because of lack of understanding, the job – no longer practicable! These are not isolated cases, these are life stories I am receiving every day from concerned, desperate women all over the planet!

IT MUST NOT COME TO THIS! 

All these can be be the results of a unrecognized and, at worst, untreated chronic lipoedema disease All this in addition to the physical suffering! Therefore, it is particularly important to recognize Lipoedema as early as possible, to take it seriously and to treat it as early as possible!

What could be the first lipoedema warning signs? Ask yourself the following questions: 

• While your girlfriends enjoy extended shopping trips without a break, do you often have to sit down and pause because your legs hurt or are swollen in a strange way?
• Long dance nights are rather painful for you than pleasant?
• You are particularly cold on the arms and legs and even hours after you are in the warmth again, your limbs don’t`t get warm?
• Subliminally, do you always feel a pain that you can not correctly classify?
• You keep telling yourself this pain you feel is normal, and everyone has it?
• You can`t sit long with your legs bent?
• A chair edge causes you pain when you sit on it?
• At night you can`t sleep because you have a weird pressure on your legs?
• You get bruises very fast and often do not even know where from?Do you feel like you have sore muscles all the time?
• If you style or blow your hair dry, you can`t  you hold your arms up for a long time?
• Are there already affected women in your family?

Other symptoms of lipedema summarized:

• Heavy and tired legs
• Cramps in the night
• Pain similar to body aches / growing pains• The affected areas are very sensitive to touch• Increased formation of hematomas (blue spots)
• Knoted like tissue forms under the skin
• Joint pain
• Increased broom-tears, due to the rapid growth of the tissue
• The legs lose their natural shape and begin to look like a column

You suspect your girlfriend, sister, mother, etc. could be affected, but you do not know what to do?

• Just refer to it, for many women it is a relief!
• Watch the following video together on my YouTube channel Myra Snföflinga: https://youtu.be/4kVQ6xR9Zy0
• Tell her she is not alone, tell her that every 10th women is affected
• Tell her she is not guilty
• Tell her that you are standing by her side fighting together
• And if you like, tell her that in Germany we are already a big community that will stand by her – and that there are many women who have already successfully gone the way of surgery. Everything can be fine again!
• Offer her to accompany her to a phlebologist, who can make the diagnosis

Greetings,

Stephie aka Myra Snöflinga

You want to know more about me and my lipoedema journey?

Then visit me here:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtbja9zTH8DmYyMJACUtdyg

Instagram: https: //www.instagram.com/myra_snoflinga

Der Beitrag Lipoedema in young girls! Take warning signals seriously & act early! An appeal to those affected , relatives & partner! erschien zuerst auf Myra Snöflinga.

…Standard phrases that every  lipedema patient just knows to well. But it is actually pretty easy to distinguish a lipedema from obesity – or have you ever heard that normal healthy fat causes so incredible pain? – no? – Great, then we both agree that lipedema is a disease and not an excuse! In the following I would like to explain the it to you more detailed:

What is Lipedema?

Lipedema is a very painful fat distribution, in which the cells of the subcutaneous fatty tissue change pathologically and enlarge symmetrically, which means they grow equally on both sides of the body. Typically, Lipedema  begins at the legs, after that the arms are affected. While healthy fat cells normally react to diet and exercise (which means that the fat cells increase in size if you eat too much and they  decrease when you eat less)  Lipedema fat cells unfortunately don`t react to  to a diet or exercise.And even worse: Due to the pathological change in the cells, there is a steady increase in them, as if they were almost out of control.

This makes the disease an incredible physical as well as emotional burden, as it is inexorably progressing, and therefore urgently requires therapeutic measures.

The constant progression of the disease also favors secondary diseases such as joint damage or lymphedema, so it is important to recognize the disease as early as possible.

When does Lipedema usually beginn?

Lipedema often breaks out in times of hormonal changes. For example, during or after puberty, during menopause or due to pregnancy. It can also develop from a so-called lipohypertrophy. Who is affected?Unlike lymphedema, only women are affected by lipedema, and even every 10^th. There are a few exceptional cases involving men as well. It is believed that they might have a too high estrogen value.

Symptoms of lipedema 

• Fat increase on legs and arms
• Disproportionbetween the upper body and the lower half of the body
• Tension with touch and tenderness
• Increased formation of hematomas
• dull, oppressive and severe pain in the affected parts of the body (similar to body aches / growing pains)
• Lipedeme ends at the ankles or wrists, the hands and feet are slim
• (if additional lymphedema is present, also the toes and fingers swell)
• With lipedema, Stemmer’s sign is negative
• Joint problems, due to increased tissue

Stages of lipedema

The severity of the disease is classified by the following staging:

• Stage I: skin surface smooth, subcutaneous thickened, fatty structure like little knots

• Stage II: Skin surface uneven, fatty structure like bigger knots

• Stage III: tissue additionally coarse and harder, large lobe deforming fatty lobes.

Diagnosis:

The diagnosis of Lipedema takes place by the so-called phlebologist. He diagnoses the patients by assessing the affected areas, by interviewing the patient also as via ultrasound.

A detailed information and explanation video on the disease lipedema, as well as the documentation of my surgeries can also be found on my YouTube channel Myra Snöflinga: https://youtu.be/4kVQ6xR9Zy0I hope my experiences might help you on your way, I’m looking forward to your feedback, suggestion or criticism!

More posts as well as before and after fotos of me on my blog or also on Instagram: @myra_snofinga

(https://www.instagram.com/myra_snoflinga )

Der Beitrag What is Lipedema & how do I recognize it? erschien zuerst auf Myra Snöflinga.