12/06/2025
Lipedema awareness month. Lipedema is a debilitating condition. Living with lipedema presents significant physical and psychological challenges. A lack of awareness among medical professionals leads to many undiagnosed cases. The pain is excruciating and severely impacts mobility. Treatment options through the NHS are either unavailable or prohibitively expensive.
This condition has historically been misconstrued as cosmetic or related to obesity. I have personally lived with this condition since puberty, experiencing significant shame and embarrassment due to the characteristic changes in my legs. I now stand proud, despite the near-total loss of mobility.
I'd like to emphasize that even standing or walking a few steps is extremely difficult and painful; I can manage approximately six steps before needing to rest.
Acceptance is the main key to never giving up. Acceptance of lose of mobility and chronic pain.
Raising awareness of this condition will facilitate accurate diagnoses for numerous individuals and enable healthcare professionals to readily identify it. Many patients are misdiagnosed due to a lack of understanding regarding lipedema.
Stigma will not stop me. Living life to the best I can. Stand proud in my swimwear
