#lipoedema

[3liza]

the ignorance and denialism about lipoedema/lipidema (distinct from lymphodema, but can be comorbid) in the medical field is pretty typical of the antifatness and misogyny generally (men can get it too but it's unusual) but it really makes my blood boil anyway. Im positive my mom has it, she has every single symptom, and I'm a stereotypical stage I case (skinny people can have it it's just not as noticeable). no doctor has ever mentioned it to either of us and when I saw the dysautonomia specialist recently (not about lipoedema specifically but for a general exam) he looked me right in the face and told me a bunch of completely false information about it, including that it "does not include pain as a symptom" (it is literally a pain syndrome). information he should know better about since he has lipidema patients. I faxed him a 25 page paper after I got home, from actual lipidema researchers, which started with the sentence "lipidema is a pain syndrome" in the opening paragraph. didn't hear back of course but at least I was annoying and that's the important thing

[cleoselene]

https://lipedemaliposuctioncenter.com/insurance/

!!!! LADIES/AFAB FOLKS !!!!

So my mom recently went to her doctor to see about getting compression socks for her lipedema. She has a really mild case, stage 1, not in pain. The doctor she saw not only knew what lipedema was, but he did the water-assisted liposuction locally, and even more: INSURANCE COMPANIES ARE BEGINNING TO APPROVE LIPOSUCTION TREATMENTS FOR PATIENTS WITH LIPEDEMA.

Not endoring this particular surgeon but the information about the about-face from insurance companies is there. Was just the first useful link I found.

I am going to make an appointment with my mom's doc. I don't know if I am willing to do surgery and if I do it I might do it only on my arms which bother me more than my legs honestly (compression garments work for the legs, NOT the armis)

SO IF YOU HAVE LIPEDEMA AND YOU HAVE BEEN FRUSTRATED THE TREATMENT IS NOT COVERED BY INSURANCE, IT SEEMS THE TIMES, THEY ARE A-CHANGING!

11% of women/AFAB people have lipedema. it is genetic. It has nothing to do with diet or exercise. LOOK INTO IT!! Especially if you're a bigger person who has noticed you don't carry your extra weight the same way most people do: my stomach is the smallest part of me relatively, but my arms/legs/butt are too big and my arms and legs suffer severe pain and easy bruising.

[poopraven]

This post is going to be about surgery, but I'll be light on detail.

So last week I had major surgery. It was planned, and should be life-changing once I'm recovered from it. It's a follow up from the first surgery back in May, and there may be two more after this.

At the moment, I ache. That's to be expected. I am, after all, covered in bruising, and painkillers can only do so much. I'm in compression to minimise the swelling, but compressing bruising is obviously not comfortable.

It'll pass. It did last time, and it will again.

What I'm finding hard this time around are the psychological effects.

I spent the run-up to this surgery crying. About anything. On the night before the hospital admission I was considering cancelling the whole thing, which would lose me a lot of money. It made no sense: I want these surgeries; I need these surgeries. What the hell, brain?

I decided to allow the process to take over. Just turn up at the hospital, get admitted, and sit back to let the machinery kick in. Blood tests, covid tests, consultations with surgeons, anaesthetists, and nurses, just let it all happen, and have it fill up all my bandwidth so that I don't have time to cry about random things.

It worked. I'm here, now, the other side, aching but so glad that I didn't cancel. And as I left the hospital yesterday, one of the nurses hugged me, and I burst into tears.

I think this is something obvious, and yet it hadn't occurred to me. Of course life-changing surgery is going to have a massive psychological impact! Of course if I don't deal with that it's going to mug me when I least expect it!

If I wrote a character who was going through all of this, of course I'd explore the psychological impact!

So why hadn't I realised that I would have some kind of emotional response to it?

(The answer, of course, is probably the ADHD. Or the autism. Or that I'm a numpty).

I chatted for ages with another patient who is also going through the emotional wringer for the same surgery, and I honestly sat there and reassured her that of course it's overwhelming, we're literally fighting to get our bodies back from the disease which has taken over our whole lives, and I still managed to not apply my words to myself.

I'm great at fictional emotions, not so great at my own.

So this is me realising that I'll need to chat to a therapist about this before I proceed to the third surgery. And you may be thinking "Well, of course!" but it's necessary to point out that I do have the emotional intelligence of a slug.

Be kind to yourselves, whatever you're going through. Even if you did it to yourself. Even if it's something you have wanted your whole life. It's okay to feel weird about finally achieving your dreams, because the thing with dreams is they seem so unattainable for so long that I think we put them in the "nice to have, but can't ever become reality" box. Dragging them out and having them become our new reality?

It's a lot.

I'm okay, I'm doing great physically, but I clearly have to work through a few things before I start chasing the dream again.

Take care!

[arcusplasticsurgeryclinic]

Understanding Elephantiasis and Seeking Relief and Recovery at Arcus Hospital!

Elephantiasis, which causes substantial bodily expansion, especially in the limbs and genital area, can be physically and emotionally difficult. Arcus Hospital can help you recover from this disease. Elephantiasis results from lymphatic system blockage, which causes lymphatic fluid accumulation. For immune protection, the lymphatic system drains lymph, a transparent fluid, from numerous body locations into the bloodstream. Obstructing this system can cause lymphedema, which can lead to elephantiasis. Our medical specialists comprehend and treat this difficult illness. Our tailored care improves your quality of life and restores confidence and comfort.

📞: : +91-9032802805 📩: : arcusplasticsurgeryclinic@gmail.com 🌐: : https://www.arcusplasticsurgery.com/

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[dog-of-catarina]

lil art trade with the lovely @sadapplex , go check them out!

[comprelinfologia]

El calzador #Sigvaris #ROLLY es una ayuda técnica revolucionaria para poner y quitar una gran variedad de prendas de compresión tales como: #calcetines y #medias de compresión (puntera abierta y cerrada) y #mangas de compresión (con mitón y sin mitón).

[blackpink]

my surgery is tomorrow 😭🥺😰🫣

[oculusxcaro]

Hey everyone! Just a head's up to say that my activity will be a little less starting from today until past next week since my working hours have been increased! I'll be on in the morning and very late nights to try a few responses but we'll see how that goes!

Everything should go back to normal from the 4th but this is how things are looking rn lol.

[botero300-blog]

beauty pure

#lipoedema

[wri0thesley]

I am so sorry if this is invasive and weird, but may I ask what you work as? I'm at the stage where I have to build my future and I know you don't have an age specified but you seem to be doing really well (at least from the posts we've seen, again I really hope not to be invasive) for yourself and your partner and 25+ is still young! Again, I hope this isn't mean or weird, I'm just curious. (and severely nervous. First year of college is ruining me harder than any fictional man.)

ahh anon i'm afraid that the answer is probably not what you're looking for!

for the record, i am 27, i just find getting fandom older a little scary, especially having it listed right there!!!

i actually intended to be a performer and a singing teacher (my degree was going to be in music & musical theatre); unfortunately, due to a plethora of reasons (mostly my undiagnosed autism, unmedicated ocd/depression/anxiety combo, a nervous breakdown and my partner's physical health declining) i dropped out of my degree before the end of my first semester.

for about three years or so after that i was severely agoraphobic. talking 'can't answer the door' agoraphobic; 'never left the house alone, and even when with someone only went to the doctors and therapy' agoraphobic, 'rotted in my bedroom in an absolutely non romanticised way' agoraphobic. i was on the equivalent of disability because i literally could not function. meanwhile, my partner, who lived with me and my parents was getting physically worse whilst i was mentally struggling (since then haz has been diagnosed with ehlers danlos syndrome, fibromyalgia, lipoedema, thyroid issues and a lot of other things; they have a lot going on). i DID access several therapies, had . . . a couple of very bad relapses, went under crisis teams and all of that stuff (i had occupational therapy too which was HONESTLY i think one of the most useful things and helpful things for me in the long run; i cannot imagine what i would be like if i hadn't had the occupational therapist the crisis team found for me).

(coincidentally, if you are an og jojo follower you probably remember how bad it was; i've said it a hundred times, but running this silly little reader-insert blog probably helped save my life at a time when i had almost no contact with the outside world. i couldn't leave my bedroom, but i had my blog and i had my little internet friends and discord server).

i have gotten a lot better.

haz, unfortunately, has not gotten better physically and probably never will. they need help with a lot of things most people don't even realise disabled people might need help with. brushing their hair, fastening clothes . . . when haz first moved in, they were doing the same dance-intensive college course that i was. we danced maybe three or four hours a day. nowadays, haz needs me to hold their hand and keep them steady when they go from our bed to the bathroom (the room next door).

so i don't really 'work' as anything. well, my therapist would tell me off for saying that; the uk government classes me as an 'unpaid carer', which basically means i am on call for haz literally 24/7 and they pay me the pittance that is carer's allowance (carer's allowance assumes you care at least 35 hours a week, and pays you the privilege of about 45 pence per each of those hours. if, like me, you live with the person you care for and do more than those hours, it gets . . . yeah. oof. the government unfortuately know that most unpaid carers are loved ones and family members of the person who needs care and won't just stop doing it, and they'd be in the shit if we did because trained carers are expensive, so they can get away with that - FUCK the tories, honestly.

i am EXCEEDINGLY lucky that i live in a cheap area of the uk, that haz and i are internet savvy enough to be able to access carers/disability discounts, that we are in rent-controlled social housing (which my crisis team helped find for us because living with my parents was taking such a toll on us both, woo!!!!), and that we've been able to access services to help on the nhs. i got my autism assessment and diagnosis; haz is under several pain management teams.

all in all, i'm happy. i'm so much happier than i was seven years ago when i'd dropped out of university and felt like a huge failure, because all of my life i was a gifted overachiever and i thought my self-worth was tied to my academic achievements (and as an extension, what roles i got in what shows and when and who saw me and so on). i don't have a lot of money (i am a bargain shopped fgbnkjgjnfb) but i know what i like and because i'm Older Now (tm) i've amassed collections of it.

i am absolutely sure that you'll boss college, anon! that you will find that thing that works for you (one day i would LOVE to go back and get my degree! pre-covid i had an acceptance for a creative writing degree and i was getting ready to go back to uni as a mature student, but haz's health got bad again and then covid happens - and now ofc i have my autism diagnosis i can access so much more help!). but even if you don't, you can absolutely find happiness without 'traditional' success.

i don't have a lot in the grand scheme of things. but you're right in that i am doing pretty well, in terms of where i am, and where i've been. i have my own little home. i have my partner of ten years who is my soulmate in every conceivable way. i've had experiences that make me feel so happy i sometimes cry when i remember them. i have my own little cat now!!! things still stress me out. but i have come so so far and when i feel down i remember that.

good luck anon! i believe in you <3

[bethiniancorpuscle]

Oedema - pitting vs non-pitting

Oedema is swelling due to excess fluids in tissues.

In pitting oedema, pressing on the affected area leaves an indentation (that persists after removing the pressure). In non-pitting oedema, the area feels firm to touch and does not form indentations.

Pitting oedema:

The excess fluid is mainly composed of water

Commonly caused by heart failure, venous insufficiency, or nephrotic syndrome

Non-pitting oedema:

The excess fluid consists of water WITH protein and salts

Usually indicates a condition of the thyroid / lymphatic system

Different types:

Lymphoedema is due to a build-up of lymphatic fluid (e.g. due to a tumour blocking lymphatic flow / after removal of lymph nodes).

Myxoedema occurs in hypothyroidism and often affected the pretibial or periorbital area.

Angioedema is localised swelling of the skin and is usually due to allergic reactions. It typically affects the face, tongue, larynx, abdomen, arms, and legs. When the larynx is affected, it may affect breathing, which is an emergency!

Lipoedema is when fat accumulates in subcutaneous tissues - it usually affects the legs/buttocks and almost exclusively occurs in postpubertal females (not the same as cellulite!)

If patients present with oedema, it's always important to test if it's pitting or non-pitting as this helps to determine the cause and correct treatment!

[3liza]

the thing about the venus of villendorf as a self-portrait-visual-distortion thing is like. It's a cool idea i guess. (though i feel like its kind of relying on assuming that the artist wouldn't have some understanding of how perspective works. Like you don't need to be able to scientifically explain the refraction of light to understand that things look different from different angles) My big issue with it is that it often seems like people are using it as a reason to say "Oh it's okay, she wasn't really fat" because we're a bit wedded to this idea of this heightened primitive era when everyone was super sexy and toned, with the unspoken inference that fat people (whether with lipoedema or just generally fat) are purely a product of the current (fallen) age.

Point is - it's okay if she was fat! Maybe she was fat and that's okay! Maybe that was something the artist wanted to celebrate, because it had a cultural significance, or was considered desirable, or maybe that waa just a person that existed and the artist portrayed them as they were. I think if we keep bringing up the visual distortion thing, it's fair to ask why we're so eager to disprove the possibility that fat people existed in the past, or that anyone might want to preserve the image of a fat person.

yeah! nothing else to add, you nailed it.

[arcusplasticsurgeryclinic]

Knowing Lymphedema: The Mysterious Swelling in Your Body

When your lymphatic system is compromised, it can result in fluid accumulation and potential swelling throughout your body. While the swelling often targets the arms and legs, it has the capacity to impact other regions as well. Moreover, lymphedema amplifies the vulnerability to infections in the affected areas, adding another layer of concern to this condition.

Connect with us to know more! 📞: : +91-9032802805 📩: : arcusplasticsurgeryclinic@gmail.com 🌐: : https://www.arcusplasticsurgery.com/

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[masquenoire]

OOC/Healthcare stuff under the cut ~

Thank you so much to everybody who left lovely comments before! My appointment with the hospital went much better than expected; the doctor I saw was very lovely and confirmed suspicions as to what I had (Lymphadema) as well as other issues (Lipoedema) and unfortunately while there are no cures for either condition, with the help I’ll be getting in future (on top of self-care treatment for now), my condition will become a lot more managable and I may be a candidate for surgery in the future to relieve the worst of chronic pain/fatigue/swelling! Thank you all again for being so supportive and patient with my slow ass!

@johnnlocked​, @fiddlingonthetympanic​, @wolfmoonsdream​, @thewomanwholaughs​, @oswald-pengu1n-cobblepot​, @elisethetraveller, @shinebrightsweetdove, @awolxsiblings​​​

[blackpink]

i am bored out of my mind i cant wait to be fully recovered i feel like i have seen every series and movie on this planet and all i do is lay on my couch and rest 😭