Lipedema and surgery for other conditions

[Rhiannonimity1]

I have lipedema and I’m told I am 4 stone too heavy for an operation on my heart I desperately need. My weight is largely on my limbs, but I am overweight too. I’m 17 stone. My lipedema clinic haven’t put a figure on how many stones my lipedema adds up to but it is considerable. I don’t know what to do. My cardiologist suggested it’s just an excuse for not losing weight. Has anybody been in this position and what did you do please?

[sooze23]

Get a copy of the RAD diet sheets and this will help you lose weight - you can get this by searching on the internet. Also get elasticated tights and or leggings which will also help reduced the legs - get you doctor to refer you to an appropriate surgeon if possible but until I got my surgery on my legs and rear these were what I had to do - good luck

[herbiethehedgehog in reply to sooze23]

Hi did you actually find your legs reduced with the leggings? I have been wearing the compression leggings and tight for 2 yrs now and the only effect they have is that my legs feel marginally lighter when wearing them. I was told they would not reduce the lipoedema and they have not. I guess if you also have lymphodema it may have am effect.

Can i ask did you get funding for your surgery? I have tried and failed once already.

[sooze23 in reply to herbiethehedgehog]

there was some reduction but I also was fairly strict with the diet (not so much now though). I had surgery at Ninewells Dundee by Mr Munnoch but it was funded by my health board (Highland) after he requested it. I had 3 operations in 14 months - right leg (Oct 2018) left leg (February 2019 and rear December 2019)