Lumpy Pea Legs- I'd been hunting for the answer since Feb. 10 FREAKING % of women have this and FEW will be diagnosed until Stage 3 when it's extreme and hampering their lives! MANY Dr's do not know. I saw MANY people (my journey below) and even after my diagnosis they DID NOT KNOW.
On Nov 4th I posted this CheeseGrater Analogy Tiktok
As I lay there in bed after filming that I wondered if I'd somehow blocked my lymph system. I'd never heard of lumpy swelling but thought that could happen if I had a connective tissue disorder. The next morning I booked a new patient MLD Session here in Halifax, which happened Mid-Nov. Manual Lymph Drainage and Lymph specialists. This is when my whole world made sense and my heart was broken & I became mad AF and determined to SHOUT NON STOP about ths. 54K people have seen the original diagnosis rant - me in my bathrobe - click image to watch
So what does it feel like? Here I share about the things that torture Lipedema people - can be as little as a dog or kid on your lap, punch buggy... omg.
And here's my Stage 2 body in another tiktok.
So how did I get here?? In February I was having numb and itchy sensations in my legs, along with dozen of other health issues. I was COVERED in bruises from non-events. Turns out I was in burnout with a gut in dysbiosis, parasites and many other things, that's for another story BUT how I handled much of that is covered in a blog post here. More to follow
When I scratched the weirdly itchy odd outer thigh just above my knee I felt fat swollen peas under my skin. Weird. It came and went, so I figured it was related to the parasites. I cleared that up, the legs didn't change, they got worse. Then I thought maybe it was cause I was losing weight and my extra fat was revealing it, so it's my 'normal body fat' My fat was just made of peas & I was covered in bruises.... hmmm
I don't have a Dr, so I use a virtual medicine system. In April I saw an NP at a local clinic but they were pretty subdued that day and she'd never felt anything like it. I saw her again in Summer when really swollen as well. Since I got no answers there I saw an ND, she had no idea. I got back on Virtual 3x for tests or other avenues. I GOOGLED NON STOP... A few things would come up but I'd look at the results and say 'nope, that's not me' EVEN WHEN looking at Lipedema CAUSE I DON'T LOOK LIKE THAT and even if I do a little bit, it's because I'm fat and eat too much. The images you see on google search are extreme most often, which is why I'm happy to show my 'not yet extreme' body so people have a better hope of seeing themselves!
I also booked in with to a Massage Therapist to see if they knew, and asked a Fascial Specialist friend to feel my legs. In Oct I traveled with friends to Mexico and felt so many of their legs and NONE of the legs with some fat felt like mine. WTF By late Oct I was having more swelling, itching and numbness by end of day - NOW of course, I know why! I'd been traveling and on the road for days and EATING LIKE CRAP & sending my lipedema into high gear!
So, the diagnosis sent me down the rabbit hole! A start on that rabbit hole is here and there's more to follow! I'm DOING SO MUCH BETTER - and you can too. There is no cure, but YOU CAN DO MANY THINGS to help yourself!
BTW - I've still not seen an MD. TWO Dr's on Virtual Medical had NO Idea what I was talking about when I told them my diagnosis. ME: Lipedema
Them: Oh, Lipoma?
ME: No, Lipedema - L i p e d e m a - 11% of women have it
Them: Oh, Lymphoma?
ME: NO
Them: Let me Google it...
If this sounds like YOU or someone you know, get an appt with an MLD Therapist if you can, they diagnose WAY more people than Dr's do!
Happy Growing, Cooking, Eating & Health! 💜 Dana K
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