Twenty-seven year old beauty therapist Sarah was first told she may have Lipoedema by a massage therapist in December 2019, she had never heard of the condition before. She researched Lipoedema herself and felt a sense of relief that there was finally an answer to the questions in her head. However, she also felt sadness, believing she may have to live with the condition for the rest of her life, she didn’t feel ready yet at that point to change her lifestyle.
In June of 2020 a relative suggested Sarah look into surgery as a treatment option. Through her own research Sarah came across Dr Lekich at Lipoedema Surgical Solution and booked a Zoom consultation with him. She believes that is when her life changed for the better. “I finally had answers, I had a goal moving forward” Sarah says.
Following Dr Lekich’s conservative management protocol, Sarah utilised compression garments, Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD) therapy, and a change to her diet. Nutritionist Kimmi Katte also assisted with Sarah’s diet and lifestyle shift. She began to notice a difference in her pain level as well as her weight. Although her legs remained large, her stomach, face and chest were becoming visibly different. Sarah began to feel much better physically, but also mentally.
In January 2021 Sarah was ready for her pre-surgery review with Dr Lekich. However, this appointment determined that she actually had a hole in her heart. She felt shocked and overwhelmed with this news. Dr Lekich and his staff spoke with Sarah to help alleviate her concerns, and sent off her referral. Sarah then met with a cardiologist one week later, and had surgery to close the hole four weeks after that. Once that was done, and eager to get on with her surgical treatment for Lipoedema, Sarah booked all four of her recommended surgeries.
One week prior to her first surgery, Sarah had a friend come and stay with her for a few days. During this stay Sarah gave her friend a body treatment and full body massage. After doing this, Sarah realised just how much pain her body used to endure on a daily basis from working full time. She was reminded how much her body ached, tingled and pulsed as well as kept her awake at night. After it taking three days for Sarah to recover from a treatment she used to perform on a daily basis, she was more determined than ever to continue her treatment for Lipoedema.
Sarah’s first surgery was in May 2021. Following the German protocol of using a Lymph-Sparing technique, the surgery resulted in 9.1 litres of diseased fat being removed from the anterior of her thighs. Sarah feels excited to undergo the remaining three recommended surgeries, and eagerly looks forward to a life with increased mobility, and pain-free.