My pear-shaped body was caused by a hormonal disorder

Lipoedema affects up to 11 percent of the female population during puberty, pregnancy, and menopause. Many women still suffer without ever knowing about the condition.

by Marti Stelling

Tracey Woodcock began hiding her legs when the weight piled on during puberty.

“I never went on girls’ holidays or engaged in activities that would draw any attention to my odd shape," she says.

Tracey has worked as a nurse since the age of 18 and struggled to find scrubs that fit. During menopause, she saw the biggest increase in the size of her legs as they became so large she could no longer comfortably wear trousers.

Image credit: Tracey Woodcock

Image credit: Tracey Woodcock

"I became less sociable and low in confidence as clothes would not fit me. My legs were so uncomfortable that I found walking at the end of the day painful because my hips hurt and felt heavy all the time.

"Throughout my life I had dieted and often used laxatives to get rid of some of the fluid. At this time, it was getting out of hand but nothing changed. I am really active, and I walk around 15,000 steps a day despite the pain."

Tracey visited a private cosmetic surgeon who told her she had stage three lipoedema in her arms, legs, bottom, and lower stomach. At 59, Tracey recently had lipoedema-specific liposuction on her legs.

"I took retirement last year from NHS and to afford some treatment from my pension. I am now on day eight of my recovery and although I will need more surgery in the future, finances are a problem.

"I have worked for the NHS for 39 years and I have never had any other health issues, treatment or medication. I needed help and had to pay from my own pocket.

“I'm hopeful this surgery will help keep me mobile and reduce my pain, but I am bitter about the lack of treatment on the NHS."


“My legs were so uncomfortable that I found walking at the end of the day painful."

Surgical treatment for lipoedema

Surgical treatment for lipoedema is not available on the NHS as it is viewed as a cosmetic procedure under NICE guidelines.

The Karri Clinic, run by Vasu Karri, is one of a small number of clinics in the UK which performs lipoedema-specific liposuction. Mr Karri is a lipoedema specialist who has performed over 800 lipoedema surgeries since he became a Consultant Plastic Surgeon in 2012.

Image credit: Karri Clinic

Image credit: Karri Clinic

He says: “I was intrigued by this disease, and I could see these women had been completely marginalised by the medical community. I then went on a journey to learn as much as I could about lipoedema and find treatments for sufferers. 

"After I started lipoedema surgery, I quickly saw how transformative the surgery was and how it completely changed patients' lives. I get immense pride when I see how happy the patients are after surgery.”

Mr Karri invites all his lipoedema patients to participate in a quality-of-life study, which will be submitted for publication this year.

The data shows lipoedema surgery greatly improves quality of life of sufferers and significantly reduces lipoedema symptoms. 

Credit: Vasu Karri. Before and after case study of a 71-year-old woman with stage three lipoedema after undergoing a single-session water-assisted liposuction. Photos taken at six weeks.

Credit: Vasu Karri. Before and after case study of a 71-year-old woman with stage three lipoedema after undergoing a single-session water-assisted liposuction. Photos taken at six weeks.

Why am I gaining weight when I eat healthy?

Jenny (not her real name) had a gastric band fitted in 2010 after going back and forth to the GP for weight-related issues. She piled on the pounds despite eating small, healthy meals, as well as exercising.

She says: “My Journey has been a long one. I have had big legs from childhood and people tried to bully me through school. I gave as good as I got but it still hurt to have such ugly looking legs.

"I have been back and forward to the doctors over the years because I never understood why I continued to gain weight when I eat like a bird. I went away with my friend on holiday and we ate more or less the same and did the same amount of exercise. In one week, I gained seven pounds and she lost two!

"I have been on every diet known to man, took every pill, drank every shake that would make me slim, but the odds were never in my favour. Over the years I have requested referrals to various specialists as I always knew there was something not quite right, but I was always just told I was basically obese and lazy, and they wouldn't listen when I challenged this. The lipoedema has got worse at certain points in my life including when taking the pill, pregnancy and puberty."

Jenny is now 51 and was finally diagnosed with stage two lipoedema after becoming perimenopausal.

 "I have no real pain, just heaviness and discomfort which is good as women really suffer who are much younger than me. I am scared though and want to do all I can to preserve my mobility.

"I am riddled with it. I have it from the waist down and in my arms. I just wished I knew sooner as I would have saved a lot of heartache, sadness, and money.

"I also have a lot of debt as I buy lots of expensive clothes and accessories to make me feel better. I never felt good enough and I am always self-conscious of the body I have tried so hard to look after."

"I was always just told I was basically obese and lazy and they wouldn't listen when I challenged this."

For Deborah Wall, menopause caused her legs to become heavier, which made her work as a personal trainer more difficult. She had to stop taking hormone replacement therapy whilst undergoing treatment for breast cancer, which caused her lipoedema symptoms to worsen.

What support is available for people with lipoedema?

There are many peer support groups, organisations, and charities for people with lipoedema.

Talk Lipoedema is a UK charity which hosts regular talks and coffee mornings for women with lipoedema. Isobel MacEwan, chair of the charity, has lived experience of the condition and wants to make sure other women don't suffer like she did.

"I always say, if you educate yourself, you can educate others. Families talk about diabetes and heart conditions at the kitchen table, and we should talk about lipoedema like this.

"If I could go back in time, I would love for the boys who called me thunder thighs to know about lipoedema and comfort the 16-year-old girl who couldn't fit skinny jeans over her legs. There is a generational change happening around women's health, the next generation won't tolerate being spoken to like that. Women want to be heard."

For more information, visit Lipoedema UK, Talk Lipoedema, and the NHS website.

TopBuilt with Shorthand