Shelly

“You are not a failure. Your body has not failed you.”

What do your friends call you?

Shelly.

When did you first suspect you had Lipoedema?

I didn’t. I was fortunate enough to have a phenomenal female GP who when I complained about the fat in my legs hurting, took one look and KNEW it was Lipoedema and sent me to see Dr Lekich.

What words of support or hope can you share with women living with Lipoedema?

My diagnosis answered so many questions I had about my body for my whole life. You are not a failure. Your body has not failed you. You are just a Lipoedema warrior and as a woman, you’ve got this! 

What’s your best Lipoedema tip?

Compression and an anti-inflammatory diet are key.

What’s your favourite self-care tip?

Love yourself enough to invest some time and effort into YOU. Eat the right foods for Lipoedema and wear the darn support/compression garments. They are game changers.

What do you wish you knew at the beginning of your Lipoedema journey?

That there is no ‘easy’ way out. You will need to put the work in for the results.

What’s something that people often don’t know about Lipoedema?

It hurts. Like, physically hurts to touch. It’s not Medicare funded or recognised. It cannot be dieted or exercised away (and lord knows, I’ve tried!).