How Do You Know it's Time for Liposuction Surgery?
Here are some universal signs to know when you should consider surgical treatment for your Lipedema.
Most of us don’t willingly go into surgery. If you think about it, surgery is only done as a last resort for almost every type of medical problem. If you think about other medical conditions, heart disease, joint arthritis, or abdominal issues to name a few, there is almost always conservative treatment before surgery is considered. Lipedema is no exception to this.
Unfortunately, Lipedema isn’t well-known. When we finally figure out we have this disease, we may already be at the point of surgery (I was!) It’s like unmanaged heart disease; if you have symptoms and it’s caught early, the condition can be medically (conservatively) managed. If not, straight to surgery.
Also like other medical problems, Lipedema can be progressive. If properly managed, you can slow the progression. You may even slow it to a point where you don’t need surgery and can live with Lipedema as anyone would live with any other medical issue.
Although none of us want to willingly go through any invasive surgical treatment, there is likely a point where we need to consider liposuction surgery.
This is especially true for us because we haven’t been diagnosed in a timely manner or given proper treatment. We have instead been told to lose weight and exercise. We live with the consequences of this, and by the time we see that we DO need medical care, we are already at the point of needing surgery.
So, when do we know we should consider liposuction surgery?
No matter how scary surgery is (and it can be very scary for some of us), it should be considered a drastic intervention to save our lives. That’s right, surgery for Lipedema can be life-saving. Although there usually isn’t a single major event like a heart attack, Lipedema is a slow burn that can eventually take over our body and shorten our lives.
I don’t write this to scare you, even though it can be a frightening concept for some. But I do write this because all medical treatment for Lipedema, conservative care, and surgery should be taken very seriously, and liposuction surgery should be considered as part of your treatment plan.
So when should we consider surgery?
Here are the signs that you may need surgical intervention:
Unresolved pain: Regardless of which stage of Lipedema you’re in, pain is a huge indicator for contemplating surgery. The difficult part about this is we may not think we are in pain. I didn’t think I was until a doctor started pressing my thigh area where my Lipedema was. Wow, that hurt! Since Lipedema is a slow process, our bodies adjust and adapt to the growing symptoms of chronic pain.
Pain doesn’t have to feel like an “OW!” when touched. Pain can present in many different ways: heaviness, aching, shooting, burning, fullness, creepy crawlies, restlessness, cramping…the list goes on.
The best way to interpret pain is to focus on your body, and with any discomfort, name the sensation you’re feeling. You can also rate that sensation, whether it’s mild/moderate/severe, or using the standard 1-10 pain scale. If you recognize you have some significant discomfort, look into any different ways to decrease the pain and also consider if liposuction is a good option for you.
Swelling: Along with pain, we may not realize that we also have swelling (lipolymphedema), especially since our feet and hands don’t swell (an obvious sign). Each Lipedema woman presents differently with swelling, and this isn’t confined only to Stages 3 and 4. I had Stage 2 Lipedema with very severe swelling.
Lipolymphedema can happen if the lymphatic system is overloaded or damaged. Fluid builds up in these areas (typically arms and legs, but it can also be in the torso). Unmanaged lipolymphedema can lead to severe discomfort and life-threatening infections (such as cellulitis).
If you’re unsure you have swelling with your Lipedema, here are some ways to determine any edema problems:
Your arms or legs feel bigger at the end of the day compared to that morning.
Your weight fluctuates drastically from day to day (read about this in one of my previous posts).
You have a sensation of heaviness or aching of the limb. You may even experience “trickling” in your legs or arms.
Your skin feels spongy and is without definition.
You have restricted movement.
The best way to find out if you have swelling is to visit a lymphatic specialist, typically a CLT-LANA certified therapist. They can accurately assess and treat swelling or lipolymphedma. FYI, you will need a physician’s order for lymphatic therapy.
Fatigue: Carrying around the additional weight from Lipedema growth and swelling, along with the pain, can wear you out. It becomes more difficult to move around without feeling like we need a rest. Taking lots of rest breaks is necessary for a Lipedema body. As my Lipedema quickly progressed, even a small amount of activity exhausted me. Fatigue is NOT NORMAL. And remember, this is not us being lazy; it is our body not being able to tolerate activity because our disease has progressed to a point where we can’t tolerate activity. That leads to the next sign:
Your mobility and quality of life are compromised: When pain, swelling, and growth of the Lipedema nodules are out of control, you’ll eventually be unable to tolerate much activity. You can’t do the normal things you used to be able to do. With more advanced symptoms, you can become chair-bound or even bed-bound. Your world shrinks to the confines of your illness, and your quality of life decreases.
This is a drastic change, and hopefully, you’ll see signs before your Lipedema gets to this point. However, some of us (me included) DO get to this point before surgery because we didn’t know we had Lipedema or our insurance had denied surgery (I can help you with this last part).
Your conservative care is not relieving your symptoms: This sign is the most important. We should all be following a conservative care regimen to slow (or even stop) our Lipedema progression. However, sometimes Lipedema will continue to progress despite diligent medical/conservative/non-surgical care.
Many times, the progression can be brought on by hormone fluctuations, stressful life events, or even surgery. If you’ve had at least 3-12 months of conservative care and you haven’t been able to reduce your symptoms to a manageable level, it might be time to consider lipedema reduction (liposuction) surgery.
If you’re thinking you might be ready for surgery, you can start moving forward with finding a surgeon and getting your insurance coverage for surgery. This is a lengthy process, but it is worth the effort. If you want insurance to cover your surgery and need help with submitting your preauth, you can ask your plastic surgeon if he can assist with this, or you can work on the preauth with assistance from a professional experienced in this (which is me!) I got myself preauthorized because this is my field of expertise. Whichever way you go for insurance to pay, clarify with your surgeon that they will accept insurance and are agreeable to writing a contractual agreement with your insurance for payment.
Any questions? Let me know below!
I also have an appointment calendar if you’d like to schedule a time to talk with me or sign up to work with me on getting preauthorization approval for liposuction. Schedule time here!
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Take care,
Michelle