Dear Lipcan,
I have been diagnosed with lipedema. I have always known something was different about my skin and body. When I work out and eat healthy and lose weight, my arms, legs and bum are never the same size as my stomach is. I have had a lot of therapy to try to accept my body for the way it is seeing as there was no way to change the way my skin looked. I am still suffering from being ashamed of my body and now that I have been told there is a diagnosis for what has been going on with my body, and that there are possible treatments, I feel a new sense of hope. I have a referral from my doctor as well as a dermatologist. I am attending university and the only thing my insurance can cover is the compression socks. Is there any help I can get for either the lymphatic drainage massages or the liposuction? I feel so defeated that I will never be able to afford the procedures that I need. I hope we can find some light at the end of the tunnel.
I hope and pray we can figure out a solution. Thank you so much.
In-the-dark
Is there any help I can get for either the lymphatic drainage massages or the liposuction? I feel so defeated that I will never be able to afford the procedures that I need. I hope we can find some light at the end of the tunnel.
Dear In-the-dark,
Thanks for reaching out. It is unfortunate that so many of us feel exactly as you do for such a large part of our lives. Self-acceptance is enormously difficult, and obtaining a diagnosis indeed does help reconcile these feelings for many. It is wonderful that you recognize it, have been diagnosed, and can now begin to manage this condition. On our website, we discuss conservative measures such as diet and compression that can help. Many insurance plans do not cover support for lipedema, but I am glad to hear that yours covers compression, at least.
No, at the moment, if it isn’t covered by your private insurance, generally people must cover surgery, massage, and other measures themselves and claim it as a health expense with their taxes to try to get a portion back. We have a link on our website with a guide for this. That’s unfortunately where it stands and why we are trying to advocate as an organization for change. There is still much work to do within this country to obtain the recognition and support we need as a community and Lipedema Canada is doing this work to raise awareness and advocate. We count on the help of the community as we go forward.
If you haven’t yet joined our Facebook public page and our Facebook group, consider doing so. The many voices there can weigh in on questions you may have and will help you feel less isolated on this journey.
Just know, you are not alone.
Sincerely,
Lipcan
