Carol’s Story: Choosing Joy in an Advanced Lipoedema Journey

Lipoedema Research, Keto & Metabolic Health with Siobhan Huggins

Vanessa and Carrie are honoured to be joined by Siobhan Huggins, Research Specialist for The Lipedema Project and an independent researcher with a special interest in metabolic health, inflammation, cholesterol metabolism, therapeutic carbohydrate reduction and lipoedema. Siobhan is a ROCK STAR in our community! Working so hard to help drive the research. This is a two-part POD a must listen... This is Part 1 of our conversation, and it is the more science-focused half. Siobhan shares her personal story of discovering ketogenic nutrition in 2016, noticing changes in her physical and mental health, and later being diagnosed with lipoedema after others recognised patterns in her body shape and weight loss. We explore why lipoedema is so much more than “just fat”, and why the condition may involve many overlapping systems, including inflammation, hormones, insulin resistance, lymphatic changes, connective tissue, fascia, pain, swelling and tissue-level changes. Siobhan also explains why the research is moving quickly, why patient voices matter, and how better science can help women feel less dismissed, less blamed and more supported. In this episode we discuss: Siobhan’s personal health story and path to lipoedema diagnosis; why keto led her into metabolic health research; why lipoedema can become more visible after weight loss; the role of inflammation, hormones and insulin resistance; lymphatic and connective tissue involvement; why pain in lipoedema is real and measurable; why patient-led questions are helping move research forward; and why more knowledge can create hope rather than overwhelm. This conversation is educational only and is not individual medical advice. Please speak with your qualified health professional before making changes to your nutrition, treatment or medical care. Part 2 will drop in 2 weeks. Resources ( please review resources in all episodes to help build out your toolbox) https://lipedemaproject.org/ https://lipedema-simplified.org/portfolio/the-lipedema-project/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/siobhan-huggins-91b6099a/ #Lipoedema #Lipedema #LipoedemaResearch #LipedemaResearch #LipoedemaAwareness #LipedemaAwareness #MetabolicHealth #TherapeuticCarbohydrateReduction #KetoForLipoedema #LipoedemaEmpowerYou

Carol’s Story: Choosing Joy in an Advanced Lipoedema Journey

A gentle note before listening: Carol Nelson's story is powerful, vulnerable and very individual. Her experience is not a typical early-stage lipoedema story, and not everyone with lipoedema progresses in the same way. Carol’s symptoms were advanced from a young age, which is rare, and her journey includes more than lipoedema alone. If you are newly diagnosed or feeling overwhelmed, please listen with self-compassion. This episode is not shared to frighten you, but to remind you that every body and every pathway is unique. In this deeply personal episode of the Lipoedema Empower You Podcast, Vanessa and Carrie are joined by Carol, who describes herself as a unique “unicorn” in the lipoedema community. Carol shares her lifelong relationship with her body, her mind and her diagnosis, along with her experience of conservative management, compression, water therapy, surgery, GLP-1 microdosing, mindset and choosing joy. In this conversation, we discuss: * Carol’s body story from childhood * Why comparison is not helpful in lipoedema * Conservative management, pool work and movement * Reducing pain and preserving strength * Carol’s reduction from approximately 121 cm around the thigh to 81 cm before surgery or medications * Compression, including daytime and night/resting garments * Surgery and GLP-1 microdosing * Choosing “goddess” over “warrior” * Sleep, hypnosis, fidgeting and free tools we can use to support ourselves * The reminder to “put the right petrol in your vehicle” * Choosing joy and living as your happiest self Carol’s story is intimate, honest and full of practical wisdom. She reminds us that even when the journey is complex, there can still be humour, hope, light, agency and joy. Resources mentioned Lipoedema Australia: ⁠https://www.lipoedema.org.au/⁠ [https://www.lipoedema.org.au/]Lipoedema Australia Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/LipoedemaAustralia/⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/LipoedemaAustralia/] Lipoedema Australia Support Group: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/lipedemaAust.support/⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/groups/lipedemaAust.support/]Lipoedema Warriors Stage 1: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/696844074140591/⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/groups/696844074140591/] ⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/groups/1030287640441378] Lipoedema Warriors Luscious Ladies - Stage 3 & 4 ⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/2033288886986044/?ref=share&rdid=XII5DdVdZfh2vcBp&share_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fshare%2Fg%2F1BKFJuWiRv%2F⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/groups/2033288886986044/?ref=share&rdid=XII5DdVdZfh2vcBp&share_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fshare%2Fg%2F1BKFJuWiRv%2F] ⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/groups/412278199239033/] ⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/groups/412278199239033/]The Lipedema Project: ⁠https://lipedemaproject.org/⁠ [https://lipedemaproject.org/]Dercum’s Disease – NORD: ⁠https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/dercums-disease/⁠ [https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/dercums-disease/]Dercum’s Disease – DermNet: ⁠https://dermnetnz.org/topics/dercum-disease⁠ [https://dermnetnz.org/topics/dercum-disease] Dr Chris Lekich / Lipoedema Surgical Solution: ⁠https://lipoedemasurgicalsolution.com/⁠ [https://lipoedemasurgicalsolution.com/] Haddenham Healthcare: ⁠https://hadhealth.com/⁠ [https://hadhealth.com/] Eto Grace compression: ⁠https://hadhealth.com/assets/info-sheets/ETOGB-001%20ver.01%20Eto%20Grace%20Brochure%20Low-Res.pdf⁠ [https://hadhealth.com/assets/info-sheets/ETOGB-001%20ver.01%20Eto%20Grace%20Brochure%20Low-Res.pdf] Comfiwave night/resting compression: ⁠https://hadhealth.com/assets/info-sheets/CWLF-002%20ver.08%20Comfiwave%20Brochure%20WEB.pdf⁠ [https://hadhealth.com/assets/info-sheets/CWLF-002%20ver.08%20Comfiwave%20Brochure%20WEB.pdf] Bioflect compression: ⁠https://www.therapygarments.com/lipedema-micromassage-compression-garments.html⁠ [https://www.therapygarments.com/lipedema-micromassage-compression-garments.html]H ead and Neck Lymphoedema: ⁠https://www.headandneckcancer.org.au/health-wellbeing/swelling-of-the-head-and-neck/⁠ [https://www.headandneckcancer.org.au/health-wellbeing/swelling-of-the-head-and-neck/]Jason Stephenson Sleep Meditations: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqPYhcdFgrlUXiGmPRAej1w⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqPYhcdFgrlUXiGmPRAej1w] Dr Will Cole – The Inflammation Spectrum: ⁠https://drwillcole.com/the-inflammation-spectrum/⁠ [https://drwillcole.com/the-inflammation-spectrum/] Dr Will Cole – Gut Feelings: ⁠https://drwillcole.com/gut-feelings/⁠ [https://drwillcole.com/gut-feelings/] Please remember:This podcast is for education, lived experience and community support only. It is not medical advice. Please speak with your qualified health professional before making decisions about compression, medication, GLP-1s, surgery or treatment. Connect with us:⁠https://lipoedemaempoweryou.com.au/⁠ [https://lipoedemaempoweryou.com.au/]⁠hello@lipoedemaempoweryou.com.au⁠ [hello@lipoedemaempoweryou.com.au] Follow the Lipoedema Empower You Podcast so you don’t miss future conversations.

Lipoedema Warrior - Advocate & Community Leader - Marianne Pedersen- Told She Was The Only One

Feeling Alone with your Lipoedema? This episode, as part of our Lipoedema Awareness Month, is for you. Meet Marianne Pedersen, a leader in the community. Learn how 28 years ago she was diagnosed and how she was told she was RARE and the Only one in Western Australia. Learn what her top 4 tips are, what her personal experience with Lipedema is and how she lives the best version of herself at every stage. Want to find a supportive community that suits your needs & stage? Lipoedema Warriors Stage 1: ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/696844074140591/⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/groups/696844074140591/] ⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/groups/1030287640441378] Lipoedema Warriors Luscious Ladies - Stage 3 & 4 ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/2033288886986044/?ref=share&rdid=XII5DdVdZfh2vcBp&share_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fshare%2Fg%2F1BKFJuWiRv%2F⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/groups/2033288886986044/?ref=share&rdid=XII5DdVdZfh2vcBp&share_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fshare%2Fg%2F1BKFJuWiRv%2F] Lipoedema Warriors Australia https://www.facebook.com/groups/1030287640441378 [https://www.facebook.com/groups/1030287640441378] Lipoedema Warriors - Worldwide https://www.facebook.com/groups/536486686555453 [https://www.facebook.com/groups/536486686555453] Please remember:This podcast is for education, lived experience and community support only. It is not medical advice. Please speak with your qualified health professional before making decisions about compression, medication, GLP-1s, surgery or treatment. Connect with us:⁠⁠https://lipoedemaempoweryou.com.au/⁠⁠ [https://lipoedemaempoweryou.com.au/]⁠⁠hello@lipoedemaempoweryou.com.au⁠⁠ [hello@lipoedemaempoweryou.com.au] Follow the Lipoedema Empower You Podcast so you don’t miss future conversations. ⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/groups/412278199239033/]

Lipoedema Diagnosis Without Overwhelm: Finding Answers, Support & the Right Care Team with Rose Kendell- Occupational Therapist

In this episode of the Lipoedema Empower You Podcast, Vanessa and Carrie are joined by Rosemary “Rose” Kendell from Lymph Scar Occupational Therapy in Perth, Western Australia, for a deeply practical and reassuring conversation about lipoedema diagnosis. Many women first discover lipoedema through social media, Google, Facebook groups, TikTok, Instagram, or even by entering their symptoms into ChatGPT. While online information can be a powerful starting point, it can also lead to confusion, fear, misinformation, and the feeling that you need to jump straight from “I think I have this” to “I need surgery.” Rose helps us slow the process down. Together, we explore what it can look like to seek a professional lipoedema assessment, how to find a practitioner with relevant training, and why a diagnosis can be the beginning of understanding your body more clearly — not the end of the journey. In this conversation, we discuss: * Why lipoedema can be missed or misunderstood by some health professionals * Why your GP may still be an important part of your care team * How to look for a qualified lymphoedema or lipoedema-aware practitioner * The National Lymphoedema Practitioners Register and Lipoedema Australia resources * What questions to ask before booking an assessment * Why a report back to your GP can help educate and support your ongoing care * What a lipoedema assessment may include * Hormonal history, family history, symptoms, pain, heaviness, bruising and mobility * SOZO bioimpedance testing and what it may help assess * BMI, fat mass, waist-to-height ratio and why body composition can be complex in lipoedema * The difference between lipoedema, lymphoedema, oedema and inflammation * Why excess fluid does not always mean lymphoedema * Why lipoedema and lifestyle-related weight can coexist * Why “eat less, move more” often fails women with lipoedema * How diagnosis can bring relief, grief, overwhelm and hope * Why you do not need to buy every tool, garment or treatment immediately * The power of building both a professional team and a supportive community Rose explains that lipoedema is complex and can affect more than the size or shape of the body. It may involve pain, heaviness, inflammation, fluid changes, lymphatic considerations, body composition differences, mobility, mental health, and years of feeling dismissed or misunderstood. This episode is especially helpful if you are wondering whether you may have lipoedema, preparing for your first assessment, trying to talk to your GP, or feeling overwhelmed by conflicting information online. The key message: you deserve to be heard, assessed kindly, and supported with curiosity, evidence, and hope. Research papers mentioned in this episode: 1. Lucy Melican & Megan Pfeffer Waist-to-height ratio as an alternative measure to body mass index reduces the diagnosis of obesity in the lipoedema cohort https://woundsinternational.com/journal-articles/waist-to-height-ratio-as-an-alternative-measure-to-body-mass-index-reduces-the-diagnosis-of-obesity-in-the-lipoedema-cohort/ [https://woundsinternational.com/journal-articles/waist-to-height-ratio-as-an-alternative-measure-to-body-mass-index-reduces-the-diagnosis-of-obesity-in-the-lipoedema-cohort/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] 2. Diogo Pinto da Costa Viana & Lucas Caseri Câmara Metabolic Therapy for Lipedema: Can Tirzepatide Overcome the Treatment Gap? https://journaljpri.com/index.php/JPRI/article/view/7664 [https://journaljpri.com/index.php/JPRI/article/view/7664?utm_source=chatgpt.com] 3. Disclaimer: This podcast is for education and lived-experience discussion only and is not medical advice. Please speak with your trusted healthcare provider before making changes to your health, treatment, nutrition, compression, movement or medical care. Connect with us: Website: https://lipoedemaempoweryou.com.au [https://lipoedemaempoweryou.com.au] Email: hello@lipoedemaempoweryou.com.au

Hypermobility, EDS & Lipoedema: What Your Body May Be Trying to Tell You with Bec Allen Physio Therapist

Bec Allen, a hypermobility physiotherapist with a special interest in hypermobility disorders, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, dysautonomia, POTS, adolescent care and complex invisible illness, joins Vanessa and Carrie on this episode of the Lipoedema Empower You Podcast. Bec works through Biio and is available Australia-wide via telehealth. We recorded this conversation during EDS and Hypermobility Awareness Month, because many women in the lipoedema community are also navigating symptoms that may point to connective tissue involvement, joint instability, fatigue, pain, dizziness, digestive symptoms, skin changes or repeated injuries. Together, we explore the difference between general joint hypermobility, Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder — HSD, and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome — EDS. Bec explains that joint flexibility is only one part of the picture, and that connective tissue conditions can affect many body systems, not just the joints. In this conversation, we discuss: What hypermobility actually means The difference between EDS and Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder Why EDS and lipoedema may overlap Why symptoms can be dismissed or misunderstood The role of the Beighton Score Why the Beighton Score is only one piece of the puzzle Pain, fatigue, instability, POTS, gut symptoms and skin changes Why “just exercise more” may not be helpful for some hypermobile bodies How a hypermobility-informed physiotherapist may support safer movement Why pacing, proprioception and gentle strength work matter The importance of a multidisciplinary care team Where to begin if you suspect hypermobility may be part of your story Bec also mentions The Spider Hypermobility Questionnaire, a visual symptom impact tool created for people with HSD or hEDS. It looks across eight symptom areas and maps results visually like a spider web, helping patients and practitioners see which areas are most affected. This episode is not about self-diagnosing. It is about helping you feel less alone, giving language to symptoms you may have been living with for years, and encouraging you to seek support from practitioners who understand hypermobility, EDS, HSD and complex whole-body presentations. As always, this podcast is for education and support only and is not medical advice. Please speak with your GP, specialist or qualified health professional for individual assessment and care. Resources: Bec Allen / Biio: https://www.biio.com.au/practitioner/bec-allen [https://www.biio.com.au/practitioner/bec-allen?utm_source=chatgpt.com] The Spider Hypermobility Questionnaire: https://www.thespidertool.com [https://www.thespidertool.com?utm_source=chatgpt.com] The Ehlers-Danlos Society: https://www.ehlers-danlos.com [https://www.ehlers-danlos.com] Beighton Score: https://www.ehlers-danlos.com/assessing-joint-hypermobility/ [https://www.ehlers-danlos.com/assessing-joint-hypermobility/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] Ehlers-Danlos Australia: https://www.ehlersdanlosaus.com [https://www.ehlersdanlosaus.com?utm_source=chatgpt.com] Australian EDS & HSD Network: https://www.edsaustralia.com [https://www.edsaustralia.com?utm_source=chatgpt.com] CTDNA: https://ctdna.org.au/ehlers-danlos-syndrome-2/ [https://ctdna.org.au/ehlers-danlos-syndrome-2/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] Need support with your next step? Both Carrie and Vanessa work with the lipoedema community. Vanessa Armstrong is the founder of Keto Buddies and a certified Health and Life Coach living with lipoedema herself. Vanessa supports women with practical lifestyle changes, building a conservative management toolbox, and exploring the mental, emotional and physical considerations of lipoedema surgery. Your first consultation is free. Contact Vanessa: www.ketobuddies.com.au Carrie Reedy is a qualified Nutritionist and co-host of the Lipoedema Empower You Podcast. Carrie specialises in supporting women with lipoedema through practical, individualised nutrition guidance, with a focus on reducing inflammation, improving everyday wellbeing, and making food choices feel less overwhelming. Discovery calls are free. Contact Carrie: https://carriereedy.com [https://carriereedy.com?utm_source=chatgpt.com]