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 professionalsWhy your GP may still be an important part of your care teamHow to look for a qualified lymphoedema or lipoedema-aware practitionerThe National Lymphoedema Practitioners Register and Lipoedema Australia resourcesWhat questions to ask before booking an assessmentWhy a report back to your GP can help educate and support your ongoing careWhat a lipoedema assessment may includeHormonal history, family history, symptoms, pain, heaviness, bruising and mobilitySOZO bioimpedance testing and what it may help assessBMI, fat mass, waist-to-height ratio and why body composition can be complex in lipoedemaThe difference between lipoedema, lymphoedema, oedema and inflammationWhy excess fluid does not always mean lymphoedemaWhy lipoedema and lifestyle-related weight can coexistWhy “eat less, move more” often fails women with lipoedemaHow diagnosis can bring relief, grief, overwhelm and hopeWhy you do not need to buy every tool, garment or treatment immediatelyThe power of building both a professional team and a supportive communityRose 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:Lucy Melican & Megan PfefferWaist-to-height ratio as an alternative measure to body mass index reduces the diagnosis of obesity in the lipoedema cohorthttps://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/ Diogo Pinto da Costa Viana & Lucas Caseri CâmaraMetabolic Therapy for Lipedema: Can Tirzepatide Overcome the Treatment Gap?https://journaljpri.com/index.php/JPRI/article/view/7664Disclaimer: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.auEmail: [email protected]