Lipoedema Empower You Podcast

In Part 1, Vanessa shared how she went from “I don’t need surgery”, to becoming curious, researching her options and eventually developing her own Surgery WHY.In Part 2, Carrie and Vanessa continue the conversation with what happened after the decision was made, as well as how you can begin to research and be aware of RED FLAGS. Vanessa shares her personal experience of travelling from Australia to Germany for lipoedema surgery with Dr Christian Stanger at Rosenpark Klinik — including preparing for surgery, the reality of surgery and recovery, and what life looks like approximately two years later.We talk about the things that can be harder to see in an Instagram before-and-after:• preparing your body and health before surgery• why your complete medical history matters• the emotions and fear that can come before surgery• travelling overseas for treatment• Vanessa's experience of tumescent/TLA lipoedema surgery• the early recovery period and allowing your body time to heal• expectations versus reality• body image after surgery• protecting the investment you have made in your health• what improved for Vanessa — and what surgery did not magically change• what she has learned now that she can look back approximately two years later.Most importantly, this is one woman's experience — not a roadmap for yours.Vanessa is not recommending that anyone have surgery, travel overseas for surgery or choose the surgeon or clinic she chose.There is no single “best” surgeon, country, technique or pathway for everyone.Your health, stage of lipoedema, medical history, risk profile, finances, family situation, priorities and personal Surgery WHY may be very different.Do your own due diligence.Research beyond the beautiful results on social media. Speak with long-term patients where possible. Understand the qualifications and experience of the clinician treating you. Ask about the actual procedure being recommended, risks, alternatives, aftercare and complication pathway.Knowledge should help you make your own informed decision, not convince you to make Vanessa's.Lipoedema Empower Youhttps://lipoedemaempoweryou.com.auFollow the podcast and find our latest episodes, resources and ways to connect with Carrie and Vanessa.Vanessa's personal lipoedema surgery journeyhttps://www.instagram.com/lipoedema.aus.germany.surgery/This is Vanessa's personal, educational account documenting aspects of her own surgery journey. It is not a recommendation of a surgeon or surgical pathway.Global Lipoedema Awareness - Surgeries/Surgeonshttps://www.facebook.com/share/g/19WrvDusgd/An international Facebook community where women with lipoedema can connect, share experiences and learn from others around the world. As with any social-media group, patient experiences can be incredibly useful starting points for research — but they should not replace your own medical advice and due diligence.Vanessa ArmstrongHealth & Mindset CoachFounder – Keto Buddies & Lipoedema CoachingKeto Buddies:https://www.ketobuddies.com.auLipoedema Coaching:https://www.lipoedemacoaching.com.auIf you would like support to clarify your own Surgery WHY, prepare your body and mindset, explore conservative-management strategies or build sustainable health habits, you can connect with Vanessa through Lipoedema Coaching.Carrie ReedyFunctional NutritionistFounder – Carrie Reedy Functional NutritionYou can also connect with Carrie through the Lipoedema Empower You website:https://lipoedemaempoweryou.com.auPLEASE FOLLOW & REVIEW THE PODCASTIf you're enjoying Lipoedema Empower You, please follow the podcast and leave us a 5-star review.Thank you for listening. 💜Educational disclaimer: This podcast shares personal experiences and general educational information. It is not medical advice and should not replace individual advice from appropriately qualified healthcare professionals.

When Vanessa Armstrong was first diagnosed with lipoedema, surgery was not on her radar at all.She had already lost around 45 kg, was active, playing tennis, managing inflammation through nutrition and lifestyle, and felt she had a strong conservative-management toolbox.So how did she go from:“I’m not having surgery.”to“I’ll get curious about surgery.”to“There’s no way I’d go overseas.”to eventually travelling to Germany for lipoedema surgery?In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, Carrie turns the microphone on Vanessa to explore the journey before surgery — the research, questions, uncertainty and decision-making that helped Vanessa discover her own Surgery WHY.Perhaps you’re only beginning to explore whether surgery is right for you, already researching surgeons and feeling overwhelmed, or preparing for surgery and recovery.Vanessa supports women to discover their Surgery WHY, build a strong conservative-management toolbox, and reduce inflammation to better support their pre- and post-surgery goals. She helps women clarify what matters most to them, identify the questions they may want to ask potential surgeons, define what a successful outcome looks like for them, and prepare their body and mind before surgery and through recovery. If you are curious about support, Vanessa offers first consultations free. 👉 Book your free consultation HERE 👉 See more at Vanessa's surgery instagram HERE @lipoedema.aus.germany.surgeryThis episode is not about telling you whether to have surgery or who to choose. It is about becoming a more informed patient. This is not medical advice; it is an individual's journey to her own decisions. Vanessa shares how she:• approached surgery as a tool, not a cure• explored Australian options before widening her research overseas• interviewed several surgeons rather than simply asking “Who is the best?”• created a spreadsheet and asked similar questions across consultations• learnt to see a consultation as a two-way interview• contacted previous patients, including women years after surgery• asked about pain, recovery, complications, scarring, quality of life and whether they would choose the same surgeon again• used MLD therapists and other practitioners as valuable sources of information• learnt why another woman’s “perfect surgeon” may not be right for you• managed the mental load of surgery research• discovered why she believes you should never choose a surgeon from Instagram aloneOne of Vanessa’s strongest messages:You can research surgery without deciding to have surgery.Curiosity does not equal commitment.The goal is not simply to find the surgeon everyone else recommends. It is to understand your body, your priorities, your expectations and what a successful outcome means to you.Germany, surgery preparation, surgery day, recovery, what surprised Vanessa, what changed, what didn’t — and how she feels about her decision two years later.Medical DisclaimerThis podcast shares personal experience and general educational information only. It is not medical advice, diagnosis or treatment, nor is Vanessa’s experience a recommendation to undergo surgery, travel overseas for medical treatment, or choose any particular surgeon, clinic, hospital or technique.Every person’s health, lipoedema presentation, medical history, risks and circumstances are different. Always seek personalised advice from appropriately qualified healthcare professionals before making healthcare decisions.🎙️ Lipoedema Empower You PodcastHosted by Vanessa Armstrong & Carrie Reedy🌐 lipoedemaempoweryou.com.auhttps://www.instagram.com/lipoedema.aus.germany.surgery/

A holiday should not become another full-time lipoedema management project. Vanessa and Carrie share what genuinelyhelped—and what they deliberately let go—during recent trips through Canada and Europe. How do you travel with lipoedema without spending the entire holiday worrying about swelling, food, compression, clothing or getting out of your routine?After recent trips through Canada, Europe and a Mediterranean cruise, Vanessa and Carrie come together for an honest conversation about what worked, what did not, and what they learned about permitting themselves to live.They discuss long-haul flights, heat, compression choices, airport mobility assistance, movement, hydration, eating away from home, alcohol, overpacking, body confidence and returning to routine without punishment or all-or-nothingthinking.In this episode:• Preparing your body and your practical travel plan before a long flight• Compression options and simple movement strategies while flying• Why asking for airport assistance or a seatbelt extender is not failure• Choosing food experiences intentionally—and enjoying them without guilt• Protein-led meals, restaurant swaps, portion sharing and travel-day snacks• Managing heat, hydration, electrolytes and tired legs• Why stress reduction and being present may matter as much as a perfectroutine• Alcohol delay strategies and avoiding the ‘holiday is already blown’ mindset• Wearing the shorts, swimsuit, skirt or flowy pants that help you participate• Returning home gently and rebuilding your normal rhythmThe central message: manage your lipoedema so you can live—not live your whole life solely to manage lipoedema. There is no perfect holiday routine. Plan what matters most, adapt to the reality in front of you, and give yourself grace to enjoy the people and places you travelled to experience.This conversation shares lived experience and general education only. Speak with your own qualified health professional about compression, blood-clot risk, medication, exercise or other individual travel needs.Connect With UsLipoedema Empower You websiteVanessa Armstrong – Keto BuddiesVanessa– Lipoedema CoachingCarrie Reedy Functional NutritionHelpful Listener ReferencesLipoedema Australia – Treatment and management principles — Australian overview of compression and individualised lipoedema management.Lipoedema Australia – Resources — Compression FAQs and best-practice resources.Better Health Channel – Lipoedema — Victoriangovernment health information on management options.Healthdirect Australia – Lipoedema — Australian consumer health information.CDC – Blood clots and travel — Long-distancetravel risk factors, movement and when to seek personalised advice.Standard of Care for Lipedema in the United States— Peer-reviewed overview of conservative management and self-care.We’d Love Your SupportIf you’re enjoying the podcast, please take a moment to follow, rate and leave us a five-star review.It helps more people in the lipoedema community discover the podcast and find the support, information and encouragement they may need.Thank you so much for supporting us. Ness and Carrie. #lipoedema#lipedema#inflammation#holidaywithlipoedema#lipoedemaaustralia#lipedemasurgery#lowcarb#keto

P2: Not Your Fault… What You Can DoIn Part Two of our conversation with Siobhan Huggins from The Lipedema Project, we move from the science into the practical, emotional and empowering side of living with lipoedema.If Part One helped explain why lipoedema is not simply “just fat” or a personal failure, Part Two asks the next question: what can we actually do with that knowledge?Vanessa and Carrie talk with Siobhan about the overwhelm that can come after diagnosis, the grief many women feel when they realise how long they have been misunderstood, and the powerful difference between blame and agency.One of the strongest messages in this episode is this: lipoedema is not your fault, but that does not mean you are powerless.Together we explore conservative care, therapeutic carbohydrate reduction, ketogenic nutrition, inflammation, non-scale wins, surgery expectations, self-experimenting, and how to build a support toolbox without trying to change everything overnight.In this episode, we discuss:• What to do when diagnosis feels overwhelming• Why “it’s not your fault” and “there are things you can do” can both be true• Conservative management and why small steps matter• Therapeutic carbohydrate reduction and ketogenic nutrition in lipoedema• Pain, swelling, inflammation, energy and non-scale wins• Why surgery is not just a cosmetic decision• Preparing emotionally and practically when considering surgery• The importance of realistic expectations• Self-experimenting safely and thoughtfully• Building a lipoedema toolbox with curiosity, not fearThis episode is especially for anyone who has felt confused, blamed, dismissed or overwhelmed in their lipoedema journey. It is also for those wondering where to start, whether conservative care is worth exploring, or how to think about surgery in a grounded and informed way.You are not alone. You did not cause this. And there is still hope.Guest: Siobhan HugginsSiobhan Huggins is a researcher and lipoedema advocate associated with The Lipedema Project, with a special interest in metabolic health, inflammation, cholesterol metabolism, therapeutic carbohydrate reduction and lipoedema/lipedema research.Listen to Part One:Part One explores the science of lipoedema, metabolic health, inflammation, hormones, fascia, lymphatics, ketogenic nutrition and why current research is bringing new hope to the lipoedema community.Resources and references mentioned across Part One and Part Two:The Lipedema Projecthttps://lipedemaproject.org/Lipedema Simplifiedhttps://lipedema-simplified.org/Lipedema Foundation LEGATO Lipedema Libraryhttps://library.lipedema.org/Ketogenic Diet as a Potential Intervention for Lipedemahttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33303304/Therapeutic Carbohydrate Reduction for Lipedema: Guidelines for a Patient-Centered, Holistic Approachhttps://www.lidsen.com/journals/rpn/rpn-05-03-019Proposed Framework for Research Case Definitions of Lipedemahttps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11044873/Roadmap for Diagnosing Lipedemahttps://lipedemaproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/roadmap-diagnosing-lipedema.pdfConnect with Lipoedema Empower You:Website: https://lipoedemaempoweryou.com.au/Email: [email protected] by Vanessa Armstrong and Carrie Reedy.Vanessa ArmstrongKeto Buddies / Lipoedema Coachinghttps://www.ketobuddies.com.au/Carrie Reedy https://carriereedy.com/Important note:This podcast is for education, lived experience and community support. It is not medical advice and does not replace care from your doctor, dietitian, lymphoedema therapist, surgeon or other qualified health professional.Follow Lipoedema Empower You so you don’t miss future conversations designed to help you feel informed, supported and less alone.

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

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 childhoodWhy comparison is not helpful in lipoedemaConservative management, pool work and movementReducing pain and preserving strengthCarol’s reduction from approximately 121 cm around the thigh to 81 cm before surgery or medicationsCompression, including daytime and night/resting garmentsSurgery and GLP-1 microdosingChoosing “goddess” over “warrior”Sleep, hypnosis, fidgeting and free tools we can use to support ourselvesThe reminder to “put the right petrol in your vehicle”Choosing joy and living as your happiest selfCarol’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 mentionedLipoedema Australia: ⁠https://www.lipoedema.org.au/⁠Lipoedema Australia Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/LipoedemaAustralia/⁠Lipoedema Australia Support Group: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/lipedemaAust.support/⁠Lipoedema Warriors Stage 1: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/696844074140591/⁠⁠⁠Lipoedema Warriors Luscious Ladies - Stage 3 & 4⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/2033288886986044/?ref=share&rdid=XII5DdVdZfh2vcBp&share_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fshare%2Fg%2F1BKFJuWiRv%2F⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Lipedema Project: ⁠https://lipedemaproject.org/⁠Dercum’s Disease – NORD: ⁠https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/dercums-disease/⁠Dercum’s Disease – DermNet: ⁠https://dermnetnz.org/topics/dercum-disease⁠Dr Chris Lekich / Lipoedema Surgical Solution: ⁠https://lipoedemasurgicalsolution.com/⁠Haddenham Healthcare: ⁠https://hadhealth.com/⁠Eto Grace compression: ⁠https://hadhealth.com/assets/info-sheets/ETOGB-001%20ver.01%20Eto%20Grace%20Brochure%20Low-Res.pdf⁠Comfiwave night/resting compression: ⁠https://hadhealth.com/assets/info-sheets/CWLF-002%20ver.08%20Comfiwave%20Brochure%20WEB.pdf⁠Bioflect compression: ⁠https://www.therapygarments.com/lipedema-micromassage-compression-garments.html⁠Head and Neck Lymphoedema: ⁠https://www.headandneckcancer.org.au/health-wellbeing/swelling-of-the-head-and-neck/⁠Jason Stephenson Sleep Meditations: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqPYhcdFgrlUXiGmPRAej1w⁠Dr Will Cole – The Inflammation Spectrum: ⁠https://drwillcole.com/the-inflammation-spectrum/⁠Dr Will Cole – 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/⁠⁠[email protected]⁠Follow the Lipoedema Empower You Podcast so you don’t miss future conversations.

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/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lipoedema Warriors Luscious Ladies - Stage 3 & 4⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/2033288886986044/?ref=share&rdid=XII5DdVdZfh2vcBp&share_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fshare%2Fg%2F1BKFJuWiRv%2F⁠⁠Lipoedema Warriors Australia https://www.facebook.com/groups/1030287640441378Lipoedema Warriors - Worldwidehttps://www.facebook.com/groups/536486686555453Please 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/⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠Follow the Lipoedema Empower You Podcast so you don’t miss future conversations.⁠

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]

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 meansThe difference between EDS and Hypermobility Spectrum DisorderWhy EDS and lipoedema may overlapWhy symptoms can be dismissed or misunderstoodThe role of the Beighton ScoreWhy the Beighton Score is only one piece of the puzzlePain, fatigue, instability, POTS, gut symptoms and skin changesWhy “just exercise more” may not be helpful for some hypermobile bodiesHow a hypermobility-informed physiotherapist may support safer movementWhy pacing, proprioception and gentle strength work matterThe importance of a multidisciplinary care teamWhere to begin if you suspect hypermobility may be part of your storyBec 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-allenThe Spider Hypermobility Questionnaire:https://www.thespidertool.comThe Ehlers-Danlos Society:https://www.ehlers-danlos.comBeighton Score:https://www.ehlers-danlos.com/assessing-joint-hypermobility/Ehlers-Danlos Australia:https://www.ehlersdanlosaus.comAustralian EDS & HSD Network:https://www.edsaustralia.comCTDNA:https://ctdna.org.au/ehlers-danlos-syndrome-2/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.auCarrie 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

Compression for Lipoedema: Where to Start Without OverwhelmIn this episode, Vanessa and Carrie are joined by Dr Leslyn Keith, known for her valuable contribution and leadership through the Lipedema Project and Lipedema Simplified, to have a gentle, beginner-friendly conversation about compression.Compression can feel overwhelming, especially when women are told they need expensive, custom, high-grade garments before they have even worked out what feels good on their body. This conversation slows things down.The key message: compression does not have to be all or nothing. For some women, especially in the early stages, the first step may be light compression, sports-style compression, knee-high travel socks, circular knit leggings, or a gentle off-the-shelf option. For others, especially with lymphatic involvement, ankle cuffs, lobules, significant shape changes or later-stage lipoedema, professional fitting and custom flat knit may be more appropriate.Compression should not feel like punishment. It should support you, reduce symptoms where possible, and be something you can actually wear.In this episode we discuss:Why compression is not always a one-size-fits-all answerWhy “the best compression” may be the compression you can actually wearCircular knit vs flat knit in simple languageWhy some women can start with gentle, off-the-shelf compressionWhen professional measuring becomes more importantWhy knee-highs, sports compression or light leggings may be a good first experimentWhy compression can help with heaviness, aching, travel, standing, walking and long daysWhen compression may not feel right, and why that mattersWhy surgery preparation may include practising compression before surgeryHow to reduce the “compression graveyard” of expensive garments that never get wornWould you like our FREE Beginner Compression Resource Guide: Start Here: The Gentle Compression Ladder? Click the link to download your copy today. Lipoedema Empower You PodcastWould you like more support? Curious to be supported by Carrie or Vanessa to have a programme designed for you or a freediscovery call, make contact with us. Website: https://lipoedemaempoweryou.com.auThe Lipedema Projecthttps://lipedemaproject.org/The Lipedema Project is the research division of Lipedema Simplified and provides education, research and resources for people living with lipedema/lipoedema.Lipoedema Australiahttps://www.lipoedema.org.au/Lipoedema Australia is the Australian national body providing information, awareness and resources for people living with lipoedema and for health professionals.Gentle reminder: this episode is educational only and is not medical advice. Please seek guidance from a qualified lymphoedema/lipoedema practitioner, compression fitter, GP, vascular specialist or treating health professional for your individual circumstances.