Before and After pics of legs

I recently got a scanner and am FINALLY able to put a real before picture of my legs online. I only had a photocopy from the doctors office. 

Taken December 2001
 

Taken Feb 2003 before WLS-after Manual lymph drainage and compression wraps




Taken Nov. 2007 (pretty much what they look like now)

Wow Sarah what a transformation. 

I must say that I really admire your courage to post those pics.  It gives someone like me hope.  My legs are really quite bad and I am having a horrible time trying to find treatment.  I have made some strides recently but in Canada we are so limited on treatment for the severe lymphedema.

I just wanted to say thanks for putting yourself out there for others to see.

Thanks again,

Cathy  

It's the only way to spread the word. I know I thought I was the only one suffering with these big legs until I started finding people on the internet.

Wow Sarah - that's an amazing change.  I read your post on R&R and was shocked that your docs didn't investigate the LE for such a long time... putting all down to obesity.

My own LE is extremely mild in comparison to yours... but it took 3 PCPs before a nurse practitioner at the last doc's practice did more than prescribe diuretics for me... even the Venous specialist I saw knew nothing about LE... just said there was no vascular reason for my leg swelling.

Scary sometimes how much the medical profession doesn't know.

I met a guy at my OT''s office who went undiagnosed for 5 years because he's actually thin and when he complained about the swelling/added weight he was told it's nothing to worry about he was just thin to begin with a little extra weight does him good. Can't win either way I guess...

I just wanted to say I feel for you , cause I have it in one leg and I hurt with it I can only imagine how you hurt. no, one around here where I live don't know how to deal wit it or what caused it. I have had it since 1996, along with some other health problems i can no longer work. I will keep you in my prayers.

Thank you, thank you, thank you! Your story is encouraging. I just got out of the hospital because I have lymph in my right leg. Even tho' it is mild (swelling in the calf) My sister has it in her legs like yours. It took courage for you to post the pics and I am glad you took the steps to look like you do now. No one except someone going throught this can understand the problem we face. We are in a 2% majority of people who have this condition, that is why the doctors won't spend the time or money to find a cure, but I believe one is out there. Keep your head high and be proud of yourself.
Gwen

I commend you for sharing these pictures.  I do have a question...I am considering weight loss surgery but have concerns that, due to my having lipedema, I will have no decrease in the size of my legs.  I do not care if I have "cellulite" but I am greatly concerned about legs staying the same size.  Obviously yours got greatly smaller although you still have the lymphadema/lipedema....any ideas from this group?  Most drs have no clue that this is something other than cellulite but my legs are getting larger and it scares me (I has MLD earlier this year) but hate wearing the stockings.  Any info is helpful.

My legs, especially my thighs are still huge, I just got back from clothes shopping and feel like chopping off my arms and legs because both make fititng into clothes hell. But while WLS didn't solve the lipedema problem it has greatly helped me by losing what I call the weight that was actually my fault....I've been regaining the past 2 years and of course it's in my legs/hips mostly. Tell me how I'm exercising and eating better than I ever did pre-op and yet gaining more per year than I ever did pre-op..the answer of course is Lipedema. And it's doctors and the world who don't understand...

Boy does this sound familar.  Last year, I joined a gym as I noticed my legs getting bigger and was also gaining weight (had walked in a treadmill for years and was overweight but stable weightwise pretty much). Anyways, 6  months into working out hard, I gained 10 pounds.  I was so disheartened  and this of course is when I turn to food and self medicate some more.   My dr was perplexed, my legs were bigger and I was too.  A student massage therapist is the one that talked to me about lipedema.  I then got MLD therapy for awhile.

BUT, I am concerned as I feel I have an addiction to food and do not want to become disabled.  I am still quite active and only 37 so am thinking more and more about weight loss surgery. 

Thank you so much for responding to my post....it is difficult to locate info on lipedema much less lipedema and weight loss surgery (was your surgeon familiar with lipedema?).   neither my PC physician or my gynecologist had a clue.....

p.s. i hate looking at my legs too.....and i used to have such nice legs even when I was chubby!