Lipedema surgery in Atlanta
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Hi, I'm Christina Routon. I'm a wife, mom, writer and business owner currently living near Waco, Texas.
I've had issues with my legs since I was about 15. As I went through puberty, my legs became out of proportion to the rest of my body. I was wearing larger size pants than tops. Then my legs started bruising almost all the time. My parents would ask "How did you get those bruises?" I would have no idea. I'd bump into a door or table and that night, BAM, a bruise was there.
During my pregnancy, my legs started to ache and swell during the day, but the swelling stopped at my ankles. My doctor thought it was strange, but didn't think anything weird was going on.
But over time the pain in my legs has gotten worse, so much that I sometimes have to take pain medication. The disproportion in my upper and lower body became more visible as well, especially after I started weight training and lost over 60 pounds.
It was after I'd lost the weight and saw little to no difference in my legs and upper arms that I started researching my symptoms - aching legs, bruising, disproportion in the upper and lower body.
I also made an appointment to see an endocrinologist to rule out any issues with thyroid or hormones. Imagine my surprise when I was diagnosed with a genetic disorder called Lipedema.
Yay!
I now had a name for this disorder and options for conservative treatment - manual lymph drainage therapy three days a week, having my legs wrapped in bandages to help with the excess fluid, and wearing compression hose. Without this conservative treatment, the pain would continue and there's the possibility of losing mobility as I grow older. I started the conservative treatment as well as continued my weight training and adjusting my diet to a more paleo / primal diet.
One day while on Facebook I discovered a doctor in Germany, Dr. Josef Stutz, who had perfected a type of liposuction called Water Assisted Liposuction, or WAL. He had over 20 years of experience in performing this surgery on all stages of Lipedema patients. This treatment removes the diseased tissue in the legs and arms. Many women who have had this life-altering surgery with Dr. Stutz report less pain and increased mobility as early as the day after surgery.
Since this diagnosis, Dr. Stutz has trained several doctors in the US in his procedures. Dr. Marcia Byrd in Atlanta is one such doctor. Since she is in the US and near my family in Georgia, I'm discussing surgery in her clinic hopefully this spring.
There are doctors in the US and Europe currently researching the causes of Lipedema, but there is no cure. The best and most effective treatment for Lipedema is removing the diseased tissue through WAL liposuction, which spares the lymphatic system and provides relief from chronic pain and mobility issues. Unfortunately, insurance does not typically cover this treatment. Dr. Byrd's office will help file insurance and work with any appeals, but I need to have the payment upfront. Whatever I cannot raise, I will finance. I don't want to go into a lot of debt, but I have to save my health and my mobility.
I need four surgeries to remove the Lipedema tissue. The first 2 surgeries will be $16,500, not including the costs of travel, hotel, and food. Please consider giving a gift of any amount toward these costs. Thank you.
I've had issues with my legs since I was about 15. As I went through puberty, my legs became out of proportion to the rest of my body. I was wearing larger size pants than tops. Then my legs started bruising almost all the time. My parents would ask "How did you get those bruises?" I would have no idea. I'd bump into a door or table and that night, BAM, a bruise was there.
During my pregnancy, my legs started to ache and swell during the day, but the swelling stopped at my ankles. My doctor thought it was strange, but didn't think anything weird was going on.
But over time the pain in my legs has gotten worse, so much that I sometimes have to take pain medication. The disproportion in my upper and lower body became more visible as well, especially after I started weight training and lost over 60 pounds.
It was after I'd lost the weight and saw little to no difference in my legs and upper arms that I started researching my symptoms - aching legs, bruising, disproportion in the upper and lower body.
I also made an appointment to see an endocrinologist to rule out any issues with thyroid or hormones. Imagine my surprise when I was diagnosed with a genetic disorder called Lipedema.
Yay!
I now had a name for this disorder and options for conservative treatment - manual lymph drainage therapy three days a week, having my legs wrapped in bandages to help with the excess fluid, and wearing compression hose. Without this conservative treatment, the pain would continue and there's the possibility of losing mobility as I grow older. I started the conservative treatment as well as continued my weight training and adjusting my diet to a more paleo / primal diet.
One day while on Facebook I discovered a doctor in Germany, Dr. Josef Stutz, who had perfected a type of liposuction called Water Assisted Liposuction, or WAL. He had over 20 years of experience in performing this surgery on all stages of Lipedema patients. This treatment removes the diseased tissue in the legs and arms. Many women who have had this life-altering surgery with Dr. Stutz report less pain and increased mobility as early as the day after surgery.
Since this diagnosis, Dr. Stutz has trained several doctors in the US in his procedures. Dr. Marcia Byrd in Atlanta is one such doctor. Since she is in the US and near my family in Georgia, I'm discussing surgery in her clinic hopefully this spring.
There are doctors in the US and Europe currently researching the causes of Lipedema, but there is no cure. The best and most effective treatment for Lipedema is removing the diseased tissue through WAL liposuction, which spares the lymphatic system and provides relief from chronic pain and mobility issues. Unfortunately, insurance does not typically cover this treatment. Dr. Byrd's office will help file insurance and work with any appeals, but I need to have the payment upfront. Whatever I cannot raise, I will finance. I don't want to go into a lot of debt, but I have to save my health and my mobility.
I need four surgeries to remove the Lipedema tissue. The first 2 surgeries will be $16,500, not including the costs of travel, hotel, and food. Please consider giving a gift of any amount toward these costs. Thank you.
Organizer
Christina Williams Routon
Organizer
China Grove, TX
