Podcast “important today”
Living with lipoedema: not fat, but sick
Lipedema: Laura Larsson calls for more education about the disease
© Vox / star
Misunderstood and misdiagnosed – that’s how almost four million patients in Germany who suffer from the disease “lipoedema” feel. Like radio host and podcaster Laura Larsson.
In most cases, lipoedema is a painful, mostly congenital fat distribution disorder on the arms and legs. The only way out of the disease is not only expensive but also painful: an operation. Radio host and podcaster Laura Larsson needed four surgeries to curb lipedema. But it can no longer be defeated completely.
She could only lie on her back
“I sometimes had to go to air-conditioned department stores, then sit down for half an hour because I couldn’t go any further and that was the point where I said: So and now I’ll google it. These symptoms can’t be right and then Lipoedema came out. I looked at everything that goes with it. And I thought: Oh my gosh, everything I’m reading here applies to me, “says Laura Larsson in the 408th episode of the podcast “important today”. .
The symptoms were clear: “Why such thick feet? What is it? Me and I could only lie on my back,” says Larsson. Another problem with the disease, it is only detectable by specialists. Even her family doctor didn’t know what Laura Larsson had. Shortly thereafter, Larsson himself discovered a forum for lipoedema sufferers and found a doctor in Berlin who specialized in this field. “And that’s where I went and he helped me a lot, but I only found him because I was actively researching,” says Laura Larsson about her path to treating the disease.
The only possible way out: an expensive operation
Health insurance only covers the costs of conservative therapy. In most cases, however, only an expensive liposuction alleviates the suffering and restores well-being in your own body. With a big catch, it costs quite a bit of money. Laura Larsson reveals: “It cost me 20,000 euros. Relaxed 20,000 euros.” She had to go under the knife four times to finally get rid of the lipoedema.
The whole thing is not only expensive and painful, the psyche also plays a major role during the operations and has often gnawed at Larrson’s mindset. “It was really the worst six months and after every single operation I was really mentally tired of the next one,” admits the podcaster in an interview with “today important” host Michel Abdollahi. She still has the disease and is learning to live with it. You are only cured to a limited extent, since you could risk another flare-up due to a hormone change during pregnancy, for example. “It may actually come back,” says Laura Larsson.
© TVNOW / Andreas Friese
Podcast “important today”
Sure, opinionated, on the 12: “today important” is not just a news podcast. We set topics and initiate debates – with attitude and sometimes uncomfortable. Host Michel Abdollahi and his team speak out for this star– and RTL reporters with the most exciting people from politics, society and entertainment. They let all voices have their say, both the quiet and the loud. Anyone who hears “important today” starts the day well informed and can have a well-founded say.
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