Welcome to the Lippy Ladies podcast, where we explore stories of strength and resilience. On today's show, we chat with Tiana, a mom of twin girls from Australia. Diagnosed recently with a condition that affects her body, she was once a professional dancer and has had to grapple with body issues due to her legs not appearing like those of her peers. This allowed her to develop an even greater appreciation for herself and the journey she has embarked on to educate other women about conservative treatments. Be sure to listen in for this inspiring story as we dive deep into Tiana's experiences!

Welcome to the podcast episode about Joana Luis, a 32-year-old woman from Portugal. She has always loved and accepted her body shape, despite having larger legs. 

However, over the past several years during the various COVID lockdowns, Joana had become less active and noticed progressive changes to her legs that simply wouldn’t go away. After six months of searching for a diagnosis and being put on medication for a condition she did not have, she was told there was no hope to cure whatever condition she had. 

But that’s when Joana made an incredible discovery - she had lipedema - a chronic medical condition most commonly found in women where their legs become bigger due to excessive fat cells collecting in specific areas like hips, thighs, and calves. The condition is often misdiagnosed as other issues such as obesity or lymphatic edema and can cause tremendous physical pain and emotional distress for sufferers. 

In this podcast episode, we will be exploring Joana’s journey from obscurity and despair to hopefulness after being diagnosed with lipedema. We’ll hear her story about how she found out about the condition, how it has affected her life both physically and mentally, what treatments have been available so far, and what kind of future she hopes for herself. 

Join us now on our journey with Joana as we discuss her experiences living with lipedema and ultimately finding empowerment through knowledge of her condition.