Paola standing with hands on hips, wearing a blue dress and compression sleeves on her arms.

Meet Paola

Paola won’t let lipedema hold her down

When Paola hit puberty, she noticed unexplained swelling in the fatty tissue in her legs. Despite numerous doctor's appointments and lifestyle changes, a clear diagnosis eluded her for years. Finally, at 35 years old, Paola was diagnosed with lipedema. Armed with this new understanding, she resolved to not let her condition hold her back any longer. Dive into her inspiring story below. *

* This is a personal report of the patient and does not necessarily reflect the views of JOBST or the current state of science. Always seek advice from a Healthcare Professional if you experience any symptoms.

Paola wearing JOBST Confidence on her arms and legs.

“I felt shame because I felt out of control.”

For many years, Paola struggled to understand the swelling in her legs, which made her feel ashamed and led her to hide them. The unrealistic beauty standards portrayed in magazines and on TV made it worse. When Paola was finally diagnosed with lipedema, it was a relief. She felt back in control and no longer isolated. She began to join online communities, started to wear compression stockings, and seek professional help. Today, she advocates for more representation and awareness, empowering others to speak up and get the support they need.

“I’m in a phase where I seek healing and I would like to be part of the change I want to see in the world.”

Paola, what are the signs and symptoms of lipedema?

When I was a teenager, my leg started swelling out of nowhere and I felt shame because I felt out of control. It felt like my body didn't belong to me anymore, or my legs didn't belong to the rest of my body. [...] You have heavy and painful legs most of the time. It's a bit as if you are carrying sandbags around. Lipedema, in my case, is also affecting my arms to a lesser degree, but the pain is mainly in the legs. So, through the day you'll have some pain points starting to erupt and it's like a pulsating pain in your legs.”

How did you learn about your condition?

“For a very long time, I didn't know what was wrong with my legs. I just went to see different doctors and was told that maybe it was just my body shape. Fast forward to 2020, first lockdown, I was scrolling mindlessly on Instagram and I saw a picture of a woman whose legs looked like mine. [...] So, I started checking out her profile and I realized that she had something called lipedema. It was the first time I heard about it.”

How do you manage your condition?

“I think that compression is an extremely freeing thing when it is properly fitted. [...] And it's simulating the feeling of being in water in a sense, where your leg is held together, [...] and you are able to live without thinking about your condition. You're just doing whatever you want to do without thinking of your legs. So that's an amazing feeling.”

How was the synchronized swimming?

“Taking part in this experience is massively stretching me out of my comfort zone. I've been hiding my body for a very long time and I'm in a phase where I seek healing and I would like to be part of the change I want to see in the world.”

Get the right diagnosis

If you recognize signs and symptoms similar to Paola’s, please seek advice from a Healthcare Professional to initiate the right treatment. For now, we have some helpful information available about the existing condition and its potential treatment.

Learn more about lipedema

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