Clinic experiences - Lipedema arms

Marianne Walma has suffered from lip edema in the arms for years. Read about her clinic experience at ReSculpt Clinic here.
For over 40 years I've had tremendous pain in my upper arms and they were getting thicker and thicker over the years.
I did have been to VUMC for testing at the phlebology department twelve years ago because I had frequent wound erosions in both my legs. At phlebology they said I had lipedema but there was nothing that could be done about it. She prescribed elastic stockings to prevent worse.
In October 2020, I visited a new doctor for the first time and I asked him if he knew anything for this terrible pain in my arms. I have had various forms of rheumatism for years, so I thought that this pain was also related to rheumatism. But this GP said, "I see, you have lipedema."
He told me he knew a doctor who might be able to do something about this, Dr. Hajo Bruining. Recently he had referred another patient to this doctor.

Hajo Bruining - lipedema specialist

On November 4, 2020, I came for a 1st consultation with Hajo Bruining. And Hajo also diagnosed lip edema. He said I can fix that with liposuction, but not with you because you are on blood thinners and have heart failure. I felt very disappointed. He referred me to a physiotherapy practice in Hoofddorp with an oedema therapist and dietician attached. I ended up with Marion Groen and she gave me press and edema therapy. This therapy worked very well. I even regained visible shoulders and the pain became more bearable.
I told this above story to the cardiologist with whom I was being treated and who, in consultation with a pulmonologist, had prescribed a certain type of blood thinners. The cardiologist felt that a solution had to be found so that liposuction could be performed. The three doctors worked together to come up with the solution. A few days before the liposuction, the blood thinner pills were replaced by injections into the abdomen. Then came the next obstacle namely my status listed my alleged allergy to lidocaine. During a telephone consultation between the general practitioner and Hajo it turned out that this mention in my status, was a mistake!

Liposuction lipedema arms

On March 10, 2021, the first liposuction was performed on my left upper arm, followed by skin correction. The treatment took about 6 hours, during the treatment I had hardly any pain. About 2 liters of fat was extracted from the upper arm. I experienced the treatment by Hajo Bruining and his team as very pleasant.
For 5 weeks I had therapy with Marion Groen several times a week in Hoofddorp. Hajo and Marion supported me tremendously in the healing process. If I had a small problem, they both responded quickly.
On April 14, 2021 followed this treatment on my right upper arm. Again 2 liters of fat were removed. The post-treatment was slightly more painful but all in all not too bad. The scars are healing as expected. The size was 54 cm and now on the right 30 cm and on the left 31cm!!!!
I am very happy to have had this treatment. I am mobile with my arms again and I don't have to be ashamed of the gigantic upper arms anymore.
So, soon it will be my forearms too.

Marianne Walma, an incredibly happy patient.

ReSculpt Clinic Response

Marianne's client experience is unfortunately not an isolated one. It often takes many years before lip edema is diagnosed. In Marianne's situation, the diagnosis was still made fairly quickly, but it was wrongly outlined that nothing could be done about lip edema. Experience shows that treating lipedema can provide tremendous relief. Read all about treating lipedema.
Following Marianne's story, do you feel that you too have lip edema? Do the lipedema test
Or make an appointment with our specialists. Make an appointment.