Hello ! Thank you for sharing your experience!
Can you tell us a little about yourself?
So I’m a 36-year-old mother of two, married and a medical secretary by profession.
How did you hear about lipedema?
I did a lot of research on the internet, on forums, I read a lot of testimonials and, above all, the report on the TV show Sept à huit with Emmy was a revelation for me. I discovered Dr. Nicolas Zwillinger on the Internet by reading the testimonial of one of his patients, Chloé.
There were 6 months between my diagnosis of lipedema and my research into Dr Nicolas Zwillinger.
What impact did your lipedema have on your life?
A lot of pain and physical impotence. I couldn’t dress the way I wanted, I couldn’t find boots that would fit my calves, and putting on shoes was complicated. I didn’t like seeing myself in a skirt, so I always wore very long skirts or dresses. I always bought pants that flared out… Now I wear slims!
Tell us about your operation
With the second operation I was much more serene, whereas with the first I was much more stressed! I was asking myself a lot of questions, wondering if I’d get quick results… I had a difficult day after my second operation. I was supposed to go out at 9am but ended up going out at 6pm because I was so tired.
The two operations were very different. In addition to the stress of the first operation, the stress of the unknown, the post-operative period was very painful, especially putting my foot on the ground. Fortunately, I had rapid results and saw my leg take shape at the end of the 1st month after the 1st operation.
Three months after my second operation, I wasn’t stressed and didn’t ask myself any questions. I didn’t have any post-operative pain, but I did feel unwell and anaemic. I had a lot of bleeding in my thighs for the first few days, then it calmed down.
I had both operations under general anaesthetic and they went well.
(Doctor’s note: this patient chose to have her two operations close together, which can lead to greater fatigue and anemia than two operations further apart).
We took the train home after the two operations, which went very well. I was able to get up on the train to stretch my legs. We debated whether to take the car, but in the end we took the train and we haven’t looked back. I even saved an hour compared with the car!
Have you experienced any post-operative pain?
Yes, there was some pain in the first 15 days (especially for the first operation, on my lower legs). I’m slowly recovering my sensations in my thighs, sometimes I feel like “shocks” of electricity which show me that sensitivity is returning.
What do you think of the results of your two operations?
You can quickly see the results! Even if I paid a lot, it’s worth it. My colleagues keep telling me “How you’ve changed!” They’ve all remarked on it! It changes your everyday life. You rediscover yourself differently. It’s like having another life. I rediscover my everyday life differently. It’s just a detail, but I climb the stairs three times faster now! I don’t think at all about how much I’ve spent.
Have you taken up sport again?
Right now it’s on stand-by, but I’ve been trying to get back into it a bit… I’ve had trouble getting back into certain sports. I used to do crossfit with my partner, but after the operation I tried and found I couldn’t do it. Now I can’t do any of the sports I’d like to, I’m stuck on brisk walking three months after my last operation.
Do you have any advice for women who are considering surgery?
So my advice: take the plunge! We live again! I find myself taking photos of myself in the fitting rooms. In the post-operative phase, Doctor Nicolas Zwillinger and his team respond quickly and efficiently, and if I have the slightest problem, I can send an e-mail and they’ll get back to me straight away. It was quite hard for me at first to accept my new image of my legs, I had a certain psychological impact at first, but it’s all positive…
Now that this “Delphine’s testimonial” article is finished, any plans for this afternoon?
Now that I’m in Paris, I’m off to the aquarium with my family! And tomorrow we’re off to the Vincennes zoo! Bye-bye!
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