From Awareness to Advocacy: Lipedema Conversations with Sarah Kitchens

From Awareness to Advocacy: Lipedema Conversations with Sarah Kitchens

Sarah Kitchens on Lipedema: Diagnosis, Advocacy, and a Multi-Surgery Journey with Dr. HagopianHosts Cindy and Kristy welcome Sarah Kitchens, a wife, mother of three, professor, and trauma-focused therapist, to discuss her lipedema journey.

Sarah believes symptoms began around age 9–10 but she wasn’t diagnosed until 40 after discovering lipedema on social media; she then pursued research, sought medical referrals (including MLD), and obtained an official diagnosis with Dr. Byrd.

She describes years of body-image struggles, disconnection from her body, and confusion from being told to “eat less, exercise more,” and how diagnosis brought relief and deeper empathy for clients.

Sarah details surgeries with Dr. Hagopian: Sept 2025 (10 liters from legs), Dec 2025 (3.5 liters from trunk plus fleur-de-lis abdominoplasty/panniculectomy), and March 2026 (12 liters posterior legs/back with spiral thigh lift), with a future arm surgery planned; she discusses wound risks, recovery challenges, insurance hurdles, costs, and the importance of strong family support, social media awareness, and persistent self-advocacy.00:00 Welcome to the Show00:56 Meet Sarah Kitchens01:32 Early Signs of Lipedema02:21 Finding Answers Online05:10 Mental Health Impact08:31 Diagnosis Journey11:41 Doctors and Advocacy16:10 Surgery Consult and Timeline20:18 Recovery and Wound Risks25:19 Choosing Surgery Despite Risks26:25 Sharing the Journey Online27:43 Anesthesia Confessions and Gratitude28:08 Insurance Battles and Costs34:52 Family Support During Recovery38:32 Recovery Realities No One Mentions41:15 Social Media Community and Awareness44:24 Advocacy and Educating Doctors46:58 Advice and Episode Wrap


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Kristy's Contact information:

IG⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/dellalunawellness/⁠

FB Group⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1F3pseJKUd/?mibextid=wwXIfr⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website Kristy Dellacroce, MS,OTR/L, MLD-C

⁠⁠ Dellalunawellness.com

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lipedema Advocate 856-297-7437

Cindy contact information

⁠FB:⁠ ⁠https://www.facebook.com/withcindyhowell⁠⁠⁠

Private FB Group:⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/7021999704562921⁠⁠⁠⁠

IG:⁠⁠⁠ https://www.instagram.com/lipedema_withcindyhowell/⁠

Cindy Howell RN, CLT, MPCH

Website:⁠ ⁠⁠⁠www.withcindyhowell.com⁠⁠⁠⁠

Lipedema advocate: 860-550-1161

Top 5 Foods to Avoid for Managing Lipedema! Link:⁠ https://withcindyhowell.com/checklist/⁠

Free surgery course: ⁠⁠https://l.bttr.to/6cATB⁠Sarah Kitchens

https://www.instagram.com/sarah.lifelipedema/https://www.tiktok.com/@sarah.lipedema.unmasked

https://www.facebook.com/share/18ZSgTfLfn/?mibextid=wwXIfr

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Episoder(80)

Body Liberation, Lipedema, and Breaking Free from Diet Culture with Paula Atkinson

Body Liberation, Lipedema, and Breaking Free from Diet Culture with Paula Atkinson

Cindy welcomes Paula Dee Atkinson, a body liberation psychotherapist and yoga teacher specializing in body image, trauma, and eating disorders, who has worked with many clients diagnosed with lipedema...

16 Aug 53min

Fascia, Advocacy, and Block Therapy: Kelly Maynard’s Lipedema Journey

Fascia, Advocacy, and Block Therapy: Kelly Maynard’s Lipedema Journey

Host Cindy welcomes Kelly Maynard of Wild Heart Wellness, who shares her long journey to recognizing lipedema after her fourth child at 43 and years of worsening pain that left her mostly bedridden, i...

9 Aug 1h 6min

Part 2 with Wendy Moore on Connective Truth: Reaching Young Women With Lipedema Awareness

Part 2 with Wendy Moore on Connective Truth: Reaching Young Women With Lipedema Awareness

Connective Truth: Expanding Lipedema Awareness and Access for Young WomenHost Cindy welcomes back guest Wendy Moore of the new nonprofit Connective Truth, who shares that she had lipedema since childh...

2 Aug 38min

The Voice of Truth: Wendy Moore and Lipedema Awareness

The Voice of Truth: Wendy Moore and Lipedema Awareness

Wendy Moore on Connective Truth, Diagnosis Barriers, and Reaching Young Women With LipedemaHost Cindy and interview Wendy Moore, founder of the nonprofit Connective Truth, who has had lipedema since c...

26 Jul 1h 2min

Lipedema, MS, and Venous Insufficiency: Katie Tarr's Journey from PT to Patient Advocate

Lipedema, MS, and Venous Insufficiency: Katie Tarr's Journey from PT to Patient Advocate

Host Cindy interviews Katie Tarr, a retired physical therapist, mom from Wilmington, North Carolina, and content creator living with lipedema, multiple sclerosis, and chronic venous insufficiency. Kat...

19 Jul 49min

Liposuction Expertise: Dr. Thomas Su's Approach

Liposuction Expertise: Dr. Thomas Su's Approach

Dr. Thomas Su on Awake 360° Lipedema Liposuction, Staging, Recovery, and Insurance ChallengesHosts Cindy and Kristy introduce Dr. Thomas Su of Art Lipo in Tampa. Dr. Su describes training in internal ...

12 Jul 51min

Breaking Down Barriers: Conversations on Lipedema with Dr. Francois"

Breaking Down Barriers: Conversations on Lipedema with Dr. Francois"

Lipedema, Vascular Health, and Women’s Advocacy with Dr. Czestochowa FrancoisHost Cindy welcomes Dr. Czestochowa Francois, an emergency and vascular medicine physician, to discuss her path into lympha...

5 Jul 59min

Beyond the Diagnosis: Dr. Nicole Kramer’s Story

Beyond the Diagnosis: Dr. Nicole Kramer’s Story

Dr. Nicole Kramer on 33 Years of Misdiagnosis, Medical Gaslighting, and Finding Answers with LipedemaHosts Cindy andKristy welcome Dr. Nicole Kramer, a clinical psychologist and “fellow lippy lady” di...

28 Jun 53min

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