'Doctors dismissed me as lazy and obese. The truth led to four surgeries.'

Teresa Gambaro spent decades believing her body was the problem.

As a federal politician, she spent long days on her feet, feeling the familiar ache in her legs and feet — brushing it off as part of the job. But something never quite added up.

No matter how much she dieted, no matter how much she exercised, her limbs just kept growing. Her torso stayed a size 14, but her arms and legs grew to an 18. Eventually, she gave up trying to buy clothes off the rack and started having them specially made.

"I thought I was obese," she recalled.

Behind the scenes, colleagues whispered. Doctors dismissed her. Teresa blamed herself.

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"I could hear the judgement. They thought I just had a problem with food. But it wasn't that," she said.

It wasn't until 2016, aged 58, that Teresa finally received a diagnosis. Lipoedema.

Lipoedema is a little-known fat disorder that almost exclusively impacts females. It's hereditary, and is often misdiagnosed as obesity. For Teresa, the diagnosis was life-changing — but also heartbreaking.

"It was a relief to finally know why I was different," she said. "Because then I could finally do something about it."

Since then, Teresa has undergone four surgeries to remove the fat from her limbs. She's now a size 12, walks five kilometres a day, and, most importantly, she's stopped blaming herself.

Her daughter Rachelle, now 37, was recently diagnosed with lipoedema too. She's recovering from her first surgery.

Looking back, Teresa says she can now see the disease stretching across generations — her mother, her grandmother, other female relatives who lived with pain, swelling, and shame, without ever knowing why.

Lipoedema isn't rare. It's unrecognised.

Lipoedema is a little-known, often-misdiagnosed disease that affects an estimated one in 11 women. Yet many are told that their symptoms are just a result of being overweight. They're dismissed, misdiagnosed, and left to manage a progressive, painful condition with little to no medical support.

This hormone-driven fat disorder usually starts in puberty and worsens during pregnancy and perimenopause. It differs from obesity because the fat is resistant to diet, exercise and weight-loss surgery and follows a specific, symmetrical pattern — typically affecting the legs and arms, but sparing the feet and hands.

The physical symptoms can be debilitating: heavy, painful limbs; easy bruising; chronic fatigue; and a visible disproportion in body shape.

It's not fluid-driven like lymphoedema, which is a swelling condition caused by the build-up of fluid — though the two conditions often coexist and lipoedema is often misdiagnosed as lymphoedema. 

"It's not lifestyle-related. It's a disease," explained Dr Chris Lekich, a leading Australian specialist in lipoedema diagnosis and treatment.

"Many of my patients describe the same thing: they lose weight everywhere except their legs. And because of that, they're often shamed into thinking it's their fault."

But it's not. And the impact isn't just physical. Dr Lekich says the emotional toll can be enormous. 

"Being told you're lazy, that you just need to try harder — it's demoralising. I see women with eating disorders, anxiety, depression, even suicidal ideation," he said.

Despite being recognised by the World Health Organisation in 2019, lipoedema is still not recognised by Medicare in Australia. That means diagnosis, management, compression garments, and even surgery — which can stop the disease from progressing — are entirely self-funded.

"We're failing women," Dr Lekich added. "Women are going into debt, cashing out their superannuation, or simply missing out on treatment because they can't afford it. And worse, many doctors still don't even acknowledge that lipoedema exists."

One of the most effective treatments is lipoedema surgery — specialised, lymph-sparing liposuction that removes the diseased fat while preserving vital structures. 

"It's not cosmetic — it's medical," he added. "It works best when done early, using a staged approach, and paired with long-term support like metabolic care, physiotherapy, and dietetics. It's not a quick fix — but for many women, it's the first time they can walk without pain, wear pants that fit, or feel hopeful about their body again."

Dr Lekich wants to see urgent, system-wide changes: Medicare recognition of lipoedema, education and training for doctors, and integrated multidisciplinary care. 

If you suspect you have lipoedema, Dr Lekich's advice is to get a second opinion. 

"Trust yourself. Keep asking questions. Take notes, track your symptoms, ask about family history — it often runs in families," he said.

"Seek a second opinion from a clinician experienced in lipoedema. And if someone dismisses you, remind them: it's their duty of care to listen, to learn, and to act. You are not broken. You are not lazy. This is not your fault."

To raise awareness for lipoedema, Dr Lekich is taking on one of the most gruelling endurance events in the world: the Race Across America.

Covering 5,000 kilometres from California to the East Coast in just 12 days, the Ride to Walk With Freedom is a global campaign to spotlight the disease that affects millions of women in silence.

To support Dr Lekich, visit Instagram, here:

Feature Image: Supplied.