Mother has 128 PINTS of fat drained from her body after her legs ballooned to 36 inches in circumference

November 21, 2018 12:35

A woman whose legs ballooned to eight sizes larger than the rest of her body had to have £50,000 liposuction to remove nearly 128 pints (72 litres) of fat.

Claire Tickle, a 42-year-old teaching assistant, has a condition called lipoedema, which causes an abnormal build-up of fat cells in her legs.

First noticing fat around her ankles when she was 16, by her late 30s Ms Tickle's thighs measured 36 inches (91cm) around and she weighed 28 stone (178kg).

The painful condition made her 'extremely insecure' about her body but, after nine operations, she can now wear size 14 jeans and has started dating again.

The liposuction was so successful Ms Tickle has shed almost half her body weight since April 2016, dropping from 28 stone to 16 (101kg).

Ms Tickle, from Eastleigh in Hampshire, said: 'People were always staring at me every time I went out and I hated them thinking that I was fat.

'I wanted to tell them it wasn't my fault my legs were so big but I couldn't. It looked like someone had tied elastic bands around my ankles.

'After the final operation I felt extremely relieved. Suddenly I felt I had the best body confidence in the world.

'I was finally able to do things which I would just dream of, including playing with my ten-year-old son and going out with friends.'

At her heaviest, Ms Tickle tipped the scales at 28 stone (178kg), struggling to fit into size 28 trousers and size 20 tops, so she decided to go on a diet.

She lost an impressive eight stone but her debilitating condition meant her legs were still chunky while her top half slimmed down.

So the mother-of-one spent £50,000 on nine operations to suck out 72.6 litres of lipoedema fat – nearly 128 pints – from her legs and body.

After being diagnosed with lipoedema in 2008, Ms Tickle discovered in 2015 that private liposuction would be her best option for treatment.

Thanks to a huge donation of £49,000 from her father, and £1,000 from crowdfunding, she had three lots of three operations in 2016 and 2017.

Ms Tickle was aged 16 and a size 14 when she first noticed large bulges around her ankles.

'Doctors were not sure what to do as fat continued to build up around my legs so initially, they gave me tablets for water retention,' she said.

But, around 10 years ago, they realised she had lipoedema, which sees sufferers left with an abnormal build-up of fat cells – typically in the legs, thighs, and buttocks.

The condition is far more common in women than in men, and is thought to affect up to 11 per cent of women.

The feet and hands aren't affected, which creates a 'bracelet' effect or 'band-like' appearance just above the ankles and wrists.

Ms Tickle said: 'After the diagnosis, my legs continued to balloon to 36 inches (91cm) around my thighs by January 2014.

'It was at this time that I weighed in at 28 stone (178kg) and struggled into size 28 trousers and size 20 top. I decided to go on a diet to try and shed the pounds.

'I joined Slimming World with a typical diet of scrambled eggs for breakfast, a ham salad for lunch and rice and vegetables for dinner.

'Over the next 18 months, I lost 4lbs (1.8kg) a month on the upper half of my body and I could clearly see the difference.'

But at 19st and 11lb (126kg), she said her size 22 legs were still like 'tree trunks' compared to her size 16 top half.

Ms Tickle added: 'It made me extremely insecure about my body.'

Medics said the incurable condition could have left her permanently wheelchair-bound, but found private liposuction was an option in June 2015.

Her father John, a 70-year-old retired surveyor, gave her £49,000 of the £50,000 bill while £1,000 came from crowdfunding.

Ms Tickle said: 'My dad amazingly offered to pay the other £49,000 to help fund the treatment out of his life-savings and pension. I simply couldn't believe it.

She then travelled down to the Spire Parkway Hospital in Solihull, the location for all of her operations.

'I walked into the operating theatre ahead of the first op and was extremely nervous,' Ms Tickle said.

The first three operations took place in April, July, and October 2016 and saw 56 pints (32l) of fat removed from Ms Tickle's lower thighs, knees and lower back.

Ms Tickle said: 'I couldn't have everything at once, so I had to split the operations with a four to six week recovery period between each.'

Three more operations happened in January, March and May 2017, when surgeons removed a further 62 pints (35l) from her bum, upper chest, and abdomen.

Ms Tickle also had a breast reduction to even out her body shape in proportion to her 5ft 9in stature.

Ms Tickle added: 'After each operation, I was slowly feeling significantly much better about myself and I could see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Ms Tickle had three operations in July, August and November 2017 when around 10 pints (6l) of fat was removed from her upper legs, and she had surgery to improve scars caused by the ops.

She had a total of 127.5 pints (72.6l) of lipoedema fat removed.

She also had a tummy tuck to get raid of excess skin which got rid of 1.5 stone (9.45kg) of excess skin.

She now fits into size 14 clothes and weighs 16 stone (101kg).

It gave her the confidence to meet her partner in April 2018 through a dating website.

Ms Tickle added: 'My condition meant that I was just simply closed off and wouldn't talk to any men at all.

'This lasted for more than ten years but I met my first partner in May and feel much happier. I can not thank my dad enough.

'I am pain-free and able to walk around much more comfortably and my mobility is back 100 per cent.

'The treatment can transform a woman's life so I would certainly encourage them to have it if they can afford the cost.'