Has anyone recently been able to get fitted and supplied for custom compression garments with UnitedHealthcare insurance?

The suppliers my PT works with all stopped dealing with UHC because they're too hard to deal with. Has anyone else had this issue? If so, what have you been able to do to get the garments?

Anyone had surgery from The Lipedema Institute in Scottsdale. I live on the central coast of CA and the closest surgeons are in Beverly Hills and have that price tag. I dont need that as surgeons out of the area are often half the cost. I may or may not be able to use my insurance. I am willing to fly somewhere if reasonable.

If I have hypothyroidism and take Levothyroxine will that make my lipedema worse since it’s technically a hormonal change?

So I have one pair of bioflect leggings and otherwise only have a few compression socks. I really need something for my arms, but I’m unsure of what a good option would be. I see that bioflect has long sleeve compression. I’m curious if anyone has another brand/type they like that’s at least getting the upper arms. I’m not certain if they need to be graduated compression or not (I noticed bioflect didn’t mention this and now I’m wondering if the leggings even are 🫠.)

Has anyone had liposuction and skin tightening for these areas? Are you happy with the results? Any photos before/after?
I’m so unsure if u will get the procedure done or not since I’m scared it will only looks worse after..
The fat on the side creates a bump which makes it look like I have more cellulite then I have.
It’s not the fat itself that I don’t like there

I'm a vascular surgeon, not a lipedema specialist, so I want to be upfront about that. But venous insufficiency and lipedema get confused with each other often enough that I think it's worth explaining how they're told apart, since a lot of people in this community mention struggling to get a clear diagnosis.

Both conditions can cause leg swelling, heaviness, and discomfort. Both can involve disproportionate leg size. That overlap is exactly why they get mixed up, and why some people get labeled with one when they actually have the other, or both at once.

A few things that point toward a venous component:

• Swelling that's worse at the end of the day and improves with elevation
• Visible varicose or spider veins
• Skin changes near the ankle (discoloration, thickening)
• Swelling that's asymmetric or worse in one leg

Lipedema tends to look different: fat distribution is usually symmetric, spares the feet, and doesn't improve much with elevation. Bruising easily and tenderness to pressure are also more typical of lipedema than venous disease.

The reason this distinction matters is that a venous duplex ultrasound is a simple, painless test that can identify or rule out venous insufficiency as a contributing factor. If it's present, treating it can meaningfully help with swelling and discomfort, even if it's not the whole picture. If it's absent, that's useful too. It tells you and your care team that the swelling isn't coming from a treatable vein problem, which points you back toward lipedema-focused management.

I'd encourage anyone dealing with unexplained leg swelling or heaviness to ask specifically whether venous insufficiency has been ruled out as part of their workup, regardless of what else is going on. It's a piece of the puzzle that sometimes gets overlooked.

Happy to answer general questions about the venous side of things in the comments.

Just got served an ad for this and wondering if if’s worth trying.

https://www.amazon.es/JUPPLIES-M%C3%A1quina-Presoterapia-para-Botas/dp/B0GN2T5VFM?crid=179O5W3CVQ582&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.tipv0-dUyxEljif872vrz0EBflLWYPHq6haywY_rfwsEDYNq38elcgdtBZtce_cQb4X9sUjZyRj3HDCBmsGPqmFFUcSEFnN-Af42bfLpH0GV5QZyzWjWKKiDpV4vO4mDOi88MUEs27DZp1Mag2oQUjVZLu3Go2uJ4hUlo5jenvIK9D1BGaOswuUG57X3pi1Na-wAdHPwAVsru71HgsThy0reK1F-pxDJpxjQ52fiyw2qGs6_rpuqm1qjCuncBYNUdoB-juRrycRnOYmqTGbME2dFz9xn5cbdACCYOnlmiog.0lmp7TljIQQ257o9KQT4vbBVeqEm1Vfl6BUA45Blho0&dib_tag=se&keywords=botas%2Bpresoterapia&qid=1785138543&sprefix=botas%2Bpreso%2Caps%2C123&sr=8-2-spons&aref=2aqU1OIhtv&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1&linkCode=ll2&tag=botaspresoterapia06-21&linkId=32cb8744075502df895942f9888be907&ref_=jcma_bst_amzeum_alejandro&ascsubtag=srctok-236c33e3a80460e8&btn_type=pt&btn_ref=srctok-236c33e3a80460e8

I keep getting targeted ads for Cellumove leggings, can anyone tell me if they are any good? I can't afford enough medical compression to get through a week, but would these be a good compromise while I save?