What is Lipodystrophy?

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Lipodystrophy is a condition that affects your body’s ability to produce and store fat. And while a condition that makes it difficult for your body to produce fat might sound like a pleasant problem to have, the truth is that it can lead to some pretty severe side effects. And for someone who lives with lipodystrophy, it can be debilitating.

And while we don’t yet understand everything about the condition, we do know that autoimmune diseases can be triggers for it. That makes the condition interesting when it comes to fibromyalgia. We know that people with fibromyalgia tend to suffer from autoimmune conditions at a larger rate than the general population. So, it’s possible that someone with fibromyalgia may suffer from the condition as a complication of an autoimmune disease.

But what exactly is this condition? And what can you do to treat it?

What Is Lipodystrophy?

Lipodystrophy affects the ability of your body to create fat cells. And there are two basic kinds. There is the localized variety, that just affects one specific area of the skin, and the generalized, which affects the entire body.

The localized kind is usually much of a problem. It’s often the result of repeated injections, which is why it’s common among diabetics, who have to give themselves frequent insulin injections. This sort of localized lipodystrophy is usually just a single spot at the site of these injections where the body can store fat. As a result, it just takes the form of a small depression in the skin.

But generalized cases are much more dangerous. We don’t know for sure what causes this condition, but there are a number of different things that seem to function as triggers:

• Infections like HIV.
• Autoimmune conditions.
• Injuries.

The most common symptoms of the generalized form are problems gaining and retaining fat, frequently feeling hungry, and periods of low blood sugar. In addition, some people will notice patches of smoother skin under the arms.

And generalized forms of the condition can cause a number of different side effects. Fat creates a hormone called leptin that performs a variety of important tasks like letting your body know it’s full and helping your digestive system process insulin. As a result, people with the condition tend to feel hungry constantly and develop symptoms common to diabetes such as kidney failure and liver disease.

And fat can also start to accumulate in the veins, which leads to high cholesterol levels and eventually heart failure.

Diagnosing the condition can be difficult. But doctors tend to rely on a test of body fat levels. If you’re chronically underweight, it’s a good sign that you may be suffering from the condition. In this case, the doctor will run blood tests to test your blood sugar levels and the function of your liver and kidneys.

But if you are suffering from the condition, there are a few things you should keep in mind.

What Can You Do To Treat It?

There is currently no cure for lipodystrophy. And there is no way to help replace the fat that your body has lost. When it comes to localized forms of the condition, treatment isn’t usually necessary. But you can avoid these spots of fat loss by switching up the location where you give yourself injections.

However, when it comes to the generalized form, the condition is more dangerous, and thus finding ways to prevent complications is important. And even if there’s no cure, there are ways you can manage the condition effectively, which will help prevent any dangerous complications.

First, make sure that you’re eating a balanced diet. This can be difficult when your fat starved body is craving certain foods. But it’s important to avoid foods that are high in fat. This extra dietary fat can flow through your digestive system and into the blood stream, which can cause problems in your cardiovascular system.

In addition, because your body doesn’t produce enough insulin, you’re at risk of blood sugar spikes. These can be very dangerous and even lead to comas. That’s why it’s important to exercise regularly. Regular exercise helps to regulate the level of blood sugar in your body and can keep them constant.

Finally, women who suffer from this condition should avoid hormonal birth-control pills. These hormones affect the level of fat in the body and can lead to complications.

So, are you suffering from lipodystrophy? Do you think it could be related to your fibromyalgia? What do you do to manage it? Let us know in the comments.