Jameka Mauldin’s abnormal weight gain made her fear for her life. By the time she was 35, she had become so overweight that she couldn’t even get out of bed or go to the washroom without any help from someone. Traditional weight loss methods didn’t really work on Mauldin, and she continued to struggle with swelling in her legs and lower body.
As per The Mirror, the Michigan resident said, “Doctors told me to eat less and move more, but no matter what I did, my legs just kept growing. It wasn’t just fat. It felt different. It was heavy, tight, painful. I knew something was wrong.”
With time, Mauldin gained over 714 lbs (51 stone). However, in 2019, a diagnosis changed her life forever. That year, the woman was diagnosed with lymphedema. It is a chronic condition where lymph fluid builds up in the body’s soft tissue, leading to painful swelling in the arms and legs.
A double diagnosis revealed that she was also suffering from lipedema, a similar condition that typically affects women. This fat distribution disorder causes abnormal buildup of painful fat cells in various parts of the body, particularly in the thighs, hips, and legs.
Recounting the moment when she got her diagnosis, the woman said, “I cried. Not because I was scared, but because I finally had a name for what I’d been going through all these years. Now I’m finally free. And I’m not just doing this for me, I’m doing it for every woman who’s ever been dismissed, misdiagnosed, or told to just ‘try harder’.”
“People need to know this isn’t their fault. You can be doing everything right and still be gaining weight because your body is holding fluid and fat in ways you can’t control.”
18 million women in the U.S. have Lipedema and don’t know; they think their fat just go like that…
Watch: https://t.co/O78pgGVRgR pic.twitter.com/onMkGsQf0R— Ken D Berry MD (@KenDBerryMD) January 15, 2024
Both lipedema and lymphedema are incurable. However, oftentimes, it’s ignored or misdiagnosed, which leads to more issues. Jameka, who had worked as a caregiver and nursing assistant since 2010, had to be admitted to a care facility after her condition got worse.
“I became a resident in a nursing home. That was my rock bottom,” she admitted. The woman added that when she was at her most overweight, her legs were so swollen that it became hard to manage her daily life at home. “I needed help with everything, bathing, dressing, even going to the bathroom. I felt helpless. I felt humiliated,” she painfully confessed.
Despite it all, Mauldin refused to give up even at her worst. Today, she has shed over 25 stone (350 lbs) following a series of targeted liposuction surgeries, physical therapy, and lifestyle changes.
The mom of one has now returned to her work as a Certified Nursing Assistant. She was thoroughly supported by her 15-year-old daughter Jamya throughout her journey.
“She’s my reason. Every time I wanted to quit, I thought of her. I still have loose skin. I still have bad days. But now I love the woman in the mirror. Because I know what she’s been through.”
Jameka continues to inspire others through her story on Instagram. She has over 100K followers who look forward to get a glimpse of her journey.
