POZ Community Forums
Meds, Mind, Body & Benefits => Lipodystrophy & Metabolic Problems => Topic started by: aztecan on December 30, 2010, 10:39:28 pm
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I recently met a woman who has the same lipohypertrophic deposits I do.
She still has the same neck issues I do, but she had her hump surgically removed. The difference between us is she had to have hers cut off.
Her hump had grown so large it was affecting her breathing and starting to cause spinal problems.
Mine, on the other hand, is not as large as hers became. So, while it is unsightly and makes finding shirts that fit nearly impossible, its removal isn't considered medically necessary by my insurance company.
I hadn't seen the deposition of adipose tissue in many others, so meeting this woman was rather like meeting a kindred spirit.
We laughed about our necks, especially when I showed her my impression of Jabba the Hut.
I couldn't tell if she has the same lumps behind her ears that I do.
We both have a Crix belly. Mine had seemed to diminish. I think my wicked snacking during the holidays allowed it to grow again.
Guess its back to healthy eating again.
I noticed there were a bunch of people worried about lipoatrophy, but not one was concerned with lipohypertrophy.
Just thought I would even the score a bit.
HUGS,
Mark
(Who is living with both)
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Mark
How long have you had these lipo's? And what fo you feel caused them?
Thsnks
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Hey Surf,
I became aware of the hump in 2007. It had probably been growing without my noticing it for a little while. The neck and lumps on the back of my neck/head, came a bit later.
The belly could have been happening for a while, but didn't become noticeable until 2007 or so.
I was very thin, 5'11" and 153 pounds. I also smoked two packs a day.
I quit smoking in 2006 and gained 30 pounds in a year. That is when the deposits seemed to appear.
I developed this because I had taken Crixivan for 11 years. If you are unfamiliar with it, it is a PI that came out in 1996. It was a godsend because I could drop the first PI I took, Saquinavir, which was not efficacious.
Problem with Crix was it had to be taken three times a day on an empty stomach. That meant not eating two hours prior or an hour after taking it. So, for nine hours a day, I couldn't have any food. That is why I was thin, I think.
It is believed that taking Crixivan long term caused damage to the mitochondria in my cells, which lead to the lipohypertrophy.
I also took AZT and Epivir for a long time, 12 years, so they could have contributed to the lipoatrophy I have experienced.
I am not complaining, really. My cocktail saved my life. But, I would like to get rid of the hump.
IHUGS,
Mark
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Hi Mark,
My partner has the same fat deposits: under the neck, hump, fat pads on his back and crux belly. He is very unhappy with it and was talking today about how much he hates the way he looks. He would love to have surgery. It breaks my heart that he feels so bad about the way he looks. I try to be supportive without minimizing his concerns. We look for clothes that make him look good. Of course the way he looks doesn't both me- I look at him through years of love and affection. Still, I wish there was something that could correct this problem.
Just wanted to let you know your aren't alone in this.
Ford