The mum said getting a diagnosis changed everything

A woman reached a staggering 51 stoneafter years of desperately trying to stop her legs from growing—only to eventually find answers and a path forward that wasn’t Mounjaro.

Jameka Mauldin, a mum from the US, said she became a prisoner in her own body as her weight increased so dramatically that she sometimes needed help to get out of bed and even make it to the toilet. As her health deteriorated, she feared that each night could be her last.

For years, the 35-year-old single mumbattled persistent swelling in her legs and lower body that did not improve with traditional weight-loss advice. She said doctors repeatedly told her to “eat less and move more,” yet nothing she tried stopped her legs from getting bigger. “It wasn’t just fat,” she explained. “It felt different—heavy, tight, painful. I knew something was wrong.”

Her weight eventually climbed to 51 stone, but she refused to give up. Today, she says she has lost more than 25 stone, calling it the result of persistence, proper diagnosis, and sustained treatment—not a quick fix.

In 2019, Jameka finally received the answers she had been fighting for. She was diagnosed with lymphedema, a chronic condition where lymph fluid builds up in soft tissue and causes painful swelling, most often in the arms and legs. She was also diagnosed with lipedema, a disorder that typically affects women and involves abnormal, painful fat buildup—especially in the hips, thighs, and legs.

“Getting a diagnosis changed everything,” she said. She described crying—not out of fear, but out of relief that what she had lived with for years finally had a name. She added that her fight is not only personal, but also for women who have been dismissed, misdiagnosed, or told to simply “try harder.”

Both conditions are described as progressive and incurable, and Jameka said they are too often ignored or misunderstood—particularly among black women. “We’re told we’re just fat, or that we’re lazy,” she said. “But this isn’t about willpower. This is medical.”

She explained that lymphedema can occur when the lymphatic system is damaged or blocked, preventing fluid from draining properly. This can lead to swelling, skin changes, discomfort, infections such as cellulitis, and severe mobility problems. Lipedema, meanwhile, is described as a genetic and hormonal condition that causes disproportionate lower-body fat accumulation, often worsening during puberty, pregnancy, or menopause—and it cannot be reversed through diet or exercise alone.

Jameka’s message is direct: people need to understand that this is not a personal failure. She said someone can do “everything right” and still gain weight because the body is retaining fluid and fat in ways that are difficult to control.

At her peak, her legs were so swollen that she could no longer walk without help. She said she needed assistance with nearly everything, including bathing, dressing, and using the bathroom—an experience she described as humiliating.

Jameka has worked as a caregiver and nursing assistant since 2010, but when her health collapsed, she said she had to take a full year away from work for surgeries and recovery. During that period, she faced serious complications, including infections. After one surgery, she said she spent a month in a nursing home, calling it one of the hardest times of her life. Eventually, she was admitted to a care facility because she could no longer manage day-to-day life at home. “That was my rock bottom,” she said.

Instead of stopping there, she made a simple decision: if she could not walk, she would crawl. If she could not fix everything at once, she would do something—one small action at a time. “Every day I told myself, ‘Just one thing, Jameka. Just do one thing today,’” she said. One thing became another, and over time, the weight began to come off.

She says she has now lost more than half her body weight through a combination of lifestyle changes, physical therapy, and a series of targeted liposuction surgeries aimed at removing damaged lymphatic tissue from her legs. She now walks without assistance and has returned to work—not as a patient, but as a Certified Nursing Assistant. “I went from being cared for to caring for others,” she said, describing that full-circle moment as a major source of motivation.

Her daughter, 15-year-old Jamya, has supported her throughout. Jameka said her child kept her focused when she felt like quitting. While she admits she still struggles—living with loose skin and difficult days—she says she has learned to love the woman she sees in the mirror because she understands what it took to survive.