Lipoedema, Histamine and Insulin: Discover Mae's Story

At LIPOELASTIC, our mission is to share as much information as possible with women affected by lipoedema. This involves collaborations with professionals, of course, but also direct communication with the patients themselves.

We started our series of blog articles on the subject of lipedema by collaborating with healthcare professionals, but also with patients, in order to help and support those who wish to learn more about lipoedema and discover possible solutions to improve their daily lives and help them stabilize the progression of their lipoedema.

It is also essential for us to share the stories of women affected by this disease. These stories shed light on their daily lives, their discoveries, and their advice.

It's important to remember that one in 11 women is affected by lipoedema. If you are one of these women, know that you are not alone.

Today, Maeva, also known as Les idées de Mae on Instagram and TikTok, kindly agreed to share her journey as a lipoedema heroine with us. She also shares her valuable advice on a topic particularly close to her heart: histamine and insulin intolerance.

Get to know Maeva

Hello everyone!

My name is Maeva, I'm 29 years old, and I'm incredibly passionate. I live life at 200 miles an hour, always curious and eager for discovery. I'm interested in a thousand things at once: literature, the arts, cooking, health, writing… and of course, creating content for my account, Les idées de Mae, which now occupies a significant place in my daily life.

Besides that, I have a job I love, and I have a “standard” life, that of a woman who was diagnosed with lipoedema almost six years ago, and who one day made the decision to talk about it.

I have also always loved sport. My sporting journey has had many ups and downs, particularly because of lipoedema, but today I have found a good balance thanks to crossfit, a discipline that is good for me both physically and mentally.

I am a kind, positive woman who enjoys supporting others and spreading kindness. I love meeting people, exchanging ideas, and discussing things for hours… It's something that deeply motivates me and that I love to share through my interactions.

When were you diagnosed with lipoedema?

I was diagnosed in April 2019. Between late 2018 and early 2019, I experienced a kind of abrupt "awakening": in the middle of winter, I woke up with strange pains in my legs. It was like an internal sunburn, an unpleasant, diffuse heat I had never felt before. Like many people, I searched online and came across the word "lipoedema" for the first time… But at that point, I didn't pursue it any further.

It wasn't until a few weeks later, while watching a YouTube video by EmyMakeupPro , that everything suddenly made sense. She described exactly what I was going through. I recognized myself in every word, every feeling. That moment was a real turning point: I understood that I wasn't alone, and I decided to begin my journey, even though, at first, I didn't really have any support. The people around me didn't know about the illness, and many thought it was "nothing," that I was just imagining things.

Getting a diagnosis was an immense relief. I remember leaving the appointment calling my family, almost in tears, to tell them, "You see, I wasn't wrong. Everything I felt was true." It was a profoundly liberating moment.

This is actually a message I often share on social media: you have to listen to yourself. If I had listened to my loved ones, who wanted to protect me but didn't know about this illness, I probably wouldn't have been diagnosed so soon. And I wouldn't have been able to enjoy the end of my twenties the way I did afterward.

In Switzerland, when I was diagnosed, I was fortunate enough to undergo numerous and very thorough examinations. Everything moved quite quickly at first: once the diagnosis was made, I was offered the opportunity to schedule the surgeries. But that's when my journey took a real turn for the worse. I experienced a major disappointment, which I've shared in detail on my social media: the surgeon and the professor in the angiology department who were treating me decided to use me as a "case study." For two years, I only had appointments for measurements, without any real progress. I was completely in the dark.

Fortunately, I was able to count on my physiotherapist, who was a true pillar of support. She was the one who supported me, listened to me, and provided my follow-up care with immense kindness.

After two years of stagnation, I decided to look for another surgeon. And once I had saved up the money - because even though I was entitled to reimbursement, it wasn't possible with the surgeon I had chosen - I decided to go ahead. I had hoped to have my surgery before I turned 25, but it ended up taking place a little later, between the ages of 25 and 26.

Since then, I've been able to live much more freely with lipoedema. Of course, I believe you never truly recover, but today, the illness doesn't occupy as much of my mind. I focus on the positive: taking care of my health, my body, my well-being. That's what matters most to me now.

How did you first become interested in histamine and insulin intolerance?

It all started with my desire to take even better care of myself after my surgeries, which I was very happy with. I had this deep need to understand what could support my body in the long term, particularly through the balance of the microbiota.

In my family, we talk a lot about health, longevity, Blue Zones… and these discussions led me to consult a microbiome specialist. I thought this appointment might provide some answers about my lipoedema. And I was right: I discovered that my lipoedema was linked to a genetic mutation, intestinal dysbiosis, and a whole series of small internal imbalances I hadn't suspected.                   

It was also at that time that I learned I was insulin resistant – something that had never come up in my previous assessments at the time, in the angiology department. This discovery was a real turning point, because in talking with other women affected by lipoedema, I realized that there were many of us in the same situation. In Switzerland, for example, more and more women with lipoedema are being prescribed a semaglutide-based medication by their endocrinologist to manage this resistance.

This exploratory phase allowed me to understand how much an anti-inflammatory diet - especially one tailored to my profile, particularly low in histamine - could help stabilize my condition. And it's thanks to this awareness, which I already had before, I think, that I managed to stay in stage 1 for years.

Today, I am grateful to the caring professionals who have supported me, because even though my journey has had its disappointments, I have also had the chance to meet precious people who continue to enlighten and support me.

Why did you create your Les idées de Mae accounts?

I created Les Idées de Mae because for years I'd wanted to share my journey with lipoedema, and especially everything I'd learned along the way. As soon as I was diagnosed, I felt this strong need to talk about it, to put words to it, but at the time, no one was really talking about it on social media. I was scared. Scared of being reduced to that, to lipoedema. Scared of daring to put myself out there when I myself wasn't yet comfortable with it. I'd even created an account that I never updated.

And then, with time, the encounters, the incredible professionals I met, I felt the desire – and the need – to create a space to share. Because, despite everything, I have a very positive outlook on my journey. Lipedema pushed me to take care of myself very early on, to listen to my body, to pay attention to what I consume, to the quality of the products I put on my skin, to return to a more natural, healthier diet.                                       

When I started doing certain tests with my micro nutritionist, it was a revelation. I understood things I'd never understood before, because it was completely personalized, tailored to me. And I thought, " Why aren't we told this? " I had this feeling of finally being listened to, understood. And I know that not all women living with lipoedema are necessarily so fortunate.

I also experienced bad advice, judgment, that feeling of never doing enough, of never being enough. And yet, I was giving it my all. But the problem was, no one understood what I was really going through. So today, I want to share this information, these resources, so that other women can also ask themselves the right questions, take the right tests, and perhaps feel better. I want them to know that no, it's not "all in their head. "

Yes, there are links between lipoedema, histamine intolerance, insulin resistance, and many other things. I want to pass on to them what I wish I had known sooner.

The goal of Les Idées de Mae is first and foremost to create a supportive community, a space where people can freely share their experiences with lipoedema, without judgment. I want this to be an account where women can feel heard, understood, and also guided, if they need it.

I sometimes share contact information for professionals I've met and trust, or inspiring accounts. What I want is to talk about life with lipoedema in its entirety, not just the medical aspect. This also includes diet, recipes, everyday products, books… Everything I discover for myself, I want to share.

I invest a lot of time in my research, and if it can help other women, then it's a success. It's something I also do for my sister-in-law, who is going through the same thing as me, with the same histamine and insulin issues. I'd also like to help raise awareness of lipoedema in Switzerland, because even though we're seeing more and more French accounts, it's still rarely discussed here. I want Swiss women to feel involved, represented, and above all, informed. Essentially, my account is a kind of resource bank, a collection of personal stories, a place where everyone can find what they need and see if it resonates with their own experience.

Being able to talk with other women, support them, do what I didn't have back then… it's become a real passion alongside my work. And I get enormous pleasure from listening to each woman's story, learning from them, and simply being there.