I ballooned to 30st eating salad…docs told me to diet but missed REAL cause for years – thousands of women have it too

A MUM-of-two is “disgusted” that she has to shell out £300 a month for fat jabs after doctors failed to diagnose the true cause of her obesity. Abigail Barry, 52, says her condition went undiagnosed for 30 years, during which time doctors told to simply “try harder” to shift growing weight, despite the fact she was eating salads and eggs for breakfast. Abigail Barry says she spent years being told to “eat less and exercise more” before finally discovering she was living with a chronic illness Credit: Jam Press/@abigailbarry_the1andonly Abigail, pictured before her symptoms, says she was “doing everything right” but gained weight over 30 years Credit: Jam Press/@abigailbarry_the1andonly “Doctors have been telling me for years to lose weight, eat less, exercise, and it’s my fault that I’m the size I am as I must be eating more than I should,” she tells Sun Health. “I was lost for words, because at that time, I was doing Weight Watchers, at the gym five times, water aerobics, bikes, weights, walking my dog twice a day and eating a healthy diet.” “GPs and consultants have always told me to try harder.” But they were missing the signs of something far more chronic. Abigail, a former motorcycle instructor from Herne Bay, Kent, was diagnosed with lymphoedema and lipoedema – a condition that affects ITV presenter Josie Gibson – last year. The former causes the body to swell due to fluid, and the latter is an abnormal build-up of fat that causes sensitive skin and pain. Abigail had classic signs of the condition, like bruising easily and “my rings would get very tight overnight”. Her legs have become so swollen she can’t walk, despite previously being active to try and shift the stubborn weight, in a ‘vicous cycle’. So four months ago, Abigail – who weighed 31 stone and 11lbs, with a BMI of 62.5 – got her hopes up at the thought of weight loss injections to help ease her pain. Abigail said: “I tried to get Mounjaro on the NHS because I’m certain it would save them money in the long run, but my GP wouldn’t prescribe because I’m not diabetic. “Because I’m absolutely, 100 per cent sure that I’m only fat because of my illnesses, I’m disgusted that I have to pay.” GPs began dishing out Mounjaro in the summer of 2025 to those with a BMI of 40 and with four health conditions. Even those who fit the criteria are not guaranteed to get free jabs that easily. Abigail was finally diagnosed with lymphoedema, a long-term condition that causes swelling in the body’s tissues. It can affect any part of the body, but usually develops in the arms or legs Credit: Jam Press/@abigailbarry_the1andonly The mum-of-two also has lipoedema, an abnormal build-up of fat that causes sensitive skin and pain Credit: Jam Press/@abigailbarry_the1andonly Abigail says she first started putting weight on when she was 18 and was told from there on to “try harder” to lose weight Credit: Jam Press/@abigailbarry_the1andonly What are the signs of lymphedema and lipoedema and how are they different? Both lymphedema and lipedemacause swelling in the limbs, but they are different medical conditions driven by different causes. The former is a fluid problem, while the latter is a fat distribtion problem. Lymphedema In this condition, the lymphatic system is blocked, leading to a fluid build-up in the body. The lymphatic system is a network of channels and glands throughout the body that helps fight infection and remove excess fluid. It usually is asymmetrical, meaning it affects one arm or on leg, going all the way to the hands and feet. It’s typically painless but limbs can feel heavy or tight. Jewellery and watches may feel tighter. The skin can develop into hard, tough or thickened skin, and infections can be repeated. Fluid may leak through the skin. Lymphoedema is thought to affect more than 200,000 people in the UK. Lipoedema The abnormal distribution of fat in this condition tends to affect both the arms and legs, but stops at the ankles and wrists – which look slimmer. It is symmetrical. The skin can be painful to touch, bruise easily and have a doughy texture to it, or orange-peel. In early-stage lipoedema, you may have bigger legs, a narrow waist and a much smaller upper body. Then it can affect the arms. Treatment There’s no cure for these conditions. Managing lymphoedema symptoms includes techniques to minimise fluid build-up and stimulate the flow of fluid, such as compression garments, exercise and diet. The same things are recommended for lipoedema, as well as looking after the skin. Both conditions can have a significant psychological impact, and sometimes counselling or CBT therapy is recommended to help with mental health symptoms. Visit Lymphoedema Support Network, Lipoedema UK and Talk Lipoedema for help, advice and information. Abigail, a mum-of-two, says her £300-a-month private jabs have reduced pain and swelling. She first noticed she was gaining weight at 18 years old. She says: “I can’t remember exactly when it was but I put weight on VERY quickly, within six months. “I have been fairly consistently obese for years now. “It was absolutely soul-destroying to be told I wasn’t trying hard enough when I was doing everything right. “I don’t overeat – but not once have they told me it’s because of my illnesses that I’m obese. “I took either my mum or ex-partner to consultations to back me up that I wasn’t over-eating, but that was just ignored. “I then became incredibly angry at consultants as they just wouldn’t help and kept referring me to dieticians. “I was told to put some real effort in. “I was eating healthily, black coffee, two scrambled eggs on one slice of brown toast with a scraping of marmite, and a banana for breakfast. “Lunch was shredded chicken or turkey breast with lettuce, cucumber, and a mashed avocado inside a wholewheat tortilla, with an apple and strawberries. “Dinner was usually turkey breast, a hard-boiled egg, and a low-calorie dressing over a bed of mixed greens salad and spring onion.” In a desperate attempt to reclaim her life, having been left housebound by the condition, Abigail began paying for weight loss jabs four months ago. She says: “The money spent on jabs could be put towards compression stockings and velcro wraps, antidepressants, and councillor services.” But she has noticed positive effects – not just the 4 stone weight loss. Both Abigail’s conditions can affect the skin, causing sensitivity, brusing, tenderness, thickening and infections Credit: Jam Press/@abigailbarry_the1andonly Lymphoedema is usually is asymmetrical, meaning it affects one arm or on leg, going all the way to the hands and feet. But lipoedema stops at the ankles and wrists Credit: Jam Press/@abigailbarry_the1andonly She says: “Within the first two weeks, the pain and a lot of the swelling went down in my legs. “During the second month, I had extreme nausea and vomiting, and my stomach felt constantly heavy and uncomfortable, like I was months nine months pregnant. “I’m extremely tired, irritable and grumpy, which is unlike me.” Now housebound and unable to work, Abigail is a size 30, uses a vibration plate to help with pain and wears compression socks daily. Treatments for both her conditions include compression stockings, taking care of the skin and moving regularly – but they are incurable. Abigail said: “If I don’t wear my compression garments, my legs balloon in size. “GPs have given me cream for my legs and wraps to keep swelling down. That’s it. “I’m finding it very difficult to actually compress my legs daily as it’s difficult to reach due to my obesity. “I also have to elevate my legs for 40 minutes twice a day to help drain the lymph fluid. “I’ve often been caught doing this by my window cleaner – the poor fella. “It’s very hard to do most things due to the heaviness, pain and size of my legs. “I can’t walk as my legs are so painful and heavy. Abigail, who says walking is difficult, has to elevate her legs daily to try and ease the swelling Credit: Jam Press/@abigailbarry_the1andonly Abigail says she is “disgusted” she has to pay for fat jabs, after doctors failed to spot her conditions for 30 years Credit: Jam Press/@abigailbarry_the1andonly “I can’t stand for any period or do things that involve standing. “I’m unbelievably stubborn and hate using a wheelchair or a Scooter. “When I make myself do my housework, it’s physically painful. “It’s a vicious cycle.” Abigail says strangers have thrown abuse at her for using disabled parking bays and she’s often stared at due to her size. She said: “I’ve had people shout at me to stop using disabled bays, people telling me to eat less, and do more exercise and tell me I’m not healthy. “If anyone stares now, I just give them a massive smile – and so far they have always smiled back.” Abigail is sharing her story to raise awareness of her condition on her TikTok account @‌abigailbarry_the1andonly and says many women have since contacted her after recognising the symptoms in themselves. Abigail added: “Early detection and treatment would be life-changing. “It’s not curable but it is liveable, you can control the swelling and pain if you get a good routine going.”