A woman who was turned away by doctors for being "just fat" is raising awareness of a painful condition after a kind stranger helped her uncover the truth.
Theresa Fredenburg-Hinds, 36, has suffered from large legs since the age of eight, and they only became more painful and swollen when she hit puberty.
Despite Theresa's worrying concerns, her GP dismissed her painful pins as obesity and sent her away to buy compression stockings, the Daily Star reports.
Incredibly, it was the shop assistant who recognised her symptoms and diagnosed her with the right condition - which immediately brought her to tears.
Get the news you want straight to your inbox. Sign up for a Mirror newsletter here.
DON'T MISS:Woman almost cut in half on fairground ride was given 0% chance of survival
Family thought their dad 'wasn't right' on holiday and just three months later he died
Archie Battersbee's mum says 'I will hear those machines for the rest of my life'
Theresa said: "I went to a speciality store and the woman working there took one look at my legs and told me I had a condition called lipoedema or lymphedema and gave me a pamphlet to give to my doctor.
"I'd heard of lipoedema and done my own research online, but to have it validated by this kind woman in the store I began to cry tears of joy."
Lipoedema is an abnormal build-up of fat in a person's legs and sometimes arms, and lymphoedema is the swelling of the body tissues.
After being warned about both conditions, Theresa returned to her GP armed with knowledge, but was once again sent away and told she was "just obese".
She asked to be referred to a specialist, where she finally got her official diagnosis of lipo-lympedmea, which is a combination of the two.
Theresa, who lives in Austin, Texas, is now a lipoedema campaigner on Instagram and TikTok with 85,000 followers.
Thankfully, she thinks times are changing and people are more accepting of bodies of all shapes and sizes.
"Society has moved to a love of more curvy bodies and rounder butts, which does make living with lipoedema a little bit easier for me at least," she said.
"I don't get that much abuse from people in the street, or maybe I just don't notice. The more confident I have gotten, the less abuse I think I get.
"Most often it's children that point out that I look different or that I am 'fat' which is not wrong.
"My body does look different and I am fat, but I do think it's rude to point out people's differences in public, especially when they are a stranger.
"Hearing this from kids is understandable as it's possible that they have not been taught – one little girl left me in tears."
Theresa also suffers from anxiety and depression, and says this is common with women who are misunderstood as being obese.
Day-to-day, she wears custom-fit compression stockings to control the swelling and pain, and sits at her work desk with her legs elevated.
"I walk slower as I have to carry around my heavy bottom half with me to get where I need to go and I get tired and am unable to stand for long periods of time," she explained.
"Finding chairs that fit my bottom can be a challenge sometimes. When going out in public to restaurants, theatres or appointments, chairs that have arms are often not ideal to fit my pear-shaped body.
"When I used to drive – I don't any more after an accident left me with PTSD – sitting in the busy rush hour traffic was very uncomfortable. Climbing stairs can also be a challenge as I am lifting my heavy legs up each step."
She has decided not to go down the surgical route, but may consider it in the future if her mobility is greatly affected.
Fortunately, her husband is supportive and Theresa calls him her "biggest cheerleader".
"He is completely behind what I am doing. He is a very easy-going man and trusts me and loves me for who I am. He's very proud of me," she says.
The couple enjoy a good sex life and Theresa is "satisfied in the bedroom", though some positions can be difficult as her legs are so large and painful.
She uses her TikTok and Instagram accounts - under the name @theresasweetpeach - to flaunt her body and campaign for more understanding.
"The positive messages and comments I receive definitely outweigh the bad ones. If someone does make a rude comment online I often use it as a teaching moment and tell them about the condition I have," Theresa said.
"By showing off my body, I am helping to create awareness of lipoedema.
"There may be another woman out there scrolling through Instagram and finding some comfort in finding a body that looks like hers and she may seek getting a diagnosis sooner because she saw my photos.
"I do receive a lot of free clothes, which is always nice. But it's not the compensation that drives me to do what I am doing.
"Ultimately making a difference in the world is the reason behind my journey."
Do you have a story to share? We pay for stories. Email us at yourmirror@mirror.co.uk .
READ MORE: Queen's snub of Meghan Markle on her 41st birthday is 'notable', says expert
