Dercum’s Disease is an incredibly rare genetic disease that mutates fat cells, causes excessive weight gain in unusual patterns, can lead to the formation of painful fatty tumors, impairs the immune system, and in certain rare cases, also mutates and alters the function of the nervous system. In short, it is both painful and disfiguring. Unfortunately, despite having been discovered well over a century ago, little research has been conducted and no cure has been found.

The constant hallmarks of the Dercum’s patient are excessive inexplicable weight gain and the formation of excruciatingly painful lipomas. These are often the first symptoms patients notice, which drive them through a diagnostic process that can take many years. All too often patients are told the weight gain is their fault, or that lipomas simply shouldn’t hurt. Understandably, this can be both frustrating and disheartening as the disease continues to progress, the pain continues to worsen, and additional complications begin to appear.

We hope you’ll browse through the site to learn more about this rare disease. Unless otherwise noted as anecdotal, all of the information has been sourced from peer-reviewed medical journal articles documenting the few multi-year clinical studies of the disease. In most cases, we have worked with the studies’ authors in order to translate their work into “layman’s terms”, helping to make this vital scientific data available to the general public. For medical professionals, we urge you to take advantage of the many links to the various articles used as reference materials.

It is our belief that the greatest impediment to improving the lives of Dercum’s patients is simply a lack of awareness. It’s impossible to accurately diagnose a disease if you don’t even know that disease exists.
Let’s fix that together and help bring hope to patients of this debilitating disease.