Patient Story: Dom
Long distance runner, Dom is back to smashing marathons after varicose veins treatment.
Dom, a keen long distance runner and cyclist from Berkshire, is finally free from his varicose veins after years of suffering with the symptomatic and cosmetic burden that comes with the condition. After having his life dictated by his veins for so long and undergoing treatment elsewhere that only helped temporarily, he wanted to regain his freedom and get rid of the dark cloud that was above him on a daily basis, so contacted us at VeinCentre to begin that journey.
How did his veins affect his day to day life?
Dom first noticed his varicose veins almost 10 years ago whilst working in Nepal with a charity building a school, following the devastating 2015 earthquake. When looking back at photos of himself during his time working in Nepal, Dom noticed the veins and quite quickly started to feel self-conscious over their appearance. This led to him no longer wearing shorts, and his mental health also began to be affected.
Over time, he began experiencing symptoms that reared their head during long bike rides or runs, two of the hobbies he enjoyed the most. He suffered with throbbing and the veins appearing larger than usual. Unfortunately, the symptoms started to inhibit his ability to continue doing these sports, and he questioned whether he was making the veins worse by carrying on with them.
“Running and cycling are two of my passions, and it was really difficult to accept that this problem with my veins was preventing my enjoyment doing things I love. Not only was the pain affecting me, but the appearance of my legs made me stop wearing shorts too”, Dom said.
What pushed Dom to get his veins sorted for good?
Dom realised that even during the peak of summer when the weather was at its hottest, he was purposely covering his legs to avoid people noticing his varicose veins.
While on holiday, somebody innocently made a comment about his veins, saying how painful they looked. Things like this gave Dom the push to look into his options and what he could do to ensure the varicose veins didn’t come back again.
When he discovered VeinCentre, he read our testimonials and reviews, and after having a discussion with our Patient Advisory Team, he was filled with confidence that he was making the right decision.
How was Dom’s treatment experience?
Dom visited our Reading clinic and was under the care of Dr Suzie Anthony, Consultant Interventional Radiologist and Deputy Medical Director at VeinCentre.
He underwent Endovenous Laser Ablation (EVLA) and foam sclerotherapy on one leg. These treatments are the most common combination to treat varicose veins, with EVLA being used to fix the underlying cause (faulty valves inside the veins that allow the blood to flow in the wrong direction), and foam sclerotherapy fixing the visual appearance and getting rid of those visible veins.
Dom said: “I had a brilliant experience from start to finish. I was told exactly what was going to happen, and my consultation with Dr Anthony was really helpful and positive. She explained everything, the next steps and answered every question I had. The team were so flexible in terms of appointment availability and the communication was great.”
How have things been for Dom since treatment?
“Since having treatment with VeinCentre, my self-confidence has improved so much and I feel like my quality of life is so much better. I can enjoy summer to the full and wear shorts again, without feeling self-conscious of my leg. I had the best possible treatment with VeinCentre and I am so grateful to the team for helping me find a new lease of life.”
When asked what advice he would give to anyone thinking about visiting VeinCentre for treatment, Dom said: “I would urge people to reach out and get in touch. Don’t dwell on it, it doesn’t cost anything to pick up the phone and have the conversation.”
Dom has this year completed the London Landmarks Half Marathon for the second time. He has spent months training on the lead up to this year’s marathon by running 20-30km a week, and completed the run on 7th April 2024. He is over the moon to be able to enjoy running once again, without the niggle of his veins in the back of his mind.
