In February 2010 David Hall was treated by Mr Gaunt to correct popliteal entrapment syndrome, he has since gone on to complete one of the most respected & challenging cycle rides, John O’Groats to Land’s End, 1060 miles in just 9 days.
“I think the thing that worried me was that I thought I would be ‘out of action’ for several weeks – but this was not the case and the very next day I was walking my dogs a good 40 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes in the afternoon. I also had no pain and never needed to take a pain killer.”
“I had surgery under general anaesthetic and it was really straightforward”
“In very good and friendly hands!”
Varicose veins run in my family. I’ve got two uncles who had the surgery at relatively early ages. But I assumed that varicose veins came from sitting around or that older people or pregnant women got them.
Then about eight years ago, I noticed some stinging on the inside of one of my ankles and what looked like a permanent bruise.
I was told I had varicose veins and advised to wear compression socks during the day. But the stinging got progressively worse and by the end of the day, my ankles would be throbbing – even after wearing the compression socks.
About six months ago, I decided I had to get something done. I went to my GP who referred me to Michael Gaunt.
He did a scan and explained that he’d use VNUS Closure on the larger veins and avulse the smaller veins on my calves and ankles. I had surgery under general anaesthetic and it was really straightforward.
I was up and walking within a couple of hours and on my first day home, I walked for about a mile.
The bruising was fairly extensive, but not worrisome and settled down pretty quickly, as did the pain. The time from surgery to feeling comfortable walking was less than a week.
The impressive thing is that the scarring is minimal. When I tell people I’ve had surgery in the last three months, they are like “where are the scars?” There are just these tiny pin pricks.
But the biggest difference for me is going from living with chronic pain to being without it – that was huge. I kinda kick myself that I didn’t have surgery sooner.
I suffered deep vein thrombosis in my early 20s which damaged the valves of my left leg. While not medically ill, I couldn’t stand for prolonged periods and undertaking sport of any kind was difficult and uncomfortable. I was faced with the prospect of spending the rest of my adult life in surgical stockings.
I did not have unsightly veins and did not qualify under the NHS guidelines for treatment for any medical reasons resulting from my damaged valves.
I had always been under the impression that laser treatment was only for cosmetic reasons – to treat unsightly varicose veins. It did not occur to me, nor was it pointed out, that laser surgery might well work for me.
It was some 18 years after my DVT that a GP suggested laser treatment might help after he attended a lecture from Michael Gaunt.
I had the treatment two years ago and haven’t looked back since. It has been the best money I have ever spent.
When I had the treatment done privately at the Spire, I had not anticipated the far-reaching effects it would have on my lifestyle.
Having barely been able to run for a bus pre-operation, I took up running shortly afterwards. My first challenge was small – to enter the Chariots of Fire race in Cambridge, which is a 1.7 mile relay. I completed that nine months after surgery. In the following year, I ran three separate 10k races and the Chariots of Fire race again.
This year, my challenge is to complete my first half marathon in November – something I would have laughed at if anyone had suggested this before my treatment.
Mr Gaunt was extremely professional, yet down to earth. He described the procedure in layman’s terms, likening my veins to pouring wine from a bottle, I recall.
The operation itself was done under local anaesthetic but was relatively painless. The relaxed atmosphere and banter between the anaesthetist and Mr Gaunt put me at ease and made the operation fly by..
I would highly recommend anyone suffering problems – be they cosmetic or physical – as a result of damaged veins to talk through the options with Mr Gaunt. The improvement to my health and fitness has been phenomenal and is difficult to put into words. My only regret is not having known about or having had the operation sooner.
Congratulations to Alison who completed the London Marathon in 2011.
