What is Superficial Venous Thrombosis?
Superficial Venous Thrombosis (SVT) Clot forming in the superficial veins of the skin or fatty tissues of the extremities is called superficial venous thrombosis (SVT).
Superficial Venous Thrombosis (SVT) Clot forming in the superficial veins of the skin or fatty tissues of the extremities is called superficial venous thrombosis (SVT).
Mother, Teacher, Breast Cancer Survivor
Administrative Assistant, Devoted Mother, Avid Traveler
HR Manager, Recreational Boxer
Stasia, a 54-year-old 8th grade math teacher and mother-of-two struggled with varicose veins for nearly eight years before seeking treatment. The avid runner, sailor, tennis player and skier leads an active lifestyle, standing on her feet constantly, which is a known risk factor for the development of her condition.
“I’ve been extremely athletic my entire life,” said Stasia. “I’ve also been on my feet more times than not in my professional life, walking on surfaces that were anything but soft and comfortable!”
Stasia first started experiencing symptoms of her varicose veins in her 40s, with a constant itching, throbbing and burning sensation after any sort of physical activity. Also knowing that her grandmother suffered from a similar condition, she first decided to seek treatment in 2009. Treatment plans were later scrapped when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in December of that same year. “I had to tackle that first,” Stasia said. And that is just what she did. She beat breast cancer and was ready to move on with her life.
With cancer behind her, Stasia went back to living the life she loved. In fact, an injury on the tennis court, which resulted in knee surgery, led her to seek treatment for her varicose veins.
“I finally said, ‘I’m going to get my legs treated.’ I would frequently look in the mirror and say, ‘Wow; this problem is not going to get any better.’ I was sick of my legs looking like they had been attacked by night crawlers!”
Stasia made an appointment with a vein specialist in her area. After performing an ultrasound test and properly diagnosing her with varicose veins, her doctor recommended that Stasia undergo treatment with the ClosureFast™ procedure to treat the condition.
“The ClosureFast™ procedure itself was a non-issue for me. It was quick, easy and pretty painless. The best part was that a few days following the procedure, I was able to start exercising again and engaging in my active hobbies, which are important aspects of my physical and mental well-being.”*
Having undergone the ClosureFast™ procedure this fall, Stasia has much to look forward to in the coming months.
* Individual results and recovery times may vary.
Vicki, a 48-year-old administrative assistant and office manager, first started experiencing symptoms of her varicose veins when everyday activities such as standing up from her desk or getting out of bed in the morning became painful and tiring. After numerous misdiagnoses of her condition and at the encouragement of a friend, she decided to seek medical treatment.
“I was a cheer mom and a soccer mom, so I was busy, busy,” said Vicki. In addition to attending her children’s activities, she leads an active lifestyle, with lots of exercise, walking and traveling.
Vicki first became concerned when she developed areas of discoloration and hard tissue at the bottom of her leg. Despite these warning signs, she never realized that they could be symptoms of a serious health condition.
“I attempted to take up jogging, but just couldn’t do it. At this point, I realized that my varicose veins were limiting me and directly impacting my quality of life. Of course I didn’t like that one bit!”
Additionally, as symptoms began to progress, Vicki was able to connect the dots between her condition and similar health issues that her parents faced. Her father had venous insufficiency and his symptoms were similar to some of what she was experiencing.
“One thing my father had, which luckily was not passed down to me, was open ulcers on his leg, and they never healed. Back in those days, we didn’t have the medical technology we have today to take care of these issues.”
Vicki realized she needed immediate medical attention once the 2-3 inch hard spots in her lower leg began to spread into an area that suddenly became 6-8 inches tall.
Thankfully, a family friend recommended that she go see a vein specialist. At the appointment, the doctor diagnosed the root cause of her symptoms and recommended treatment with the ClosureFast™ procedure. Due to the progression of her condition, he performed a series of ClosureFast™ procedures on both of her legs. Following the procedure, Vicki was able to walk across the street to the mall and window shop for 30 minutes.*
“The morning following the procedure, I noticed that my symptoms had significantly improved. I sat-up. I got out of bed. My leg and foot didn’t hurt. It was an absolutely incredible feeling.”
Vicki was soon able to get back to doing the things she loved, including staying active and traveling, without experiencing pain.
“Given genetics and family history are a risk factor for developing varicose veins, I’ve already talked to my daughters about it. I told them, ‘While I don’t want you to have this problem, you need to listen to your body and know the warning signs, so that if necessary, you can seek treatment early on, before it becomes more serious.'”
* Individual results and recovery times may vary.*