At only 37 years of age, vein disease had taken away Adrian's ability to walk—and quality of life for him and his family. Following doctor's orders, Adrian consulted specialist after specialist, looking for relief from the leg pain and ulcers that had immobilized him. Finally, he got the answers and treatment he needed once he was correctly diagnosed by Center for Vein Restoration (CVR) vein expert Chandran Vedamanikam, MD.
For more than two and a half years, Adrian bounced from doctor to doctor looking for answers about the severe leg pain that made it impossible to live a normal, active life. His visits to primary care physicians, podiatrists, wound care, and arterial specialists left Adrian without clear answers about why his legs were swollen, red, and hot to the touch. He had foot ulcers that would not heal and had mysteriously lost all his leg hair.
Depressed and losing hope about his future, this husband, father, military vet, and avid outdoorsman had to use a wheelchair for eight long months during his agonizing search for answers.
That is until he met with Dr. Chandran Vedamanikam, the lead physician in CVR's Rio Rancho, New Mexico location.
"This has been a life-changing experience for me. I can't thank Dr. Vedamanikam and the staff enough for restoring my quality of life."
-Adrian M., CVR Rio Rancho patient
Chronic venous insufficiency, also known as vein disease, is a progressive disorder. This means that the condition will get worse over time and cause a decrease in health or function. In Adrian's case, the disease advanced over more than two years to the point where “it became a chore for me to walk 10-12 feet from my bedroom to my bathroom," recalls Adrian.
As frustrating as his limited mobility was, the most heartbreaking part of vein disease for Adrian was losing the ability to help his wife with simple chores around the house. He lost the ability to shoot hoops with his 12-year-old daughter or attend any of his daughter's school functions. Although the school has accommodations for a wheelchair, Adrian says that attending activities became logistically impossible.
The severity of Adrian's vein disease had put his life, and the life of his family, on hold. Summer vacation at the lake, where the family traditionally enjoyed boating and jet skiing, was canceled during Adrian's two-year search for answers. Adrian also gave up the hunting, fishing, and camping trips he loved.
Adrian recalls that the diagnostic ultrasound was "very simple" and was a significant step toward his recovery. He describes the ultrasound itself as "painless," although, at the time, he was in a great deal of leg pain.
According to Adrian, Dr. Vedamanikam told him that the ultrasound revealed venous insufficiency. From this test he knew exactly what was causing Adrian's pain and how to treat it. Further, Dr. Vedamanikam expressed confidence during this first visit that by the end of the treatment process, Adrian would be out of the wheelchair, walking without pain, and resuming the life he loved. Adrian was doubtful about this promise because this was not the first time a doctor told him that help was on the way.
However, at CVR, this time would indeed be different.
"I'll be honest, at first, I didn't put a lot of faith into the idea that I would walk again after vein treatment because other doctors told me that they could help me—but that didn't happen… But by the second procedure at CVR, I was able to walk a few steps with a cane. A week after that, I had my third procedure and was able to walk further and more steadily. After my fourth procedure a week later, I left the wheelchair completely, and I haven't needed it since."
-Adrian M., CVR Rio Rancho patient
Adrian credits the CVR staff for helping him through his journey back to health. He praises them for their "in-depth knowledge of vein disease and how to treat it, and for "explaining everything that was going to happen every step of the way, " and for displaying "a general willingness to help me in any way they could."
During the first visit, the CVR nurse fitted him for compression stockings. He finds compression stockings comfortable and continues to wear them to this day, even though he is no longer required to do so. The staff also helped arrange insurance coverage for his procedures, said Adrian.
While he waited for treatments to begin, staff counseled him on managing his symptoms at home. Techniques included elevating his legs, not sitting for long periods without standing, and doing mild exercises to encourage blood flow.
"They (the CVR staff) could see it in my eyes when I first arrived in a wheelchair. I was very depressed because I have always been an active person. When I was able to walk on my own at my first check-up, the staff and I were teary-eyed. There's no way I can adequately thank them for what they've done for me."
-Adrian M., CVR Rio Rancho patient
According to Adrian, each procedure took 20 minutes or less and "wasn't a bad experience." Over two months, Adrian had the following treatments on his legs:
This minimally invasive method of treating diseased veins uses heat sent through a coil. The heat damages the interior walls of the targeted veins, turning the veins into scar tissue which is absorbed by the body naturally. Blood is rerouted to other healthier veins.
During this innovative system of vein closure, a proprietary medical adhesive is used to close diseased veins, redirecting blood flow to other healthier blood vessels. Because multiple injections aren't required for this procedure, patients may experience minor discomfort during and after VenaSeal.
Adrian's life has improved dramatically during the month and a half since his treatment. Because he can now walk quicker, he's lost more than seven pounds. His ulcers are completely healed. His doctor took him off medication for depression, is no longer "grumpy and agitated," and is "back to his old self." Best of all, he can again enjoy activities with his daughter and looks forward to resuming family trips to the lake.
One surprising result is the regrowth of leg hair now that his legs are no longer "red, hot, and angry," says Adrian.
Calling himself "a vein maker," Adrian says that Dr. Vedamanikam advised him that there is a chance that vein treatment may have to be repeated in the future because of Adrian’s inherited tendency to grow new blood vessels in his legs. The possibility of future treatment does not concern Adrian now that he knows that an accomplished vein expert can manage his vein disease in a caring, compassionate environment.
Adrian urges anyone searching unsuccessfully for a solution to their leg pain and ulcers to trust Center to Vein Restoration for the help they need.
With 100+ clinic locations around the country, there's sure to be a CVR location near you. Call Center to Vein Restoration at 240-965-3915 or visit centerforvein.com for more information.
Varicose veins, those bulging, twisting networks that often appear on the lower leg, are a relatively common condition for both men and women in the middle years of life. Risk factors for varicose veins include heredity, weight gain and prolonged periods of standing or sitting in the same position. Some occupations that require long periods on your feet can increase your chances for developing varicose veins as well.
