Andy has always enjoyed pushing himself beyond his limits and trying new things; however, his chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) was starting to hold him back. So, he sought a diagnosis and started to get treatment. Dive into his inspiring journey below. *
* This is a personal report of the patient and does not necessarily reflect the knowledge of JOBST or the current state of science. Always seek advice from a Healthcare Professional if you experience any symptoms.
Despite experiencing signs and symptoms like heavy, discolored legs, and sores and ulcers, Andy refused to let CVI hold him down. He underwent vein surgery, adopted a healthier diet, and began using compression socks for men. The results have been life-changing. Andy is eager to raise awareness about CVI and break the misconception that it only affects older people. He wants young people to know that early diagnosis and treatment can make all the difference. That’s why Andy joined our artistic swimming team. And of course, he's always up for trying something new.
“Physically, you can have times when you don't notice that you've got it. But then other times, you can have very heavy legs. You can get burning sensations. You can get swelling. And sometimes, you just feel quite fatigued because you're carrying around – you feel like – quite a lot of extra weight because the blood is pooled in your legs. And emotionally – especially when I started [...] – it felt quite difficult because it’s isolating. I didn't know anyone else who had this condition, apart from maybe people who were a lot older.”
“So, there are days when I just will say to my wife, ‘I can't really manage things today’. And I'll lie down with my legs in the air, and that's really the best way to stop it from feeling bad on those days. [...] As a freelance creative, luckily I can do that. [...] And on other days I don’t even realize I’ve got it.”
“If I had known about this condition before it got to the point it was at, I could have worn compression socks. [...] That’s a really important message for people to hear: that if you've got a discoloration of the legs, and you are getting heavy legs, go and get some help and advice. [...] For me, the compression socks have turned it into something that is very manageable.”
“Well, this is really interesting, because six people from six walks of life, different heights, different shapes, everything – different genders… but when we're in the pool, we are all completely the same. All of our conditions are leveled. [...] And none of us have done this before, either. So we're all learning together and there's a massively great kind of camaraderie.”
