Primary school teacher, 24, finally 'back on her feet' after 45-minute procedure

A primary school teacher who suffered for years with a condition doctors dismissed as normal says she’s finally ‘back on her feet’ after a 45 minute procedure in Exeter.

Jemima Robinson, 24, was 16 when she began experiencing achy, throbbing and ‘stabbing pains’ in her left leg.

The year 4 teacher even considered giving up her career as it meant spending long days on her feet.

But Jemima says her life has completely transformed after endovenous laser ablation of a varicose vein at VeinCentre, the UK’s largest vein treatment provider.

Jemima said: “I was only 16 when my symptoms started. I went to my doctor and they told me varicose veins were what elderly people had, so I just tried to put it to the back of my mind and get on with things.

“I would often have an achy leg, sometimes it was a throbbing pain, sometimes it felt like restless legs. Sometimes it was a stabbing pain, the pain depended on how much I had been using it.”

During Jemima’s studies at university the pain continued and at one point her symptoms were so severe she visited Accident & Emergency.

She said: “I was doing drama at university and I was in so much pain I called 111 and they said it sounded like deep vein thrombosis (DVT) so to go to A&E.

“The doctor Googled varicose veins and brought up pictures and said that is what varicose veins look like. Mine never looked the way they usually do. So they said it was probably growing pains. It was really disheartening.”

Varicose veins occur when the valves inside your leg veins that are meant to keep blood flowing upwards towards the heart stop working properly. Blood then pools in the veins and they enlarge, twist or bugle.

Sufferers can experience leg heaviness, itching or tingling, and swelling in the lower legs or ankles, especially in warmer weather.

Jemima’s symptoms continued as her career in teaching progressed. Teachers, along with nurses, hairdressers and retail staff are classed as high-risk for varicose veins because of the long hours spent standing up.

She said: “That’s when it really started to be a thing for me and I decided I needed to do something about it.”

While age and lifestyle factors can impact varicose veins, genetics also play a part. Jemima’s great grandfather and her grandmother both had a history of varicose veins at young ages.

Jemima booked a consultation with a vascular consultant at VeinCentre’s clinic in Exeter and an ultrasound scan showed why she was experiencing pain.

She said: “They scanned both legs and saw that one was significantly worse than the other. My left leg was really being affected. It was really comforting that they listened to me.

“When I came to get the procedure done they explained I’d walk away the same day. It took 45 minutes.”

Endovenous laser ablation involves gently closing the faulty vein using targeted laser energy under local anaesthetic, restoring healthy blood flow. Patients are often able to resume normal activities the same day.

Just six months later Jemima was able to run a 10k - something she never dreamed of before treatment.

She said: “My dad runs and it’s something I never thought I would be able to do. Now I work and I’m still able to go out and do things with friends rather than having to go home and put my feet straight up. It’s given me freedom and has changed my life.”