Here’s how Ironman triathlete Eddie Police discovered he had varicose veins and chose a treatment that changed his life

By Mimi Vanderhaven

Eddie Police is an Ironman. The 44-year-old Perry, Ohio resident has competed in more than 100 races. He’s run 20 marathons and endured nine triathlons, including Ironman Triathlons, which consist of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bicycle ride, and a full 26.22-mile marathon.

He’s competed all over the Midwest and as far away as St. Croix and New Zealand.

“It all started for me back in 2002 when four buddies bet me that I couldn’t run the Cleveland Marathon in under four hours,” Eddie recalls. “I had just two months to train, plus I changed my eating habits. I ran the marathon in 3:42.”

Eddie ran that race in 50-degree weather in a torrential downpour, so a fellow competitor suggested that if he could finish with such a good time in such bad conditions, he should consider a triathlon.

“The next thing I knew I was competing in a triathlon at Maumee Bay,” Eddie says. “And I was hooked.”

“I Just Trained Through the Pain”
Eddie has been training almost every day for the past 20 years, even when his legs began to ache. “My legs have felt sore, heavy and throbbing for 15 years,” he says. “I thought it was because of all the training I was doing, so I just trained through the pain. I never thought it could be varicose veins. All this time I thought varicose veins were a problem for older people, especially older women. How could I have them?”

Then last summer, Eddie’s mom saw her son in shorts and pointed out three knotty veins. “You have varicose veins,” said his mom, who had undergone vein treatments herself eight years earlier. Heredity, it turns out, is one of the leading causes of venous disease.

Eddie went to see Dr. Sonja Stiller., M.D., founder of Mentor’s Center for Advanced Vein Care, because that’s who treated his mom. “Dr. Stiller did an ultrasound to determine which veins were the problem. Then I started the process, which included several weeks of wearing compression socks as an insurance requirement. The compression alone was a game- changer. They were easy to put on and made a big difference right away.”

Beginning last fall, Eddie had three procedures on each leg. “Our veins are like limbs,” Eddie says, “and Dr. Stiller simply removed the dead wood. She used a laser to cauterize the veins that weren’t working so my blood could reroute through healthy veins.”

“I’m Telling You, It’s Crazy!”
Eddie’s treatments are behind him, and he has a follow-up appointment in five months. So how does he feel now?

“I’m telling you, it’s crazy!” Eddie beams. “My legs are so light. I feel like I’m 18 again. All that heaviness is gone. Before I saw Dr. Stiller, I was going to quit racing and retire. But now I’m back to training twice a day and I’m thinking of going for a PR (personal record).”

And his legs don’t just feel good, they look good. “Dr. Stiller cleared up my spider veins, too, so my legs look like they’re 18 again. I can’t wait to show them off this summer on the bike trails and at the beach,” adds Eddie, who, by the way, is single.

Mimi asked Eddie if he had any advice for others who may be experiencing leg heaviness, achiness, swelling and fatigue. “Yes,” he answers enthusiastically. “Get checked out now. I wish I would have had this done years ago, but I didn’t know I had a problem. I don’t know many men my age who’ve had this done, but it’s not just for women. I see men and women at the gym with veins that look like mine did, and I want to tell them to get this done.”

How Are Your Legs Feeling?
According to Dr. Stiller, varicose veins can cause reduced blood flow, which means your veins cannot do their essential job of moving metabolic waste and other toxins up and out of your feet, ankles, and lower legs. “This build-up of toxins results in inflammation which causes pain, fatigue and swelling,” she says. “It’s what gives your legs that heavy feeling. If the inflammation spreads to surrounding tissue, it can also create a scaly rash and lymphorrhea, or ulcers and sores that won’t heal.”

Dr. Stiller’s advice is simply to pay attention to how your legs are feeling. “When our legs are tired, achy or swollen, we often think it’s because we’ve overused them or because we’re getting older and it’s just what happens. But that’s not the case. Your legs shouldn’t feel this way. There must be an underlying cause,” she says.

Leading-Edge Treatments
Unlike the painful stripping surgery our parents or grandparents had to undergo, today’s varicose vein treatments are easy and virtually pain-free. Center For Advanced Vein Care uses several of today’s most advanced treatment options, including chemical, radio frequency, thermal and laser ablation, ultrasound-guided sclerotherapy, and newer medical adhesive ablation (glue) that reduces or eliminates the compression stocking requirement.

But the leading-edge center also focuses on healing from within, making recommendations that go beyond traditional varicose vein treatments, including lymphatic massage, pulse electromagnetic frequency devices, and lifestyle adjustments.

And the recent expansion of the practice means no waiting. “We’ve added staff and doubled the size of our office, including adding our own private waiting room, more exam rooms, and a second treatment room,” Dr. Stiller says. “This means we can often see new patients the same day they call us.”

Dr. Sonja Stiller is a diplomat of both the American Board of Emergency Medicine and the American Board of Venous and Lymphatic Medicine. She is the founder of the Center for Advanced Vein Care, a Tier 1 provider with Lake Health Hospital System. The center’s newly expanded offices are at 7200 Mentor Avenue, in Mentor. For an appointment, call 440-710-1140. More info can be found at YourHealthyVeins.com.