varicose veins

BEFORE AND AFTER: Tracy shed 9 stone after a doctor told her she was too fat for surgery [NORTH NEWS]

A bulky mum, who was turned down surgery on her unsightly varicose veins because of her weight, has lost a whopping 9st in two years.
Tracy Cairns suffered from hundreds of crippling varicose veins which looked as though they were popping out of her legs leaving her feeling achy, heavy and uncomfortable.
At over 19st, the 43-year-old also suffered a mountain of health problems including diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
And her love of burgers, curry and huge pizzas loaded with cheese left her with a BMI of 47 and a size 22.
But it wasn't until she was turned down for an operation to have her varicose veins removed, that she decided to get into shape.

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OBESE: The 43-year-old weighed 19st at her heaviest and suffered with diabetes and high blood pressure [NORTH NEWS ]

Her GP told her that it would be too risky to undergo an operation to remove the troublesome veins because of her huge size.
So full-time mum Tracey decided to turn her life around and get into shape.

“My hideous varicose veins have changed my life for the better”

Tracy Cairns

"At the time I was probably oblivious to how big I was. I hid behind baggy clothes and didn't make much of an effort with myself," she said.
"The doctor said I needed an operation as the valves in my veins didn't work properly. But he said I would have to lose at least 2st before they could perform the operation."
Tracy started to feel guilty about the way she had been neglecting her body and was ashamed of her size.

CRIPPLING: Tracy was told her varicose veins could not be operated on because of her size [NORTH NEWS]

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RECOVERY: After losing 9 stone she was able to undergo the surgery to give her smoother legs [NORTH NEWS]

"I was shocked. How could I let myself get so big that it was too risky for me to have an operation?" she said. "I felt a deep sense of shame."
She decided to join her local Slimming World group in Killingworth, North Tyneside, in July 2011 .
And in just two years Tracy lost an incredible 9st, dropping from a size 22 to a size 10.