air_20
06-11-2005, 11:09 AM
Does anyone know of any good procedures that are out there for varicose veins? I've been doing a lot of research, but I'm wondering if you know anyone of if you've had anything done.
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princess72
06-11-2005, 11:40 AM
I've had several procedures done. I got them pretty bad during pregnacy! It was hard for me to find a doctor that would do anything for me----except to inject them ( called scelopty) something like that. Anywayz, that helps spider veins, but did nothing for my vericose veins. First of all, i wasnt covered with them, so the doc's thought i didnt have them very bad. They do a type of ultra sound, and if your blood is flowing in the right direction, they dont do much for you! Like more of a cosmetic issue! Well, my job required me to stand all day and i refused to wear support hose. I am young as well.....so yes i hated them! Painful too though. Went to many doctor's.....finally found the right one. I had about 3 on one leg and 2 on the other, that ran all the way up my leg into pelvic area. When they swelled....hurt liked hell. I've heard of a procedure called (VNS closure) im sorry i dont remember all the names. Anywayz, im rambling on. I finally found a doc to listen to me. He made tiney insisions all over my legs and tied these veins off. Im not sure if any procedure is forever......they can come back. My insurance paid for this, and there are no scars. My legs feel alot better, and look better than they did. The problem is, lately i've noticed them coming back and plan to go in to see what can be done.....since i wont wear shorts, and havent for 15 yrs!!!! I know there are many different things these doctor's can do, but i also think it is a very hard diagnosis for them, cuz we have a trillion veins in our body! Spider veins arent covered on insurance, and i have a few of those too. During my surgery he injected those.....but it didnt help them go away....it faded them a little bit. I've also found there arent very many vascular doctor's out there. Hope you find one that can help you and listen to you...........................Good Luck............ :wave:
air_20
06-11-2005, 01:08 PM
Thank you so much for this information, I'm in the same boat that you're in...I can't find any doctors that will do anything because they think it's just cosmetic too, I've been to vascular doctors too, I guess I have to find the right one. Did you do a lot of standing too when you were pregnant? I'm planning on starting my family soon, but I'm really nervous because of this one reason. I was going to leave my job soon after I get pregnant so I don't have to do a lot of standing (hoping that will lesson new ones)
air_20
06-11-2005, 01:15 PM
Oh, if you don't mind me asking, how many children do you have and how old are you? When did you first start noticing your varicose veins? How long did the VNS Closure last for you?
princess72
06-11-2005, 02:30 PM
Hey there..............i have 2 children. I am 33, i had my first at 16! Alot of things happened to my body from that pregnacy! Also vericose veins are hereditary. Im adopted....so i wouldnt know. My doc was absolutely wonderful....caring etc......right after my surgery, he retired! I've recently moved across the US and i have found a vein clinic, seeing that recently i have a couple coming back. With my 1st child, i wore really thick support hose from my obgyn. HORRIBLE, had to put them on with gloves....but my legs hurt sooooo bad. Yes i stood on my feet all day, at work. This has been such a pain in the a**!!! Very frusterating.....im not sure if there are many positive answer's out there! Maybe there are.... I was, and still am young, and i feel like i have "old lady" legs. I live where it is humid and hot in the summer, moving from west coast to east coast. Im dying im my pants! No one would probably even notice...but i do, and i focus on them too much! I hope you find an understanding doc-----they truly are hard to find. :wave:
princess72
06-11-2005, 02:31 PM
Oh............sorry to be so negative.....maybe you will have better luck. Or maybe someone has a positive experience to share! I'd love to hear it. :)
air_20
06-11-2005, 03:03 PM
Thank you so much! I hope I find an understanding doctor too...I'm looking into some now. If you ever find anything good things that helps you, tips, treatments, please post it here and let me know. I'll try anything at this point to help my legs and the pain I already have.
air_20
06-11-2005, 03:06 PM
Awww...thanks, you're not being negative, you just telling me what happened with you experiance and that's what I need to hear! I can't thank you enough though for you information that you've given me!
outinthesticks
07-07-2005, 01:22 PM
Hello, :wave:
I just wanted to share with you, I am 27 and have had the blue ropey varicose veins since I was 19, they got much worse after two pregnancies. Anyway, two weeks ago, I had a procedure done called endovenous radio frequency ablation. Its very similar to another procedure called endoluminal laser ablation. You can do a search online for VNUS or type in those long names and you should be able to find out all the info you need. It is for the big veins, not the little spider veins. Once you find a doctor that will do the procedure, they do an ultrasound on your thigh to check for incompetence in the greater saphenous vein, which means bad valves that allow the blood to fall back down your leg and pool in the veins that you see. If this is the case, its considered medically necessary and insurance should pay. Then all it is they run a catheter up that greater saphenous vein, and heat the vein to collapse it with either radio frequence waves or laser, depends on the doctor... you keep your feet up that day and then wear compression hose for two weeks, there's minimal bruising and soreness, but basically back to normal. My large viens have almost disappeared already and what doesn't they will remove by "stab plebectomies" they actually go in and remove some of the vein.
I would definitely reccomend finding a doctor that does this procedure. I've talked to people that have had stripping or ligation done and this is sooo much easier and less tramatic. Good luck, Outinthesticks
I just wanted to share with you, I am 27 and have had the blue ropey varicose veins since I was 19, they got much worse after two pregnancies. Anyway, two weeks ago, I had a procedure done called endovenous radio frequency ablation. Its very similar to another procedure called endoluminal laser ablation. You can do a search online for VNUS or type in those long names and you should be able to find out all the info you need. It is for the big veins, not the little spider veins. Once you find a doctor that will do the procedure, they do an ultrasound on your thigh to check for incompetence in the greater saphenous vein, which means bad valves that allow the blood to fall back down your leg and pool in the veins that you see. If this is the case, its considered medically necessary and insurance should pay. Then all it is they run a catheter up that greater saphenous vein, and heat the vein to collapse it with either radio frequence waves or laser, depends on the doctor... you keep your feet up that day and then wear compression hose for two weeks, there's minimal bruising and soreness, but basically back to normal. My large viens have almost disappeared already and what doesn't they will remove by "stab plebectomies" they actually go in and remove some of the vein.
I would definitely reccomend finding a doctor that does this procedure. I've talked to people that have had stripping or ligation done and this is sooo much easier and less tramatic. Good luck, Outinthesticks
outinthesticks
07-07-2005, 01:36 PM
PS
Princess, you said you moved across the country, may I ask where to? I am in Oregon and know of one doctor in Oregon, maybe one in Idaho that do VNUS closure procedure.
Princess, you said you moved across the country, may I ask where to? I am in Oregon and know of one doctor in Oregon, maybe one in Idaho that do VNUS closure procedure.
air_20
07-07-2005, 05:08 PM
Thank you so much for this information! I was going to ask...did you work for the nine months that you were pregnant? I'm gonna try to stay home with my feet up as much as possible. Do you think this will also help me?
princess72
07-07-2005, 06:11 PM
Outinthesticks....
I moved from Washington to Ohio! HUGE move and im still adjusting! That's a whole other story! I would love to get a referal, too bad im not still of the West coast. Thanxs though! :wave:
I moved from Washington to Ohio! HUGE move and im still adjusting! That's a whole other story! I would love to get a referal, too bad im not still of the West coast. Thanxs though! :wave:
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outinthesticks
07-09-2005, 02:18 PM
Airees,
Yes, I worked during both of my pregnancies, I waited tables, and it did aggravate my veins some, but I had already started to get them before I ever started having children. This is hereditary for me, my mom has them as well. They have continued to get worse since then, and my doctor said that they will continue on unless I do something about them now.
As far as your pregnancy, keeping your feet up will probably help some, but its the pressure on the pelvic veins that cause the vein to fail along with a combination of hormones and possibly hereditary.
Its the leg muscles contracting that keep the blood flow moving upward in your legs, so walking is actually very good. Try not to sit or stand in one place too long, but do remain active. I learned with my pregnancies that the more active I was during my pregnancy, the easier my labor was. :eek:
Good luck--Outinthesticks
Yes, I worked during both of my pregnancies, I waited tables, and it did aggravate my veins some, but I had already started to get them before I ever started having children. This is hereditary for me, my mom has them as well. They have continued to get worse since then, and my doctor said that they will continue on unless I do something about them now.
As far as your pregnancy, keeping your feet up will probably help some, but its the pressure on the pelvic veins that cause the vein to fail along with a combination of hormones and possibly hereditary.
Its the leg muscles contracting that keep the blood flow moving upward in your legs, so walking is actually very good. Try not to sit or stand in one place too long, but do remain active. I learned with my pregnancies that the more active I was during my pregnancy, the easier my labor was. :eek:
Good luck--Outinthesticks
princess72
07-09-2005, 08:08 PM
Did you have vericose veins in the pelvic region? On your outer labia? I had them there--------and im telling you, i dont know if i was ever in soooo much pain in my life! I had those removed too! That ruined my sex life, and doc's wouldnt do anything about those either! (til this last doc i went to) I have known other people to get them there during pregnacy, but then went away, i know it isnt very common, i was so embarrased about them there! I no longer have pain there---since he removed them. Just curious if any of you had them there. Oh, and stay active during pregnacy, it does make the delivery easier! :)
outinthesticks
07-10-2005, 12:09 PM
Yeah I did a little bit, but they went away. Made things very achey