Varicose Veins.... You got them?

Forum rules
The information / discussion in the Cycling Health Forum is not qualified medical advice. Please consult your doctor.
rabobank89
Posts: 1045
Joined: Tue Aug 16, 2011 11:20 am

Varicose Veins.... You got them?

Postby rabobank89 » Fri Jul 17, 2015 4:29 pm

So.. Been meaning to sort out my silly big varicose veins (over 8mm wide :shock: ) in my calf especially being rather young. I am booked to have them surgically removed as they are too big for sclerotherapy with the only other option as ablation laser treatment. The specialists in these areas don't seem to care too much with my concerns as they seem used to old people who tend not to question them.

Anyone have opinions as to whether surgery or laser is the better option from experience or to live with the massive veins a few more years longer. 

Pro to Surgery is its free with my insurance and its more full proof with cons being it has the risk of appearing somewhere else especially being so young.

Pro to Laser is its less invasive and if it re occurs it will just come back on the same place. Cons being it cost around $3-4k (not covered by insurance) May require re-treatments. 

cp123
Posts: 1498
Joined: Tue Sep 08, 2009 4:50 pm

Re: Varicose Veins.... You got them?

Postby cp123 » Fri Jul 17, 2015 4:38 pm

I've got some super big ugly lumpy ones - and one that pops up like a rope as I ride. but i'm getting on. they don't bother me (as in pain) and I really don't care what they look like. until they give me any trouble I won't be doing anything.

rabobank89
Posts: 1045
Joined: Tue Aug 16, 2011 11:20 am

Re: Varicose Veins.... You got them?

Postby rabobank89 » Fri Jul 17, 2015 4:40 pm

cp123 wrote:I've got some super big ugly lumpy ones - and one that pops up like a rope as I ride. but i'm getting on. they don't bother me (as in pain) and I really don't care what they look like. until they give me any trouble I won't be doing anything.
Thanks for your input cp.. Yeah mine are rather big but only really get pain now and again.

User avatar
ZepinAtor
Posts: 1558
Joined: Fri Nov 26, 2010 7:46 pm
Location: Brizzzzbane Everton Hillzzzz

Re: Varicose Veins.... You got them?

Postby ZepinAtor » Fri Jul 17, 2015 5:23 pm

I had mine treated with laser (on one larger vein) & sclerotherapy over 4 months on all the rest. Definitely worth getting them treated or at the least checked by a professional as they can lead to complications later in life, much the same as diabetic issues.

The valves which have stopped working are allowing blood to pool or return back in the wrong direction putting pressure on other valves & veins. It will only get worse over time as mine did. At first there were a few lumpy veins (6-8mm) then over a period of 5 years they just started popping up everywhere. If you have any discolouration on your lower leg or ankles it is time to get the problem fixed.

Cost wise was about $4000 with the possibility of a few more minor treatments over the next 5-10 years. There is a little bit of staining from the old dead veins, but it is fading slowly. I'll try to dig up some before & after photos for you.

Before treatment :shock:

Image

After treatment :)

Image
Gas propulsion.......it's natural don't fight it.

rabobank89
Posts: 1045
Joined: Tue Aug 16, 2011 11:20 am

Re: Varicose Veins.... You got them?

Postby rabobank89 » Sun Jul 19, 2015 2:51 pm

Thanks Zepin for your feedback and visual results (which seem fantastic).. Have you noticed an improvement in discomfort since your procedures assuming you had any?

I am leaning towards laser treatment at this stage so I'll seek advice from another specialist to get another opinion. My main bad vein is in fact 9mm..

User avatar
ValleyForge
Posts: 1831
Joined: Tue Jan 27, 2009 5:37 pm
Location: Brisbane

Re: Varicose Veins.... You got them?

Postby ValleyForge » Sun Jul 19, 2015 4:04 pm

The cause of the veins is an incompetent valve in the groin & sometimes behind the knee. Surgical removal closes the feeding vein and removes the rope-like veins. The other techniques don't remove the feeding vein, incompetent valve or the ineffective hugely dilated veins. Why do one operation that works fantastically well with a very low rate of recurrence when there is the option of a more profitable procedure that you can do several times.

Just sayin...
Ha ha ha! Cookies on dowels.

User avatar
ZepinAtor
Posts: 1558
Joined: Fri Nov 26, 2010 7:46 pm
Location: Brizzzzbane Everton Hillzzzz

Re: Varicose Veins.... You got them?

Postby ZepinAtor » Sun Jul 19, 2015 8:07 pm

rabobank89 wrote:Thanks Zepin for your feedback and visual results (which seem fantastic).. Have you noticed an improvement in discomfort since your procedures assuming you had any?

I am leaning towards laser treatment at this stage so I'll seek advice from another specialist to get another opinion. My main bad vein is in fact 9mm..
I did experience some minor pain around the knee where most of the veins where, but not too much. Now the treatment is over there's zero pain & only a few very minor new veins have shown up.

By far the worst part of the treatment is the consistent wearing of very tight compression stockings 24hr/day. The first 3 days they applied tight bandaging top to bottom & compression tights over the top. It is very, very uncomfortable for weeks on end.
ValleyForge wrote: The other techniques don't remove the feeding vein,
Well actually the laser treatment did remove the main offending vein. It was fried from the inside & has now collapsed or has been glued together from the healing process caused by the laser. Basically the laser or sclerotherapy scar the inside of the vein then by wearing compression stockings the vein walls are glued together stopping any blood flow.
Gas propulsion.......it's natural don't fight it.

rabobank89
Posts: 1045
Joined: Tue Aug 16, 2011 11:20 am

Re: Varicose Veins.... You got them?

Postby rabobank89 » Sun Jul 19, 2015 8:43 pm

ValleyForge wrote:The cause of the veins is an incompetent valve in the groin & sometimes behind the knee. Surgical removal closes the feeding vein and removes the rope-like veins. The other techniques don't remove the feeding vein, incompetent valve or the ineffective hugely dilated veins. Why do one operation that works fantastically well with a very low rate of recurrence when there is the option of a more profitable procedure that you can do several times.

Just sayin...
Thanks for your input ValleyF! You raise a good point and spot on in regards to the incompetent locations (mine is behind the knee). I don't mind the surgery and it seems effective however there is a chance that when and if I get a recurrence they will appear somewhere else... That's my primary concern and mostly the reason for leaning towards laser treatment.

I had one Vascular specialist mention surgery was the only option (older traditional gentleman) and the other specialist who said I am eligible for laser or surgery (younger gentleman) but would not say which was more appropriate.

Thinking of getting another opinion from a third specialist..

User avatar
ValleyForge
Posts: 1831
Joined: Tue Jan 27, 2009 5:37 pm
Location: Brisbane

Re: Varicose Veins.... You got them?

Postby ValleyForge » Mon Jul 20, 2015 10:58 pm

ZepinAtor wrote:
ValleyForge wrote: The other techniques don't remove the feeding vein,
Well actually the laser treatment did remove the main offending vein. It was fried from the inside & has now collapsed or has been glued together from the healing process caused by the laser. Basically the laser or sclerotherapy scar the inside of the vein then by wearing compression stockings the vein walls are glued together stopping any blood flow.
When you do the operation, you pull out the vein like a bloody long tapeworm. With sclero or laser, the vein is damaged in such a way that with compression it scars closed. Usually. But certainly not always. And the vein is most certainly still there. :lol:
And the "feeding vein" - meaning the long saphenous (usu) or the short saphenous (rarely) terminate in a valve onto the parent vein. Removal of this defective valve is the key to the operation. Sclero or laser don't.
Ha ha ha! Cookies on dowels.

rabobank89
Posts: 1045
Joined: Tue Aug 16, 2011 11:20 am

Re: Varicose Veins.... You got them?

Postby rabobank89 » Wed Jul 22, 2015 10:36 pm

Thanks for the opinions and advice guys.

Got another opinion and will be sticking with surgery (will be my first surgery :shock: ) primarily due to the size.

Hopefully the surgery will go well and recovery doesn't present issues. Will have to keep on top should they re-appear somewhere else in the future.

User avatar
jules21
Posts: 10555
Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2009 11:14 pm
Location: deep in the pain cave

Re: Varicose Veins.... You got them?

Postby jules21 » Tue Aug 04, 2015 9:13 pm

i've got some and was told laser beams wouldn't work as mine are too pronounced. surgery is apparently my only option but doctors have told me not to bother unless they bother me, which they don't (yet). one doctor tried to refer me to a specialist but I'm going to err on the side of procrastination for now..

User avatar
ValleyForge
Posts: 1831
Joined: Tue Jan 27, 2009 5:37 pm
Location: Brisbane

Re: Varicose Veins.... You got them?

Postby ValleyForge » Thu Aug 06, 2015 1:14 pm

rabobank89 wrote:Thanks for the opinions and advice guys.

Got another opinion and will be sticking with surgery (will be my first surgery :shock: ) primarily due to the size.

Hopefully the surgery will go well and recovery doesn't present issues. Will have to keep on top should they re-appear somewhere else in the future.
Looking forward to the matching post-surgery images. And operations are fun. A general anaesthetic for elective surgery is actually pretty good.

The wait - however isn't. Admit at 6am, fasting from midnight, no exercise the day before. Checked in triplicate & go around to operating theatre at 9:30, Operation starts half an hour later. Ham & Coon sandwiches for lunch....

And the bandages....
Ha ha ha! Cookies on dowels.

rabobank89
Posts: 1045
Joined: Tue Aug 16, 2011 11:20 am

Re: Varicose Veins.... You got them?

Postby rabobank89 » Thu Aug 06, 2015 9:05 pm

Soo had my Surgery last week. Shaving the leg sure made the veins seem a whole lot worse then when the hair subdued it.

Yes the wait was horrible, went in 12pm and out of surgery at 8ish pm. Had to stay overnight then they decided to remove the bandadges the following day (after 12 hours instead of the minimum 24), got up and after 3 minutes I notice a pool of blood :shock:

Stayed another night just as they insisted and now I'm a few days out resting and doing my boring walks. Still numb near the bruise around my groin but hopefully it will get better.

User avatar
ZepinAtor
Posts: 1558
Joined: Fri Nov 26, 2010 7:46 pm
Location: Brizzzzbane Everton Hillzzzz

Re: Varicose Veins.... You got them?

Postby ZepinAtor » Thu Aug 06, 2015 9:56 pm

rabobank89 wrote:Soo had my Surgery last week.

Well that was quick. So do you have to be bandaged up for weeks on end with compression stockings or is the surgery the in-out approach ? The worst part for me was the endless weeks wearing tight compression stockings over a 3 month period.
Gas propulsion.......it's natural don't fight it.

timbo
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 1001
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 5:42 pm
Location: sydney

Re: Varicose Veins.... You got them?

Postby timbo » Fri Aug 07, 2015 9:36 am

I had surgery for varicose veins a few years ago, and it was well worth it.
Apart from reducing the ugliness, the swelling in the leg and the pain disappeared as well.

I had my surgery done under local anaesthetic, with a probe of some kind inserted in a vein just above my knee, which was then sent up to close off the vein near my groin.
The ugly veins were then injected with a type of foam solution which breaks down the vein. (perhaps there are different types of surgery, depending on the condition).
Compression stocking was on for two weeks full time, and I think two weeks part time.
Cost (around 8 years ago) was around $2200 with half of that able to be claimed back through Medicare.

rabobank89
Posts: 1045
Joined: Tue Aug 16, 2011 11:20 am

Re: Varicose Veins.... You got them?

Postby rabobank89 » Fri Aug 07, 2015 10:26 pm

ZepinAtor wrote:
rabobank89 wrote:Soo had my Surgery last week.

Well that was quick. So do you have to be bandaged up for weeks on end with compression stockings or is the surgery the in-out approach ? The worst part for me was the endless weeks wearing tight compression stockings over a 3 month period.
Yeah I have to wear the compression stocking for 4-6 weeks. Not entirely bad as its rather cool weather for the moment.

User avatar
fatherofmany
Posts: 3494
Joined: Thu Aug 14, 2008 3:13 pm
Location: Central Coast NSW Australia 33°26'16"S 151°20'39.50"E ish

Re: Varicose Veins.... You got them?

Postby fatherofmany » Fri Aug 14, 2015 8:32 pm

Not me, but I know a guy who has them on his forearms, they're as thick as my fingers. Doesn't seem to bother him though.

FoM
15 Bikes 2 adults 6 children, 2 dogs, 10 chooks and a heck of a lot of fish

User avatar
MichaelB
Posts: 14775
Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2007 9:29 am
Location: Adelaide, South Australia

Re: Varicose Veins.... You got them?

Postby MichaelB » Wed Aug 26, 2015 1:10 pm

I had some done surgically in my L leg some years ago. Only an issue with the L leg as a result from a motorbike accident.

Main issue was minor pain and ugly. They have partially come back (same leg, but different area), but are not causing too much trouble at the moment, so wont worry about it.

The surgeon that did mine didn't rate the laser/chem versions as they don't have the same success rate, but each to his own.

I'm lucky in the sense that it didn't cost me, as it's covered under my Veterans affairs (issue happened whilst in RAAF), so lucky in that respect.

UmaT
Posts: 12
Joined: Sat Aug 29, 2015 11:50 am

Re: Varicose Veins.... You got them?

Postby UmaT » Sat Aug 29, 2015 4:39 pm

I've got one ugly lumpy vein, not sure if it's worth trying a laser yet..

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users