Vericose Vein "surgery"
Wow, how they've come a long way
from 
JoeUser Forums
JoeUser Forums
Yesterday I had "surgery" to remove a huge vericose vein that ran from practically the top of my inner thigh to about 4 inches below my knee. I say "surgery" because I would call it a procedure. It was done right in the office and was very quick. I am back on my feet today!
I can't believe that something that used to require a huge slit and major recovery time has been so far reduced in invasiveness. It is similar to the differences made in gall bladder surgery (which I had the opportunity to experience about 5 yrs ago). They now make little holes along the vein, snip the vein at those points and pull out the pieces. The worst part is getting numbed up.
Snip, pull, stitch and then you have to wear a support stocking for a week. After that, the doctor takes it off, removes the stitches and you're bruised and looking like a pin cushion for a couple of weeks. I have seen the results in pictures and with a friend's experience and I can't wait!
My very-gross vein's, as I call them, are not just unsightly but by the end of each day feel like they are going to burst. They were so bad that even the doctors and nurses that do this all the time said "Wow! You've got an over achiever there." Of course my insurance doesn't seem to think that I needed to get rid of them so it was all out of pocket. Well worth it though.
I do suggest people talk to their family about health issues that are inherited. When I had my gall bladder attacks at age 28, I found out practically noone in the family still had theirs. Now, with the veins, I knew both my parents had them but I recently found out my maternal grandfather had them so badly that one ruptured while he was working on a ladder. This may have helped me convince my doctor to tell the insurance company I needed to gethem removed. At the very least it would have made me feel less of a freak.
Well, that is one leg down. The other leg will be treated with injections. They call it sclerotherapy. They will do that for both the vericose and spider veins. Thanks to genetics and child bearing my legs look like a very complicated road map. I plan on changing that as much as possible.
I can't believe that something that used to require a huge slit and major recovery time has been so far reduced in invasiveness. It is similar to the differences made in gall bladder surgery (which I had the opportunity to experience about 5 yrs ago). They now make little holes along the vein, snip the vein at those points and pull out the pieces. The worst part is getting numbed up.
Snip, pull, stitch and then you have to wear a support stocking for a week. After that, the doctor takes it off, removes the stitches and you're bruised and looking like a pin cushion for a couple of weeks. I have seen the results in pictures and with a friend's experience and I can't wait!
My very-gross vein's, as I call them, are not just unsightly but by the end of each day feel like they are going to burst. They were so bad that even the doctors and nurses that do this all the time said "Wow! You've got an over achiever there." Of course my insurance doesn't seem to think that I needed to get rid of them so it was all out of pocket. Well worth it though.
I do suggest people talk to their family about health issues that are inherited. When I had my gall bladder attacks at age 28, I found out practically noone in the family still had theirs. Now, with the veins, I knew both my parents had them but I recently found out my maternal grandfather had them so badly that one ruptured while he was working on a ladder. This may have helped me convince my doctor to tell the insurance company I needed to gethem removed. At the very least it would have made me feel less of a freak.
Well, that is one leg down. The other leg will be treated with injections. They call it sclerotherapy. They will do that for both the vericose and spider veins. Thanks to genetics and child bearing my legs look like a very complicated road map. I plan on changing that as much as possible.
