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I think I have a varicose vein.. treatment?

20 replies

Mummypig2020 · 21/06/2020 15:27

I’m looking into getting surgery for my legs next year (I have Lipoedema) and the surgeon has asked for a scan of my legs to check for them. But I think I have a small one on my calf at the side.

Ignore my awful legs..

What do I do? I’m worried :(

OP posts:
Mummypig2020 · 21/06/2020 15:55

Bump

OP posts:
ameliameerkat · 21/06/2020 16:20

Is it sore?

I had varicose veins (which are now starting to come back) and they were pretty sore, but until they become more of an issue (e.g. ulcerated or blood clots) you generally can't get them treated on the NHS. If they're 'just' sore (and ugly!) they're not considered enough of an issue!

I got a blood clot (not a serious one) in one of mine, which got me onto the waiting list to have them stripped. ~10 years later they started to come back, unfortunately.

totallyyesno · 21/06/2020 16:23

I have had two operations to remove varicose veins and wouldn't recommend it unless there really is no alternative. I think that probably wouldn't be treated like that as it is small - might be treated by sclerotherapy?

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Mummypig2020 · 21/06/2020 16:56

It’s not sore I don’t think, but my legs are generally really sore anyway.

How do they fix them? Is it literally just surgery?

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MrsJBaptiste · 21/06/2020 17:13

I've had mine stripped twice (once at 21 and again at 41) but I doubt they'd do it again and I doubt it want to go through it again!

The first time they pulled them out through my groin with an incision at each side. The second time they made small cuts around my inner thighs and pushed the veins out.

Not pleasant either time but the results were good. Just a pity there's nothing they can do for my patch of thread veins...

Mummypig2020 · 21/06/2020 17:18

Oh god that’s horrific!!

I thought they just injected them 🙈

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laurelhedge · 21/06/2020 17:42

Small ones like that can be injected, no need to strip. Nhs won't do it I think, as it's cosmetic. It's not very expensive to have done privately (as private goes, that is)

SirSamuelVimesBlackboardMonito · 21/06/2020 17:54

I've had alllll sorts of varicose vein stuff.

First one I had stripped age 20. Private. Pulled out by groin, mega mega bruising all the way from ankle to knicker line. But brilliant outcome.

Second one, same vein on the other leg, at about 26. This time I had a lovely gp who told me to ham up the pain, oh the pain, yes yes I've tried compression bandages, etc and got me a spot on a clinical trial. I got put into a lucky dip of three treatments they were comparing - surgical stripping, laser and foam glue. Got the laser one. Incision by knee, push a laser on a stick up to groin, then slowly pill back while firing the laser and pressing down on the vein. Basically the idea is to burn and stick the vein together from the inside. That was an experience! For some reason (to do with the iron in your blood?) you can smell metal / pennies the whole time.

The laser results were ok, not amazing. My vein was much bigger and lumpier than your pic, and a couple of the lumps remained afterwards, so at one of my follow up appointments they did the foam glue injection - just a small needle straight into the bumpy bits and press down hard to stick.

If I had to recommend one I would go surgery. Much more painful and slower recovery but a much better outcome. There's still nothing on that leg, 17 years on, but the laser/glue leg has signs of them coming back only ten years later.

Mummypig2020 · 21/06/2020 19:03

Thank you! It’s so small. I’m really worrying though. I can’t have surgery until it’s fixed.

Do you recommend the needle one? I’m not sure if it’s too big?

OP posts:
SirSamuelVimesBlackboardMonito · 21/06/2020 19:45

The needle was by far the easiest of the three, and nothing huge at all - just a standard sort of needle size, from what I remember. Worth looking into.

SedentaryCat · 21/06/2020 19:57

I had one stripped around 15 years ago. I'd had phlebitis in it following the birth of DD and it never really functioned properly afterward. Very itchy, swollen and painful and like a rope down my inside leg.

I've got a scar in my groin, perhaps an inch long if that, plus some 'stab' marks on my leg where the smaller branches of the vein were removed.

It's started coming back though and I've had a bout of phlebitis again, but it's now not considered 'bad' enough to warrant surgery on the NHS - they don't offer it here unless it's much worse. I could pay privately to have it removed but, as I am already having some issues with lymphatic drainage in that leg, I'm going to leave it for now.

totallyyesno · 21/06/2020 20:08

Btw my veins were both stripped on the same leg. It worked for about two years and then slowly started coming back again. The last operation was about 8 months ago and I am still quite scarred from it but it was worth it because they were so painful. I hope it doesn't happen again but apparently it is likely as my veins are rubbish. I was going to get my spider veins treated this spring but couldn't due to Covid and they won't do them in the summer.

Mummypig2020 · 21/06/2020 20:25

Does it look like a varicose vein?

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Brahumbug · 21/06/2020 23:03

I had laser treatment for varicose veins and the result was excellent with a rapid recovery. I would definitely recommend it over surgery.

totallyyesno · 22/06/2020 21:26

Does it look like a varicose vein?
I wouldn't like to say. Mine were a lot bigger and bulgier though.

Nutlesssquirrel · 21/07/2020 20:59

I've just had a consultation about my veins - privately. Whilst I don't have the traditional lumpy varicose veins, I do have lots of thread veins and get really painful legs and itching. I've not worn a skirt/dress in the summer for years as a result of how it makes me feel. The scan (bit like when they scan you when pregnant) showed I've got a varicose vein in both legs and these are causing my discomfort etc. They'll treat my varicose veins before looking at the thread/spider veins. My initial consultation and scan cost £250.

Nutlesssquirrel · 21/07/2020 20:59

I've just had a consultation about my veins - privately. Whilst I don't have the traditional lumpy varicose veins, I do have lots of thread veins and get really painful legs and itching. I've not worn a skirt/dress in the summer for years as a result of how it makes me feel. The scan (bit like when they scan you when pregnant) showed I've got a varicose vein in both legs and these are causing my discomfort etc. They'll treat my varicose veins before looking at the thread/spider veins. My initial consultation and scan cost £250.

Nutlesssquirrel · 21/07/2020 21:00

I've just had a consultation about my veins - privately. Whilst I don't have the traditional lumpy varicose veins, I do have lots of thread veins and get really painful legs and itching. I've not worn a skirt/dress in the summer for years as a result of how it makes me feel. The scan (bit like when they scan you when pregnant) showed I've got a varicose vein in both legs and these are causing my discomfort etc. They'll treat my varicose veins before looking at the thread/spider veins. My initial consultation and scan cost £250.

Nutlesssquirrel · 21/07/2020 21:01

Oops user error above

Weepolly · 12/06/2023 19:05

I know this is a really old post but I was wondering if you ever got your vein fixed. I have on identical which I’m worried about , did you get it fixed? Did it get any worse over the last few years ? Xx

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