Come talk to me about varicose veins

[redplasticspoon]

I'm only 25 and have had them since I was 23 and had my first child. I have just started wearing TED compression stockings and feel like a granny!

Can anyone reassure me its not just me?

Bumping.. anyone?

Me tooo! Am pretty fit and active, always have been and yet they are still there - grrrr!
Am considering surgery but am still working up to being brave enough!

You are not alone.
OUr research shows girls lose the valves in thier veins (the cause of varicose veins) when they are very young - 1 in 20 by age 9 years and 1 in 9 by age 18 years.
Stocking help symptoms but don't stop them worsening - nor cure them.
You need expert duplex ultrasound to find where they come from, then local anaesthetic laser or radiofrequency ablation if severe - or injections of foam if not.
Surgery with general anaesthetic and scalpels and stitches is never needed now.

I had laser ablation on mine, both legs. It was great. Expensive, but worth it (not available on the NHS, not surprisingly).