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Varicose veins - advice & experiences wanted please

6 replies

mongrel · 04/06/2006 12:47

DW is 26 weeks into 2nd pregnancy and has developed varicose veins on the back of her left leg behind the knee and is not best pleased.

Any info on how to treat, look after this and do they go/fade at the end of pregnancy?

Many thanks,

Mongrel

OP posts:
CADS · 04/06/2006 13:02

I got them in 1st pregnancy and it got alot worse with the 2nd. I suggest she gets support stockings, not the best thing is summer but it made a huge difference, and put her feet up as much as possible. I also got Phlebitis (inflammation of the wall of a vein) which required antibiotics. Yes, they do fade a few months after pregnany, unfortunately mine have got so bad that I have to have them stripped in Sept.

Can't think of anything else really.

CADS · 04/06/2006 13:06

Here you are, knew I had some info somewhere:

What can I do to prevent or minimize them?
You may be able to prevent them or at least minimize them. Here are some tips:
• Exercise daily. Even just a brisk walk around the block can help your circulation.

• Strive to keep within the recommended weight range for your stage of pregnancy.

• Elevate your feet and legs whenever possible. Use a stool or box to rest your legs on when you're sitting, and keep your feet elevated on a pillow when you're lying down. Don't cross your legs or ankles when sitting. Don't sit or stand for long periods without taking breaks to move around.

• Sleep on your left side with your feet on a pillow. Wedge a pillow behind your back to keep yourself tilted to the left. Since the inferior vena cava is on the right side, lying on your left side relieves the vein of the weight of the uterus, thus decreasing pressure on the veins in your legs and feet.

• Wear special support hose. Prescription-strength hose, known as graduated-compression stockings, work best and are available from medical supply stores and pharmacies. These stockings are twice as thick as normal pantyhose. Tight at the ankle, they get looser as they go up the leg, making it easier for blood to flow back up toward your heart. As a result, they help prevent swelling and may keep your varicose veins from getting worse. Put them on before getting out of bed in the morning, while you're still lying down, to prevent blood from pooling in your legs, and keep them on all day. These support hose may be bothersome, especially in hot weather, but bad varicose veins can be more uncomfortable.

mongrel · 04/06/2006 22:12

thanks for your help - my husband posted message as i was getting distressed about them. when you say yours got so bad - do you mean that they are painful or unsightly? mine don't hurt at the moment they just look awful - do they start hurting later on? i will take up the tips you have given me but unsure about the support stockings!

OP posts:
robinia · 04/06/2006 22:23

I've had varicose veins since before pregnancies but they did get worse with each pregnancy. They didn't hurt very much but were horribly unsightly. I did wear support stockings but found them more uncomfortable than the veins themselves, and they took ages to put on. In the end I decided to not bother with them. I did try to keep active - no standing around - and I always elevated them when sitting down. When 4th child was 1 year old I had them removed and my legs look reasonably OK again now. Had 5th child 8 months ago and vvs only came back very slightly.

shazronnie · 04/06/2006 22:27

I found mine would ache and throb if I stood up for a long time, but they did go after the birth.

Clarins do a leg cream for tired legs \link{http://shop.clarins.com/as/do/sessionid/6433845/cid/4204093/vsid/10099/cmpid/10019/ep/Home_Page_UK-garden-UK/linktype/browz/url/uk.boutique.clarins.com/main.cfm?prodID=72\here}
which helped them feel better.

CADS · 05/06/2006 08:15

It's a pleasure, mongrel. Yes, mine were painful and unslightly but in mine case it is down to genetics. I get it from both sides of my family. My mom and maternal grandfather have both had to have their veins stripped, in both legs, so I will be the third generation to have it done. Please go to your doctor and get a prescription for the support stockings and give them a go. I only wore them on my worst leg and found my leg was less painful and swollen at the end of the day.

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