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Original poster

has anyone had varicose vens treated on the NHS?

16 replies

balenciaga · 17/03/2014 14:38

I have developed them just on one leg since being pg with my dc3 :(

they hurt like hell and look fucking horrible, and get me down, can't bear to look at my legs anymore :( MW says the nhs don't treat them anymore, but I looked on the nhs choices website and it says if they are causing pain (which mine are) then they will remove them :S

so thought I would ask on here

fingers crossed for positive stories as I am only 34 ffs and otherwise fit and healthy and my legs are really nice apart from these, so I hope I can get them sorted if they don't go away

OP posts:
Theonlyoneiknow · 17/03/2014 14:58

I did but it was years ago. Didnt have a problem getting referred, was a longish wait though.

It was probably over 20 years ago which isnt much use, sorry

Pootles2010 · 17/03/2014 14:59

They do treat them, did you stress to her the pain they're causing you? Maybe worth speaking to your gp?

emmelinelucas · 17/03/2014 15:03

According to DH , the NHS do treat, but surgical procedures have changed. It is non-invasive now and you can go home the same day usually. If it is a cosmetic procedure then the NHS wont do it,not in our area anyway.
You are in pain, so I would see a GP.

NaturalBaby · 17/03/2014 15:08

You're not still pregnant are you? I had a very bad leg with dc3 as well and looked into treatment. I have a friend who works in the NHS who advised me not to get treatment, but they improved once dc3 arrived.

Original poster
balenciaga · 17/03/2014 15:59

yes I am still pregnant, got just over 3 weeks left seems a lifetime lol

thanks for all the advice so far, I might have to go gp but mine are beyond useless so I am worried I will just be fobbed off. hopefully they go away after the babys born but I just have a feeling they won't as they really are bad I cant see how they can just disappear, although obvs I hope they will!

emiline is your dh a doctor / nhs worker?

OP posts:
NaturalBaby · 17/03/2014 19:41

I still have a big purple bulge but it's not painful anymore and has isn't as swollen. I can't remember exactly but it went down pretty much straight away. I was in support stockings and could barely bend my knee, which wasn't helpful as I had a toddler and a preschooler to deal with at the time!

LydiaLunches · 17/03/2014 19:46

I had mine stripped the old fashioned way 4 years ago with a very short wait. I had had them from 19 and they were worsened over 2 pregnancies. Mine were assessed to be disfunctional from the groin down as well as painful and hideous though, I think the fear is that of your circulation remains that bad for long enough you'll end up with leg ulcers so definitely considered to be worth doing I think. I thought my family was complete but a surprise 3rd pregnancy did not bring them back ( that might be unusual) .

hiddenhome · 17/03/2014 20:08

I had mine done years ago. They made some incisions in the groin and then a few on the calf and stripped the offending veins out. It was fine and not that painful from what I can remember.

I'm so glad I had it done because I've had no problems since.

TheBreastmilksOnMe · 17/03/2014 20:11

I had varicose veins on my left leg and had them removed under a ga a couple of years ago. It was very straightforward, a bit sore for about a week after and it took about a year for the incision scars to fade but look good now and you'd never know i had surgery.

Musicaltheatremum · 17/03/2014 22:45

They may well go away so definitely no treatment during pregnancy other than support tights. It's amazing how much they shrink once the blood volume and the hormones fall after pregnancy. Fingers crossed. If they are causing a lot of pain you may well get help though. Even on the NHS.

Meerkatwhiskers · 18/03/2014 00:30

I have small ones on both legs. My gp told me they don't treat them on the NHS anymore. However, I'm a student nurse and on my day surgery placement I watched the treatment. It's called an EVLT. It is done under general anaesthetic but is a day case. So they do treat it. Just don't tell you they do lol.

Original poster
balenciaga · 18/03/2014 10:25

oh god I hope they do go away after the pregnancy. they are just so bad I can't see how they can., I am really in agony with them at the moment, ones swelled up and really hurts to walk and everything

that's interesting meerkat ewww bet it was horrible to watch :o

OP posts:
FabULouse · 18/03/2014 11:07

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Original poster
balenciaga · 18/03/2014 11:22

omg wtf is phlebitis?? :(

OP posts:
LydiaLunches · 18/03/2014 11:52

Have you been fitted for support stockings at all OP? You need proper Scholl hold-ups on prescription, put them on after sticking your legs in the air for 10 minutes.

Original poster
balenciaga · 18/03/2014 17:18

Well this thread panicked me into going to the gp. Turns out the one that's really hurting is infected (ewwwwwwww) so I'm glad I posted as been given antibiotics.

OP posts:
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