Varicose veins - talk to me about getting them sorted!

[Ziggyzoom]

I've had them for years. They are really very bad. I had a DVT 6 years ago after the birth of my DD2. I have now been diagnosed with thrombophlebitis and the GP mentioned getting the veins 'done' before she sent me to hospital to check I didn't have another DVT.

So, if you have had yours done, what method did you choose, what did it entail and how did it turn out?

I had them removed surgically about 4/5 years ago. Procedure was fine, easier and less painful than I thought.
I began having thread veins instead, dark purple thin marks in one spot... And I can feel them returning slowly.. No discomfort or anything, just a tad bumpy. I'm not worried about it though as they're higher up. My worse bit was on the left of my knee. They're still gone, just a few appeared higher up. Would recommend it.

I'm not so concerned about appearance. My legs are not my best feature, so I wouldn't be showing hp them off anyway . The GP just suggested getting them removed as they may be prone to infection/ulcers as I get older .

The hospital doctor said laser treatment was the better option, but as I asked him more questions I got the impression he didn't have a great depth of knowledge!

I had mine done surgically although the laser option wasn't available at the time. I have never regretted having them done & would do it again in a heartbeat.

Thank you both. What was the recovery time after the OP?

I had radiofrequency ablation and it was AMAZING. Walked round the rest of the day, few days on painkillers and I was back to running and cycling within a week or so.

The veins just re absorb - still a bit bumpy (done in the summer) but no pain at all since!

trainers is that available on the NHS?

My mum had them surgically removed, but they came back just as bad. She wishes she'd never bothered.

I asked the GP about that, because that was one reason why I had put it off. She said they will - she called them "collaterals" I think. But she said it is the big gnarly ones like I currently have that need to go as they can cause complications.

I guess the lasering option might mean that repeated treatments are more feasible?

I had mine done surgically and I was a bit shocked by how painful it was and took a good 2 weeks before a could walk down the street normally. I was (eventually) pleased to have them done as they were really painful. They do seem to be slowly coming back though..

Ziggy yes mine was done on the NHS. I couldn't get my doctor to approve so one of my friends suggested I try to get onto a clinical trial.

I did and needed a referral from my doctor, then when I went to ask they said it was actually bad enough to have it done on the NHS.

So in the end it worked out.

Lazer treatment is supposed to be excellent

I'm hoping someone will come along and say they had laser treatment - their legs are now akin to a supermodel's, they were back at work that afternoon, they can now run marathons , it is free on the NHS, no issues with 'collaterals', oh and no hairs grow back!

Perhaps I was being a bit optimistic!