Ouch varicose vein removed today

[SummersSomewhere]

Feel like a wimp asking this but will it hurt this much for long?

I was expecting the heat sealing treatment but they took the vein out in pieces under local instead so was not very prepared. It's really sore and leg bandaged thigh to calf. Didn't ask enough questions of the surgeon about recovery and the student nurse, though lovely, didn't really know. Paracetamol no help sadly and due to gallstones I am limited on pain relief options.

That procedure sounds like medieval torture. How awful for you. Weren't you at your outpatients appointment how they intended to treat the vein?

Call your GP first thing and ask to be prescribed effective pain relief that isn't contraindicated due to gallstones and get on to the hospital clinic that performed the procedure for more detailed information as to what you can do to aid and speed recovery.

In the meantime this advice from Guy''s & St Thomas' Hospitals may be of interest to you: www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/resources/patient-information/vascular/varicose-veins-going-home-after-surgery.pdf

Hoping you'll feel more comfortable by the end of the week.

told at your outpatients appointment... etc.

Hello, I had similar vein surgery a few years ago. I was like you - completely unprepared for the post-Op pain - IMO the surgeon completely played it down. Didn't feel a thing while he was doing it (I just read my book) - but a few hours later - ouch.

I was just told 'you can go home same day, blah blah' but I was in agony. DH had to take 2 days off work to look after the dc at short notice, because surgeon made out I would be up and about, and fine, within hours.

The good news is, OP, it wears off in a couple of days - but it is pretty scary to be in so much pain when you're expecting it. And the first shower was a bit grisly (lots of blood!). I was given codeine - but only after I made a big fuss. Paracetamol was just not doing it for me

Thanks goddess I was definitely unprepared. I am supposed to go back and get the other leg done in a few weeks, not sure I will be brave enough but at least I know what to expect now. I've got some co-codamol now.

UTGT envious of you being able to read during the procedure and not feel a thing, sadly I had to keep asking for more local anaesthetic (I'll spare the details).

Very lucky my mum came to cook tea and do the school run and DH very sympathetic and helpful.

I was wheeled back form the operating theatre and 10 mins later they said 'you can go home whenever you like' and I said 'ok well how do I get off the bed' ???? As a bonus the ward was upstairs and the lift didn't work so I had to start of by hobbling down two flights of stairs. Probably not a good start to recovery.

I have to say that it's actually not quite so bad this morning, I managed to sleep a bit and I am coping better now than last night.

On the plus side it's done now, the staff were lovely, if somewhat secretive about the post op pain, and the lady in the next bed was hilarious and could be my new best friend ;) We were united in our trepidation. Hope she is doing ok.