How to prevent varicose veins?

[EggsonHeads]

I know that I am going to get them eventually but I want to avoid them as long as possible. I already get some water retention in my legs despite being only in my early twenties. I have a lot of risk factors-tall, frequently fly long haul or drive long distances. I've had two pregnancies (thankfully I've recovered reasonably well from them) and a family history-ever single woman in my family has at some point developed them and they have all suffered from water retention, many at a rather young age. What can I do beyond not getting pregnant again (have already resolved not to have any more biological children).

You can wear stockings and compression socks (especially when flying). They work really well! You can also use creams. But the best thing you can do is wear stockings. I hope that's helpful. Good luck!

I hadn't thought of that. I think I'll definitely do it during flights from now on.

If you haven't developed them in pregnancy, that's an excellent indicator that you might never develop them. Mine came up in pregnancy with DC1 when I was 29. And it's been downhill from there.

That's really comforting but my first pregnancy was late teens and the second at 20/21 so I kind of assumed that I wouldn't get them regardless at that age.

Drink lots of water and there are some supplements you can take. My obn was happy I never got them in pregnancy. She was very insistent that I drink copious amounts of water though. Told me varicose veins normally first start in the rectum and is called piles. She said people don't normally connect the two but that it's really important I prevent piles during pregnancy and beyond.

I never bothered with the supplements. My regular doctor has been on me to get my weight to a normal level. I'm still overweight but I'm not obese. Eating 7 portions of fruit and veg a day is important for me.

I'm under the care of a vascular consultant for my varicose veins, he said they're mostly hereditary. I've had them lasered and then had sclerotherapy for a few stragglers.

Laser is great, I had them done on a Saturday under sedation and was working on the following Monday. No after pain apart from one vein in my thigh but I only had to take painkillers once and it was fine after that.