Varicose veins

[bellamountain]

I have bulging, sore and itchy varicose veins on my right calf. They look awful and have got worse since having children. I'm not looking for treatment on the NHS as it seems that won't happen, I just want them gone despite the cost (which I'll have to put on the credit card)!! Has anyone had success in having them removed? The Vein Centre has cropped up a few times on my research as they purely specialise in varicose vein treatment and the laser technique. Are they reputable? Looking for clinics in Herts, Essex, London....

If you fulfill CCG criteria you may get them done on the NHS. Say you wear compression stockings 24/7, that they bleed and you take daily painkillers. Try and persuade your gp to refer you then it will be up to the vascular Dr if they proceed.

Foam ablation or laser sclerotherapy are minimally invasive procedures that take 20mins, need no anaesthetic and prevent any future complications such as varicose leg ulcers, which would save the nhs a fortune. Just don't mention the look of them, say it is the pain and the itching that are intolerable.

Mine cost £3000 to have done - best money I ever spent. The NHS won't do anything til they ulcerate.

Mine were treated under local - the consultant advised not to have the foam as it has a much higher rate of reoccurrence and can leave brown marks under the skin. The actual radio ablation was over before I knew it but I'd also opted to have the troublesome surface veins removed for cosmetic reasons so that took a bit longer.

I had to wear compression bandages for 48 hours and then the stockings for a week. The stockings were the worst part of the whole experience!

@Elphame where did you have yours done?

It's such a lot of money but I know the NHS, even if they could help, I'd be waiting a very very long time.

'The NHS won't do anything til they ulcerate.'

Well as I said if you fulfill ccg criteria they do.

I know someone who waited 6m from referral to 20 min procedure. Not bad if means saving 3k.

[quote bellamountain]@Elphame where did you have yours done?

It's such a lot of money but I know the NHS, even if they could help, I'd be waiting a very very long time.[/quote]
When my GP confirmed that the NHS wouldn't treat me until my legs ulcerated and were "ruined" (to use his exact word) I asked for a recommendation as there are so many private clinics and I am somewhat untrusting that all of them are as good and safe as they claim. He offered to refer me which was even better.

He wrote to a Vascular surgeon at Bristol Southmead and mine were done privately 6 weeks later.

'When my GP confirmed that the NHS wouldn't treat me until my legs ulcerated and were "ruined"

Your gp is talking rubbish. I'd take everything else he had to say with a pinch of salt tbh. If he isn't familiar with the most basic of ccg criteria and guidelines I dread to think what else he hasn't a clue about.

Glad you got sorted and are happy with your procedure obviously, just GPs sometimes are utterly hopeless. I'm only sticking my oar in incase there are others reading this who think they need leg ulcers before they will get nhs treatment.

I know more than one person who has had ablation on the nhs, with a 6mth wait and their legs certainly weren't ulcerated or ruined. It is indeed done to prevent ulceration. Also a bit weird that he'd refer you, private hospitals don't need GP referrals.

In my area they aren't doing non emergency surgery for the foreseeable 🤷.

I agree that the long term complications must cost the NHS a fortune.

@JaniieJones - maybe in your health trust but round here it's much stricter. You need prior funding approval for even a referral to see a specialist.

This is a quote from our local published policy.

PRIOR APPROVAL REQUIRED

Referral should be considered for one or more of the following indications:

Severe skin changes of the lower leg (below the knee) and ankle, including:

1. External bleeding from a varicosity that has eroded the skin and is at risk of recurring as evidenced within the Primary Care Records.

OR

1. A venous ulcer (a break in the skin below the knee that has not healed within 2 weeks) which persists despite a six-month trial of conservative management (exercise and daily elevation 2-3 times a day) and is evidenced within the Primary Care Consultation Records.

OR

1. Recurrent venous ulceration – minimum of two or more episodes within a 12 month

period as evidenced within the Primary Care Records.

OR

1. Superficial vein thrombosis (characterised by the appearance of hard, painful veins) AND suspected venous incompetence as evidenced within the Primary Care Records.

OR

1. Recurrent superficial thrombophlebitis as evidenced within the Primary Care records

Fulll document available here bnssgccg-media.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/attachments/Varicose_Veins_Surgery_Policy_PA_v1819.2.00.pdf

Yes, like everything with healthcare I don't doubt it varies from area to area.

However it is always worth a shot to get a referral to prevent longterm ulceration problems. It is done on the nhs and most places are doing elective stuff again now albeit with backlogs.

Some areas would refer if the patient uses compression stockings without improvement, has significant pain, skin itching and bleeding.

I agree that it's well worth trying a referral from your gp first to get it done on NHS.

I had mine done yesterday through NHS. I've attached a 'before' photo.

You can see that although they're not pretty they're not ulcerating or causing me major problems.

Really looking forward to seeing the results!

@IDoAllMyOwnStunts how are you getting on? Are you happy with the results?

Hi! I'm 2 weeks post surgery now. All good, slight soreness and throbs occasionally in the area but nothing drastic.

Having to wear support stockings but pretty much back to normal activities. My leg doesn't look any different but the surgeon did say it'll take 6 months for the vein to die off and disappear. Fingers crossed it works.

I'd really say try your doctor first. Worth a shot, I really didn't think they accept mine as they wouldn't be bad enough but here I am - you'll never know unless you ask.

Ps I will take another photo near Xmas and put it up for comparison

Hello, a couple of years down the line now. How are you getting on? Were you pleased with your results? Do you have any photos you could share? And what treatment you had and what it was like? I’m only 30 (fit active and healthy and an ex-dancer) I’m wanting to get my self esteem back and my legs out again but I noticed I was developing varicose veins around 3 years ago (they became far more noticeable after the AZ vaccine actually but I’m not going into that, I was happy to get the vaccine and continued with all the others to follow up but not sure if it could be relevant or just coincidental) and they have steadily gotten worse and I went to my GP last summer and my consultation with vascular at the hospital (NHS) is this September (15 month wait for this appointment) so I’m wondering what I can expect. If it’s going to be that lengthy for treatment I am thinking of going private because my self-esteem has been so affected by this and I need to rectify that sooner rather than later so I’d really be grateful if you’re happy to share your experience @IDoAllMyOwnStunts x