Anyone had varicose veins done, esp with ELVES?

[LadyThompson]

Not the fairy sort of course, but with lasers which burn them out. Nice. I am having it done in three weeks. Er, does it hurt? How long is recovery? And how does it look now? My veins went dodgy after having DD. Got some thread veins as well, which will be removed with sclerotherapy when other treatment has healed...apparently no point in getting the superficial ones done until the big veins are sorted, as they are the cause. I trust you lot more than I trust the specialist, to give me the low down! Also, I am having both legs done together as it is v expensive and having them done separately is prohibitively dear.

I know a few people who have had it done (and by the way laser treatment seems standard in Éurope - could you ask to be referred abroad somehow, or does the NHS not "do" varicose veins?) I almost paid for private treatment in London myself till I realised laser treatment is standard where I live!

Anyway it seems to be a fast, easy and straightforward treatment, main inconvenience is wearing the support stocking after.

No, I have got to have it done privately. NHS only does surgical 'stripping', and they have to be absolutely awful before you can get it done. Not bothered about wearing the stockings. I am prepared to put up with more or less anything to get them sorted, but if it is going to be v painful I would just like to know beforehand as the consultant only mentions 'discomfort' and this is sometimes doctorspeak for agony

Hi ladies,
i've just been to see my gp to discuss having my varicose veins done and she said that because there are so many patients now you can only have them done on nhs when you have serious complications such as ulcers on your legs!!! She advised me to go private if i could afford to, which i cant but thought i would try to find out how much it does actually cost!!
Goodluck ladythompson

Hi again, just to say after researching this i have found out that most clinics charge around £2k for one leg to be done using the ELVES method!!! Need to start saving my pennies me thinks!!!

hi, did you have your legs done? how did it go and how do they look now? sorry, i'm a little excited (as far as you can be about varicose veins) I've only just discovered ELVeS, sounds great, I was bit apprehensive of servere surgery. do you have to wear the stockings forever more - or just a few weeks after 'op'?
thanks!