varicose vein pain

[emily_in_nc]

I've been through this and had the surgery Xrayted mentions. I had a varicosity on the inside of my left knee area since my one pregnancy (ended in miscarriage) nine years ago. Over the past year or so, it started getting achier. Nothing sharp, but an annoying pain, sometimes during hikes, sometimes while just sitting around. The veins also started getting bigger and uglier. I mentioned it to my primary care doc, and she recommended going to the vascular clinic at UNC to have it checked. When it hurts, it's not just a cosmetic thing, there is an actual circulatory issue going on.

So, I made an appt. and went to the vascular clinic, where ultrasound and compression tests confirmed "greater saphenous vein insufficiency". I had to wear compression stockings (ICK ICK ICK!) during the day for three months to see if it got better (nope), and because it did not, the doctor put in a request to my insurance company for EVLT (laser surgery - minimally invasive), and they approved it. You can read more about this procedure here. It is only done at certain facilities, which is another reason I chose to go to UNC; I had already researched it in advance and was hoping I might be a candidate.

The surgery (quick, outpatient) went very well. My leg was wrapped tightly for two days to help keep the vein tightly compressed, then I returned to the hospital to have the bandages taken off. I only had a couple of little puncture marks where they threaded the wire into the length of the saphenous vein from below my knee to my groin. Pain was very mild. I had to wear the compression stocking for a couple more weeks, then was able to slowly get back to riding. After having the stocking off, within a couple of weeks I was completely back to normal. I do have a numb area on the back of my leg where I assume some nerves were slightly damaged during surgery, but it's very minor and I only notice it if I scratch back there.

The bulging veins weren't actually removed. They were right below the saphenous vein that was sealed shut and received their blood supply from it. A followup ultrasound revealed that they are now receiving blood from a deeper vein and that the saphenous vein is completely closed. On occasion the varicosities still bulge ever so slightly, but lots less than before, and most importantly, I have had NO vein pain at all since the surgery.

I highly recommend it if you are feeling varicose pain and tests show that you are a good candidate. EVLT is covered by many insurance programs if you have documented pain, like I did, but not for purely cosmetic purposes. So make sure to mention the pain to your doctor and specialist, if you see one (don't emphasize the cosmetic side of it; an improvement there is just a pleasant side effect of the surgery). My vascular surgeon told me that although it wasn't imperative that I get it fixed right away, it would only get worse (slowly) over time, and he left it completely up to me whether to pursue it now or wait awhile longer. Knowing that I was an athlete, he completely understood why living with compression stockings for a long period of time was not an option, and he also felt that they were just a "band-aid", not a permanent fix, but something we had to try first since insurance companies require "conservative treatment" be tried prior to approving surgery. I'd highly recommend doing the stockings during the winter since they are hot, and you won't want to wear shorts with them on!

Any other questions about the surgery or anything else? Just ask!

Emily