Varicose Veins

[Orchid47]

Hi

I wonder if anybody has undergone a radio wave operation of the Saphena magnal vein during PMR?

I have to operate both legs at the end of next month and I am worried about side effect

due to PMR. I have had PMR for over 3 years and I am on 4/3.5mg Prednisone at present.

Thank you for your answers.

Orchid47

[piglette]

I had it done on one leg a couple of years ago. I was on around 12mg of pred at the time. A friend drove me to the clinic, it took about twenty minutes. I could have driven home but the friend picked me up. I drove the following day though.

[Orchid47 in reply to piglette]

Thank you for your answer Piglette.

I have to go to an hospital and I was told that the OP takes an hour.

Did you have the vein removed from the ankle to the groin with a radio wave catheter?

Where you also told to wear compression stockings for 6 days?

Any pain after the OP?

After 2 years is the operated leg

still healthy and without new varicose veins?

Thank you very much for answering all my above questions.

Orchid47

[piglette in reply to Orchid47]

Hi Orchid, I went privately. I think you have to have the whole vein removed, there is no choice. It was removed using radio wave with a catheter that is inserted into the vein. I also had sclerotherapy to remove some wiggly veins as the consultant put it. I suppose by the time I had checked in, filled in the forms, changed into a hospital gown etc it probably took quite a while. I had stockings which I think I wore for two or three days, I was able to swim after three days although I waited about six days. I think some consultants are quite fussy about stockings because they are worried about DVT. Mine seemed quite laid back about it.

[Orchid47]

Hi Piglette

Did you wear the Stockings 24 hours meaning also at night?

That is exactly the way that the surgeon

explained to me the Operation.

The surgeon told me that I shall need a second OP for the small wiggly veins 2

1/2 months later.

My health insurance pays only for stripping and none of the new,, less invasive treatments like radio wave

or laser treatment.

Thanks for your information

Orchid 47

[piglette in reply to Orchid47]

Yes I wore the stockings 24 hours. I have heard most surgeons do the sclerotherapy at a different time. I am not sure why he did mine at the same time. Perhaps he thought I looked tough! I counted 32 little red dots on my leg after the procedure. I must admit I don't think I would ever go for the old fashioned stripping. Also not needing a general anaesthetic was good. I had heard that the downside of laser is that it can get very hot and there is the possibility of a burn as opposed to the radio technique. The result is much the same though.

[Orchid47 in reply to piglette]

Dear Piglette,

I am very grateful to you and appreciate very much that you could answer all my questions and worries.

By the way did you feel ANY PAIN during the days after the procedure?

The surgeon told me that sometimes the wiggly veins disappear after the radio wave treatment. and there is no need for the sclerotherapy.

On the other hand the sclerotherapy procedure costs as much as the first radio wave treatment.

Thanks again for all the information.

Orchid47

[piglette in reply to Orchid47]

Dear Orchid, I was told I would have pain after a few days, but in my case it never came. In fact afterwards I just carried on as usual. I bought the procedure as a package, so perhaps that is why the surgeon did it all at once including the sclerotherapy to save money on the operating theatre, so he only had to use it once not twice!!

[Orchid47]

Dear Piglette,

Do you know if it is commen to operate both legs at the same time? My second leg has only slight, partial vein blood insufficiency of the main vein of the leg.

The surgeon wanted to save the costs of a second OP in a couple or years.

I don t know whether this is a wise decision.

Did you do the OP in summer?

It will be here still very hot when I have to under go this radio wave operation.

Thank you for your advice.

Orchid 47

[piglette in reply to Orchid47]

Dear Orchid, I cannot see any problem in having both legs done. On the other hand if you do not need it now it seems a bit OTT to have it done to save money in the future. You could argue you should have a heart transplant to save money for the future!!!

I had my procedure in June and the weather was lovely. I sat out in the garden and felt fine.

[mariamels95]

Hello! I suffered from varicose veins after my second pregnancy. I was so frustrated, I wanted to get rid of them as soon as possible so I went to a doctor and he recommended me venorid treatment. It actually worked for me, in about 3 months my varicose veins were almost gone!