I am only 15 years old, and I've had varicose veins since my 12th birthday. A few months ago I had vein inflammation. I already have a varicose vein surgery scheduled this month, and my doctor thinks I am not too young. But am I really too young to have surgery? I need a second opinion.
Go get a second opinion to be sure. If you have reflux and you are symptomatic, then you probably should be treated but you can try to manage it with compression hose (which is obviously not a popular choice in your age group).
Published on Jul 11, 2012
You are not too young . . . even patients in their teenage years can have significant varicose vein problems requiring procedures to fix them.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
Your best option is to make another consult / schedule an appointment with another doctor.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
There is not an age limit on either side of the spectrum. If your varicose veins are causing you discomfort, if you legs are swelling or if your legs are tired and achy at the end of the day, then endovenous ablation or
sealing is the ideal treatment for you. In the days before 2000, we only had stripping (painful and invasive) to offer our patients and you would not have been considered a candidate back then, but many others would not have been either.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
Age is not the determinant of who needs treatment. The issue is whether you have significant venous insufficiency with symptoms that warrant treatment.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
If you have the symptoms and appropriate indications, you are not too young for varicose vein surgery.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
If your appendix becomes inflamed when you are 15, you had better have surgery. Likewise, if you have saphenous-derived varicose veins with symptoms, it would be wise to treat them before clots develop. Endovenous ablation is usually the best option for most people.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
I don't recommend an operation usually since you will probably get many more varicose veins when you become pregnant later. You would need another operation at that time. Discuss with your parents.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
The sooner you treat those veins, the better off you will be in the long term. As long as you have parental consent for the procedure, I wouldn't have any reason to consider you 'too young' for the treatment. It is always better to receive treatment sooner, rather than later.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
You are not too young for venous surgery. I would recommend endovenous ablation rather then ligation and stripping. My youngest female patient was 13 and the youngest male was 11.
Published on Jul 11, 2012