I need another professional opinion on a failed VNUS Closure procedure.
I had this procedure done over 18 months ago and I feel worse every day. I have tingling, numbness and trouble sleeping. The doctor recommended vein stripping. I understand this is painful and I don't trust him to do it. Another doctor wanted to send me to a neurologist. He did not believe the numbness started exactly after the procedure. I have difficulty with practicing yoga, and I'm miserable. What is the best option, that will not make this worse?
Answers from doctors (7)
I would not recommend stripping. I would get another duplex ultrasound exam with a reputable physician to see what is going on.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
Find a vascular surgeon. Do not see someone who is a general practitioner. Many doctors are treating veins today and they are not really trained to do so. The suggestion to see a neurologist tells me that the referral may be incorrect.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
You may have had some nerve damage during the procedure if that is when the problem began. Alternatively, your symptoms may be related to sciatic nerve pain originating in the lower back. You should seek a second opinion from a board certified surgeon who specializes in varicose veins including ultrasound. I am not sure how stripping veins could help you. Have you tried compression stockings?
Published on Jul 11, 2012
Assuming that you do not have a primary back or nerve problem, your symptoms could be from vein disease. Some vein docs only treat part of a person's vein issues. If the VNUS closure was all you had done, that doc only treated a foot or two out of a possible 50 yards of vein disease. They did nothing. If you want resolution of your discomfort, you need to address all 50 yards. This will in turn improve your venous circulation and make your legs feel better.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
You can get a second opinion from another vein specialist. The vein specialist will need to re-evaluate your symptoms, do a complete physical examination of your leg veins, look at other co-morbidities (diseases which may cause similar symptoms) and probably do a Doppler ultrasound if needed to see what was done and how your veins look now on Doppler ultrasound. He can then formulate a management plan.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
I would need more info to try to answer this question with reasonable confidence, like your age, other diagnoses, height, weight, diabetes and recent ultrasound report. I doubt that stripping is the way to go; we have much less invasive techniques that work better with less downtime.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
You should see a vein specialist for a full evaluation. Your symptoms may or may not be related to your veins. If your venous evaluation is normal, then you may need to see a neurologist.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
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