I had EVLT along the entire great saphenous vein with minimal pain for the two weeks following. All of a sudden for the last few days I'm experiencing a lot of pain in my inner thigh. In the morning I wake up with little to no pain at all but by the end of the day it feels very painful to walk. I had EVLT on the other leg a week earlier and did not experience the same pain. Also most of my bruising is gone, except for redness in the painful area. What could this be?
What you are experiencing is a common delayed effect of the treatment. It does not indicate that anything has gone wrong, quite the contrary. It takes one to two weeks for the treated vein to stiffen and harden. It changes from an elastic rubber band to hard taught rope. It is an inflamed vein so you can expect a hardness along the treated track that pulls when you walk and may be sore. Don't worry, keep moving and this will dissapate soon. NSAIDS will help if you can take them.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
It sound like you may have developed thrombophlebitis, which is not common. You should follow up with your doctor and get an ultrasound.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
This is not an unusual complaint at all and I warn my patients that 2-3 weeks after the procedure is when they may experience pain. This is usually the time frame when the vein becomes very hardened and start to scar down and shrink in response to the thermal ablation. Most patients experience it in the thigh area where the vein is usually the largest. I recommend taking some anti-inflammatory medication and wearing the compression stockings for another week during this time. Many patients actually find stretching and walking to be helpful as well. You may be experiencing it in one leg more due to the vein being larger on one side, or running more superficial and closer to the surface. Also, if you have redness or warmth over the area, then you may have developed a phlebitis (inflammatory reaction of vein). In addition to the above recommendations, many patients find warm compresses several times daily, to be very helpful. Good luck.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
What you are experiencing is very common post EVLT and usually occurs 1 to 2 weeks post treatment. Initially there is little discomfort due to the local anesthesia which take about 5 to 7 days to dissolve, then you start to feel pain due to the vein contracting as it begins the process of reabsorbing. The most discomfort is in the upper thigh because this is where the vein is the largest.
Published on Jul 11, 2012