I have had vein problems for almost 2.5 years now. I had laser surgery but the problems still exist. How can I solve my vein problems once and for all?
Two and a half years is a long time to wait. I would hope that my patient did not have that much patience.
This person would do well to have the legs reevaluated using venous ultrasound, transillumination, and polarized light to identify the remaining (specific) pathology. Nearly all of these problems are able to be improved, if not completely corrected.
As a physician that corrects these issues with varicose and spider veins, I ask all patients to return for free (no charge) vein checks 1 to 4 times a year. I would suggest that this person give her previous doctor a chance and return to find out how to finish the job.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
Your question is not specific enough. It is clear that your vein doctor did not take time to explain to you the pathophysiology of venous disease, and the treatments for venous insufficiency and/or varicose veins. I assume that you had laser ablation for venous insufficiency. This treats symptoms, such as pain, heaviness, cramping, throbbing and leg and ankle swelling. These ablation procedures were not FDA approved to treat varicose veins, reticular veins or spider veins. Once the venous insufficiency is successfully treated with laser ablation, or VNUS Closure, or ClariVein, or VenaSeal, or Varithena ,,, the NEXT step is to treat varicose veins, reticular veins and spider veins.
There is no procedure that will "solve your vein problem once and for all". This is something that should have been relayed to you by your vein doctor and/or your reading of the literature that was provided to you by the phlebologist or the reading you found independently online. You will always have venous disease. Just like you will develop arthritis in every joint of your body if you live long enough. If you had a left knee replacement, no one can promise you that you will never have arhritis bad enough in the future for you to knee left hip replacement or left ankle fusion or something else. Veins degenerated and leak over time, and the veins that are healthy today can develop leaky vein valves in 2, 5 or 15 years. As such, if you live long enough, you will develop more venous disease in these healthy veins.
Wear your stockings, exercise your legs, see the vein doctor before the vein problem causes skin changes or ulcers, and hope for the best.
Discuss all of these issues with your current vein specialist and always choose an ABVLM-certified vein specialist.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
Correcting vein problems is a process. You may need further treatments. Have a follow-up with your vein specialist.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
You need a venous ultrasound of both legs performed standing up by a qualified ultrasonographer. This will determine if your laser treatment worked and if there is further therapy needed. In the meantime, continue to wear compression stockings during the day.
Published on Jul 11, 2012