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Hi. I am 22 and have had a couple of VV's in my legs. They extend from the periphery of mid-thigh through my knee to my upper calf. Recently they have become more noticeable and achy. In certain lights, I really feel like some kind of Frankenstein-esque creature to see these very blue lines winding through the backs of my legs. I have a few question about some of the things that I have read in the archives or learned elsewhere and I would like to understand more.
1) I have read your recommendation of the use of Vit. E. In some of the archive posts, it seems to be a recommendation more to ease further developments and in one case I noted that you indicated that you felt that someone would do best to try to minimize the appearance of the veins via this method for about a year before opting for surgery. Is it the case that in earlier stages of this problem that Vit. E can actually improve the appearance of these veins??
2) I have discussed the problem with my doctor (GP). I asked if there needed to be a great deal more testing to determine whether or not there is a deep vein problem. My doctor indicated that she did not believe that too much more would need to be done as swelling of the calves usually occurs in the case of deep vein problems. Is this the case?
3) She suggested that a vascular surgeon or a cosmetic surgeon should be consulted. Which of these is preferable?
4) I am of Swedish descent. While I definitely do have varicose veins in the legs that have dilated enough to be felt through the skin, I also have veins that when viewed somewhat closer I can see. They are not yet "three dimensional" though. Now, how do I know if these other slightly visible veins are visible because they are progressing towards varicosity or because I am a Scandinavian "blue-blood" whose veins are simply more easily visible?
5) I have read on your site that your father was able to eliminate all of his varicosities for good through stripping. My own doctor indicated that in most cases the VV's come back about 20 to 25 years after stripping. Is this due to failure to address necessary lifestyle changes and employ prevention methods in such cases?
6) However awful this might sound I refuse to have a baby if I am unable to get rid of these or if I am doomed to have worse ones after pregnancy. Do people that have developed VV as early as I have usually have VV considerably exacerbated by pregnancy or can you prevent the development of VV during pregnancy?
Sorry about all the question but this is an incredibly distressing matter to me.
In Reply to: DR--More Varicose Vein Q's posted by EL on November 16, 2003 at 01:31:06:
Hi, EL.
In order:
1. Yes. Contact the Schute brothers' centre (both MDs), in Canada, for the most up to date statistics.
2. The test for functionality of the deep veins is a simple 3 minute maneuver that any physician can do in their office. We were all taught this maneuver in medical school! It is NOT rocket science and does not require a specialist or expensive tests.
3. I would use a vascular surgeon.
4. If you are not overweight the translucent nature of the Scandinavian skin may be the only cause of those veins that are visible but not bulging. Remember that until 100 years ago this appearance was considered a sign of royalty and very attractive.
5. I was the oldest of 7 children. My mother's veins were ruined by so many pregnancies and so after the last one she also had her veins stripped. Neither, my mother's nor my father's ever came back and they both lived more than 40 years after the surgery. It is true that, unless one seeks out their particular susceptibility factors and deals with at least some of them, recurrence is likely. However neither my mother or father knew anything about that and theirs did not recur. My mother's was mostly from pregnancy and she had no more pregnancies (tubal ligation).
6. You can help reduce the VV exacerbation with pregnancy if you avoid weight gain, get off your feet every 10 minutes and elevate your feet above your hips for a few minutes, get plenty of exercise during pregnancy, take at least 1000 units of mixed tocopherols (vitamin E) daily, & practice wellness. Gentle rebounding several times a day for a minute or so will also help.
Remember that only the bulgy ones will be affected by a pregnancy.
Hope this helps.
Walt
In Reply to: DR--More Varicose Vein Q's posted by EL on November 16, 2003 at 01:31:06:
Thank you for the information. I have looked for some mixed tocopherols but there to my knowledge is no health food store in my town. I have lived here for about a year and a half and have looked. There is evidence in an old phone book of prior existence of a health food store somewhere, which leads me to believe that there might be one somewhere else but then it might be gone because of little demand for these types of products. Is this something that I will have to order or do you know of any brand of mixed tocopherols that might be sold in a regular grocery?
In Reply to: Re: DR--More Varicose Vein Q's (pregnancy) (Archive.) posted by Walt Stoll on November 17, 2003 at 06:57:48:
Umm...by the way...this may be a really dumb question, but I am not sure I understand how one avoids weight gain during pregnancy. Granted I have never been pregnant and I don't hope to be for a few years at least, but...I thought a lot of the degree of weight gain varies a lot with each pregnancy even in the same mommy. Are you simply referring to the "eating for two mentality" and avoiding unnecessary weight gain or is there something more there?
In Reply to: Re: DR--More Varicose Vein Q's posted by EL on November 17, 2003 at 12:22:08:
tuscon co-operative warehouse, 1-800-350-coop sells some of their products on the internet tcwfoodcoop.com . They are usually also aware of which co-ops service which part of the country, so if you talk to them and tell them where you are, they might be able to put you in touch with a health food co-operative and that co-operative would be able to tell you the nearest buying club to you.
Buying clubs are groups of people interested in health food/vitamins/bulk food who join together to order monthly from a truck that often covers several states and delivers to homes of buying club organizers.If you join an established one, there is often no minimum order required of individual members.
Tucson co-op warehouse delivers to NM,Colo,Utah, Ariz, a little of Calif and the panhandle of Texas. When I wanted to recommend a buying club for a relative near Sacramento, TCW gave me the number of the California warehouse that covered the area she lived in.
In Reply to: DR--More Varicose Vein Q's posted by EL on November 16, 2003 at 01:31:06:
Can I use natural vit. E soft gels in lieu of mixed tocopherols until I find some to buy. While I realize this may not be ideal will this have benefit for the time being (until I find the mixed tocopherols).
In Reply to: Re: DR--More Varicose Vein Q's (pregnancy) (Archive.) posted by EL on November 17, 2003 at 12:36:32:
Sorry, EL.
I should have said "excessive" weight gain. Remember that the fetus weighs an average of 7# at birth, the placenta is about 1 1/2# and the amniotic fluid another couple of pounds. Gaining more than 20# is clearly excessive.
Of course this is for someone who is normal weight prior to pregnancy. If the person is already 20# over weight they should not gain anything during pregnancy.
Walt
In Reply to: Re: DR--More Varicose Vein Q's posted by EL on November 17, 2003 at 14:21:51:
Sure, EL.
It is just that the matural vitamin E works better than the synthetic.
Walt
In Reply to: Re: DR--More Varicose Vein Q's posted by Walt Stoll on November 18, 2003 at 08:07:18:
Yes and I am taking natural Vit. E.
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