Great Saphenous Varicose Veins & EVLT

Stuart Ablett

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Tokyo Japan
I thought I'd ask here as the knowledge pool here is impressive :thumb:

If you remember in July of 2009 in this thread I asked about pressure stockings and other things related to my ulcers on my legs that had me in and out of the hospital for a very long time. I think that now it has become that time that I'm going get the EVLP surgery done to my Greater Saphenous vein, as my legs are not getting any better and they are tired and heavy all the time, the ache constantly. They are itchy and the skin in certain spots is red/brown and flaky, all symptoms that point to Varicose veins. It seems I do not have the typical bugging veins that most get, I have a problem with the ID of the Great Saphenous vein, it is too large which makes the pressure in the vein low, and because of the low pressure the blood flow in the vein is not good, because the oneway valves do not open well.

I found a Vein Doctor not far away, who did an untra sound and told me that my problem was an enlarged Saphenous Vein in my groin area. He recommended that I start wearing the pressure socks and in two weeks my ulcers were healed. At the time he mentioned a laser surgery that could be done on an out patient basis that would effectively cure the problem, I think it is called EVLT which looks really common outside of Japan, but no so much here in Japan, where they still mostly do the vein stripping, which is a much more invasive procedure.

The reason I'm looking at this is train as much as I can, ride as hard as I can, or take some days off, etc no matter what I do my legs ache all the time. I still have the power to get up the hills pulling a trailer full of beer but I know that tonight when I sit down for a while my legs will just simply ache, tomorrow when I wake up and get out of bed, the first few steps I take, my legs will ache. I know about pain after a hard ride, but I'm not riding that hard, and I never seem to recover.

From my reading on the web, this aching, heavy legs and tiredness, along with pins and needles sensation, and the itchiness are all common symptoms of the varicose vein problem.

What I'm asking is if anyone has any experience with this?

I'm tired of my legs aching all the time
I found >> this site << in English that explains what I'm talking about fairly clearly. I hope to be in and out in a few hours with a very quick recovery.

If anyone has any experience, I'd really appreciate some comments.

Cheers!
 
Stu, I've had the laser surgery twice. Once was an in office procedure with local anesthetic on a large varicose vein that ran from about three inches above my knee to just above the ankle. IIRC the process involved injecting a local anesthetic gel about every two inches along the vein. This was quite painful as it was done using ultrasound to position the needle, so it was stick and wiggle around each time. The purpose of the gel was to dissipate the laser heat so it wouldn't damage surrounding tissue. The actual lasering didn't hurt, but inserting that dang gel and not knowing how many more times the doc was going to do it was disturbing (OK, I'm a wuss). I had additional work performed on some deeper veins and opted to have it done in an operating room under general anesthetic. The process was successful and I was back at my normal schedule after a couple of weeks. I still wear a Jobst thigh high support hose on that leg when I am standing without activity for long periods of time (at the lathe) because there is some edema in that leg if I'm not active. The surgery resolved the aching and so for me is successful. Hope this helps.
 
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I cannot believe the uncanny co incidence of you posting this.

As you know Stu I have had a motorcycle accident when i was teenager that set my left leg back and i use one of those stockings, its kept the veinous ulcer in check but the rest of the symptoms you decribe have been going from bad to worse. Initially i began to think it was excercise related but that has not helped. Then i have been trying diet thinking it was calcium deficiency but no deal.

So i am just about to book to see my doc because i dont take wish to take pain medication to keep functioning and i have way too many years to go.

I will look into this issue as well never thought it could be something of this kind. Thanks for posting i hope you get answers.

Sure helps to know i aint the only one with the problem.

For me it makes no difference whether i am on my feet working away or sitting at a desk or table.

Just a point to consider you may have two issues at play. Early onset of Arthritis and the vein circulation issue.

One thing i have discovered is removing items that cause euric acid from my diet has quietened down the joint pain somewhat. So no more steaks for me or at least very small ones, and cut out the tomatoe too.:(

I will ask my doc to send me for the scan on the legs let you know what i get as feedback.
 
Funny coincidence, on November 22 I'm going under surgery on my left leg, due to a varicose vein.

I had it choked (if I may describe it so) and cut but not removed about 7 years ago. The method used was the so called Chivas method.It was the external saphena.

Unfortunately the vein has reconected itself but not to a vein but to an arthery, causing venous blood mix with arterial blood. That causes pain on the upper and lower parts of my knee at the back of my leg. However not the kind of continuous pain you describe, and not pins and needles, but some heaviness specially in summer and I never had ulcers in my leg, but yes the veins were portruding like knots.

What I usually do when I have that pain or sensation is before going to bed shower my legs with cold water for about 10-15 minutes. That relieves the feeling and allows me to sleep well without any pain or whatsoever in them.

From what you describe you can also have a nerve pinched mixed with the varices hence the pins and needles.
Does the pain go away if you sit with your legs at higher level than your hips?

I wish you a speedy recovery, our hobby is not the type that can be done sitting.
 
I got back from the vein doc today, good news, bad news. The good news is that I don't have the very enlarged vein that I had last time around, two years ago, he suggests that because of the weight I lost and the cycling I'm doing things have improved on that front, but he had no good explanation why I'm getting the pain, the discolored flesh, and itching. He did an extensive search with the sonogram or ultra sound equipment on both legs and could not find any problem...? He advised me that the EVLT surgery was not needed, and would most likely just be a waste of money. What he did suggest is that my pressure stockings have gotten old, I never thought of that, and on the one leg with the worst area, he put a pad over that area and then the pressure stocking, which should help. He found no problem with the valves in my veins, they are not letting any back flow happen, again, good news. If new pressure stockings and the pad do not yield results in the next month or so, there is some injection he can to to the troubled area, then if that does not work, he would be willing to discuss the EVLT surgery again. Seems I have more questions than answers, now but that is not uncommon. The pain in my legs, well maybe I'm just getting old :)

Cheers!
 
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