Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) Support Group
Deep-vein thrombosis, also known as deep-venous thrombosis or DVT, is the formation of a blood clot ("thrombus") in a deep vein. It can be caused by something preventing blood from circulating or clotting normally. Join the support group if you are coping with DVT and find others who are going through the same challenges.
Hi,
I am a female, 35 years old. Normal weight.
I've been having ugly varicose veins since I was about 15. At 16 in my right leg I had a vein removed (stripping it is called in my countrly) and also several smaller veins removed with tiny incisions.
This surgery was pretty traumatic for me.
In the years untill now I have now and again had some sclerotherapy to remove ugly veins, but nothing major.
In the summer of 2014 I had massive pulmonary embolisms. The cause was never found although birth control is the main suspect. I don't use it anymore. It is commonly assumed that pumonary embolisms come from thrombosis in the leg, but no evidence of that was found.
Fast forward to about 2 weeks before last christmas. The outer side of my lower left leg started hurting. First mainly when waking up at night. Later also during the day.
Sometimes it feels like throbbing. Other times it just feels like a bruise.
Not major pain. Just annoying.
Because of my history I was freaked out that it might be thrombosis so I visited the GP 4 times. It was not thrombosis. They thought it was a varicose vein (one is suddenly visible right there were it hurts althought strangely enough it doesn't hurt when touched).
I was sent to the hospital and had a duplex. No varicose veins they said. So back to the GP and she doesn't know what it is. She thinks maybe muscles so wait it out a few weeks.
This saturday I went to an open house of a varicose clinic in a nearby town. They did 'fun' duplex on your legs. Since my leg still hurts I had one done. He pushed to duplex in my inner left thigh (pain is on outer left lower leg) and said 'yes this is leaking, you need laser surgery'.
So now I''m confused and going back to the hospital with this story.
But I am very very very afraid of EVLT or VNUS treatment. One because I am afraid of new pulmonary embolism. Two because I have panic disorder and make myself crazy with my thoughts.
I have a few questions. In your opinion:
1. Can it be possible that a leaky vein on the inner upper leg causes pain on the outer lower leg?
2. Has anyone had VNUS closure procedure and was it painfull?
3. Which is better VNUS (hospital) or EVLT (private clinic)?
4. What are the risks of this procedure?
5. Do I have a higher risk of thrombosis if I dont have the vein treated?
Of course I will be asking the doctor all this as well. But I am very anxious and would like some advice.
Please don't post internet horror stories since I am scared enough as it is.
I am a female, 35 years old. Normal weight.
I've been having ugly varicose veins since I was about 15. At 16 in my right leg I had a vein removed (stripping it is called in my countrly) and also several smaller veins removed with tiny incisions.
This surgery was pretty traumatic for me.
In the years untill now I have now and again had some sclerotherapy to remove ugly veins, but nothing major.
In the summer of 2014 I had massive pulmonary embolisms. The cause was never found although birth control is the main suspect. I don't use it anymore. It is commonly assumed that pumonary embolisms come from thrombosis in the leg, but no evidence of that was found.
Fast forward to about 2 weeks before last christmas. The outer side of my lower left leg started hurting. First mainly when waking up at night. Later also during the day.
Sometimes it feels like throbbing. Other times it just feels like a bruise.
Not major pain. Just annoying.
Because of my history I was freaked out that it might be thrombosis so I visited the GP 4 times. It was not thrombosis. They thought it was a varicose vein (one is suddenly visible right there were it hurts althought strangely enough it doesn't hurt when touched).
I was sent to the hospital and had a duplex. No varicose veins they said. So back to the GP and she doesn't know what it is. She thinks maybe muscles so wait it out a few weeks.
This saturday I went to an open house of a varicose clinic in a nearby town. They did 'fun' duplex on your legs. Since my leg still hurts I had one done. He pushed to duplex in my inner left thigh (pain is on outer left lower leg) and said 'yes this is leaking, you need laser surgery'.
So now I''m confused and going back to the hospital with this story.
But I am very very very afraid of EVLT or VNUS treatment. One because I am afraid of new pulmonary embolism. Two because I have panic disorder and make myself crazy with my thoughts.
I have a few questions. In your opinion:
1. Can it be possible that a leaky vein on the inner upper leg causes pain on the outer lower leg?
2. Has anyone had VNUS closure procedure and was it painfull?
3. Which is better VNUS (hospital) or EVLT (private clinic)?
4. What are the risks of this procedure?
5. Do I have a higher risk of thrombosis if I dont have the vein treated?
Of course I will be asking the doctor all this as well. But I am very anxious and would like some advice.
Please don't post internet horror stories since I am scared enough as it is.
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Look at what my best friend did with my picture!
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We all have 24 hours in a day. How we spend these hours is important. Watching a little bit of a video about how sitting affects us made me aware of how much sitting and laying down I do. Gonna have to work on that.Your turn. Tell me another truth.
All I can tell you is what my cardiologist who treated my PE / DVT had told me. Funny enough, I had been scheduled for consult on having my varicose veins lasered, prior to my PE. So when I addressed it with my Cardiologist after my PE/DVT diagnosis and if he thought is would be a good idea to my veins lasered, he shook his head no, and said that he'd not recommended it, that it could actually causes a lot of swelling in my DVT leg going forward. He also felt that having varicose veins did not mean I'd get another DVT.
My personal opinion is that of course a vein clinic would tell you that you need laser treatment. They make money off of removing varicose veins; it's really all they do.
I would consult with a physician you trust. When I considered getting my veins addressed, my GP at the time referred me to a vascular physician who practiced at a hospital, not a vein clinic.
I will definitely go back to my main hospital and ask for a second opinion.
I do not feel very comfortable having anything done to my veins at this point, on the other hand, my leg hurts daily now and from what I have read varicose veins will only get worse over time and the sooner I deal with them the better.
I was googling and found out there is an alternative to laser and that is foam sclerose therapy. I might ask about this as well.
I think you're doing the right thing by doing some homework before making a decision and getting a second opinion, because no matter what you decide, you want to decide based on all the information.
Generally, I would not worry so much about thrombosis in superficial veins. It can be painful and looks cosmetically bad, so perhaps these can be removed, but again, I have limited knowledge on this subject. What is meant exactly with "leaky veins" ? presumably it means that the valves are gone and thus the veins are bulging. What did the doctors say?
Of more worry is your PE. What did the doctors say was the cause for it. The thing is that it seems that some PE do not follow DVT. the conventional al science says that in DVT (generally above knee), the clots can get so large (basically as the veins are wider) that these can cause blockage in the veins that are close to the lungs/heart and cause PE. In other words,during DVT, there are probably always going some clots to lungs, but these are too small to has any effects, or are either broken down or encapsulated with scar tissue in the lungs.
HOWEVER, in some cases the clots that are fomed in the legs do not adhere to the vein valls and basically go straight to the lungs. It seems to be that the composition of the clot does largely determine whether it will adhere to the vein walls or go with the blood flow straight to the lungs, and this may apply in your case. Those clots that are "fluffier" tend to go more to the lungs compared to those that are more "compact". (at this stage I will not go into more details, as it involves complex descriptions on their biochemical structures).
In some cases, PE can be caused by clotting in the Saphenous (superficial) vein, see. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10587397. Did the PE occur after your superficial thrombosis event? . I would discuss these issues with the doctor. Also, discuss whether you have any underlying genetic factors that cause clotting. If there is no known risk factor, you may want to discuss with your doctor ways to reduce the risk of another PE (e.g.anticoagulation). Good luck and keep posting.
I met with the doctor yesterday and she confirmed that the superficial vein in my upper left leg is not working. I think it is called VSM.
Even though I am super scared we planned a VNUS closure to remove it on Feb. 22th.
She is looking into fraxodi / fragmin injections (blood thinners) for a few days to prevent new clots. This is more to reassure me, because she didn't believe it was necessary per say.
She will get back to me with info if I should start the injections a day before the procedure or after.
I am very very anxious for the procedure but try to keep telling myself it is virtually painless.
Also I has to come out at some point, so might as well be now I guess.
I was actually tested for genetic clotting disease but nothing was found.
Also they never found any evidence in my leg of DVT>
You'll be ok. Let us know how it all goes.
DVT following VNUS appear to be rare, and this risk of course decreased as you are recieving anticoagulaiton, which I think is wise to do considering you got PE previously...
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/10571688_Is_there_an_increased_risk_for_DVT_with_the_VNUS_closure_procedure
Finally, how did the doctors explain what may have caused your superficial veins to become so varicose. Generally, varicose veins affects older people.
Good luck
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/vv/atrisk
Just one more question I hope you can help me with.
My doctor told me that it is not standard procedure to give LMWH (fraxodi) injections with the VNUS closure procedure.
I don't know if it's because I'm so anxious or because I had the PE before (or a combination of both) but she did prescribe me the injections.
The first one to take 12 hours before the procedure. The second one 12 hours after and after that 7 days once a day.
I normally don't use blood thinning meds anymore.
I was a little bit surprised she wrote me I have to take the first one 12 hours BEFORE the procedure.
Is that not dangerous? Taking bloodthinners before a procedure?