So this Friday, I got a procedure done called VNUS closure. If you haven't heard of it, it's a way to go into the veins in your leg where the valves have stopped working and suck them closed with a lot of heat (you can get a medical description online :)). For the past couple years, my legs have been hurting more and more and standing in one place for more than 20 minutes pretty much sucked... plus I had some ugly veins that made me uncomfortable wearing skirts, dresses, bathing suits, which isn't cool when you're still in your 20s. Anyway, this year I finally paid the extra money to get the better insurance from my company (which still isn't good), just so I could get this procedure done. I started on this vein journey in January and thought it'd be done and over and I'd have pretty, pain free legs by the summer, but no, this stuff takes FOREVER!
I went in for my first appointment to the vein people in February and they gave me an ultrasound and confirmed that veins in both legs were acting like a 70 or 80 year old woman and that something needed to be done. This was when she told me that for insurance to pay for the VNUS procedure, I would have to wear compression stockings for 3 months, and then at that point, if I wasn't satisfied with the results, I could get the procedure done. I'm like, awesome... sounds very sexy. At this point I'm like, I don't care IF the stockings help me... I'm not wearing those for the rest of my life. I'm sure they'd look really cool with a bikini. I actually purchased them probably 2 months later. I figured I should give them a chance, and that I should be able to tell the doctor at least how they felt. This helped with some of the pain or "heavy" feeling of the legs, but not completely, and totally not for me. I went back in for my second appointment probably around May. The doctor asked if the stockings worked for me, I said no, and she said ok we'll make an appointment for the VNUS closure procedure. That was really worth the second $30 copay... haha. She told me that the receptionist would call me when she started scheduling appointments for the month I could come in. I'm like damnit... I wanted pretty legs for the 6 weddings I had during the summer :(. The receptionist finally called and scheduled my appointment for August (after all the weddings... sigh). In August, I was training for an off-road triathlon, and realized the procedure was scheduled a week before it. I called the office and they told me I wouldn't be able to train for a week... I had to re-schedule. Which brings me to October... the next opening they had. Little did I know this whole process would go for 9 months.
My procedure was scheduled for the day before my birthday on October 16 (fun). Before I got to the office, I had to take 2 Valium, 3 ibuprofen, and 1 benedryl. I also had to buy a NEW pair of compression stockings because the first time they told me to buy them, they just said knee high, and now I needed thigh high. I searched forever and finally found them for like $25. A lot of the ones they listed out were around $50-$70 and insurance doesn't pay for them. I got to the office and they let me in the room. I had to get nekked from the waist down and put a towel over the rest. I don't know the purpose of the towel because after the nurse did an ultrasound on both legs, they took the towel off and put a little blue towel on my area that was like 3"x5"... I don't even know why they bothered... The doctor then put about a gallon of iodine on my legs / groin / no point of the towel again. At this point I wasn't very happy that the Valium hadn't kicked in yet... I was hoping to not feel much or at least be kind of loopy.
For the next 45 minutes or so, the nurse used an ultrasound from my groin down and the doctor would shove a big vile of local anesthetic with a needle about 4 inches long every few inches... and I felt every single one. The dentist was looking soooo good at this point; that tiny needle they use on your gums feels like nothing. Ok, it wasn't horrible but it was definitely worse than getting the 2 tattoos I have and most of my piercings, or maybe it was because I wasn't used to being jabbed 24 times on my inner legs. In the process of the anesthetic, the doctor shoved a plastic tube thing in my mid calf where he was going to use the long, hot radiofrequency thing to suck my veins closed. At least for this part I didn't feel anything, and they shoved the long thing up to my groin (I think) and they would wait for it to heat up, then pull it out a little, wait for it to heat up, pull it out a little more. This part only took a couple minutes for each leg and then it was over in about an hour total. They put a couple bandages on the 2 hole things but all the injection areas from the anesthesia were still leaking some... really hot. The nurse gave me 2 warm, wet towels and said I could clean up all the iodine stuff. I'm glad they didn't let me wear underwear because that stuff was ALL OVER. Definitely took those 2 towels to get it all off. I put my sexy compression stockings on, and my boy took me home.
This is when I realized the Valium kicked in because I don't remember much of the drive home but I do remember bitching about wanting things to eat, then not wanting things to eat, I'm sure he was happy about that. I spent most of the rest of the day sleeping on and off in bed and then went to an AFI concert for my birthday that we had gotten tickets for. I looked like a complete idiot because to not be in a lot of pain, I had to keep walking around... probably a bad idea to go to a concert right after getting that done. O well. Anyway, 2 days later, they're not too painful unless I stand still. It pretty much just feels like the legs are bruised (which they are a little). I can't do aerobic activity or weight lifting for 3 days so I'm freaking out a bit but I'll get over it. I'm going to shut up now... long post. If you're getting this procedure done soon, at least you know what to expect. Maybe I made it sound worse than it was but it really wasn't bad at all... it was much easier to deal with than 4 cracked ribs. I'm sure the results will be awesome and it has totally been worth it so far.
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HI there! It's been 8 months or so since you've had the VNUS procedure done. How have things been with your legs post-procedure?
I'm having it done tomorrow on one leg and was looking online for personal experiences. Thanks for writing yours up. I'm going to do the same.
Hi Donna! Thanks for reading. I probably should've written a follow up... I took pictures of my legs every so often so I could post them somewhere about my experience (since I couldn't really find much online before mine).
So I'd have to say, 8 months later, I still have a tiny bit of discoloration from where they closed the vein in my right leg. I guess it is the scarring of it and from what the doctor said, mine is taking a very long time to fade. I can also visually see a couple small veins under the skin, but none of this is nearly as bad as the varicose veins (they don't stick out)... and it is not painful. I have ANOTHER follow up (maybe the 5th or 6th?) at the end of summer where they will decide if they way to use a laser to make it visually perfect.
I ended up wearing the compression stockings for much longer after my procedure than they had asked me to, because the vein was taking a very long time to heal and it just felt better. Up until about 2 months ago, it felt like I had a hard cord in my right leg and it was sensitive to the touch. This was not normal and hopefully yours will go down much faster. It was not really that painful... just kind of annoying.
Also, there were some of the veins that didn't fade away after the procedure so they ended up injecting saline into them and wrapping them up in an ace bandage. This wasn't that bad, but the saline definitely stings.
For about the first 4 months after the procedure, standing in one place got painful after a while (like a dull, achy pain) and I was almost pissed that I got it done...but looking back, I definitely would do it again because my legs don't hurt anymore, and they look pretty :). From what I read online and what the doctors tell me, most people are completely better in like a week and my body is just crazy. I hope yours goes very well and plan to take at least that day off from work. Good luck and let me know how it works out!
Chick, thanks so much for taking the time to respond to me. I'm glad that overall you are happy with your results. I know I have several months worth of complete recovery ahead of me and will try to be patient. It is nice to be able to know how you are doing this far out.
Thanks!
I just had this procedure done myself. My friends keep telling me that I shouldnt be exercing like doing Zumba. My doctor tells me its ok. I had this done 3 wks ago. I hate the fact that I have to wear those stupid compressed stockings that take me forever to put on after the fact. When does this ever go away? Did you have any swelling afterwards, I mean after 3 wks...
Bonnie,
I'm sorry I didn't see your post sooner. I didn't really have swelling but had some pain and some pulling from the scarring of the veins. I think you're fine to workout. I was running and mountain biking not too long after the procedure (while wearing the compression stockings). I ended up wearing them for longer than my doctor told me to while working out... probably a few months because it felt better. I know they are a huge pain to put on... and they aren't very attractive if you wear 3/4 length workout pants like I did :).
How is everything going now?
Hi! I'm glad the procedure went so well for you!
I had VNUS eight days ago. My thigh immediately felt better - it no longer aches! However, my calf feels the same as it did pre-surgery and my legs look the same as they did pre-surgery.
How long did it take for your bulging veins to disappear?
Thanks for sharing your experience!!
Thanks so much for sharing your experience! I had the VNUS Closure Procedure done on both legs in 2007, and I still have a lot of issues -- such as that hard cord feeling (in my left leg) right above my knee. It's bothered me ever since the surgery, and my skin is very sensitive to the touch there. Did that go away for you?
For concerts and long rides in the car/plane I have to wear my compression stockings to keep the pulsing and pain away....and at 30 I'm super embarrassed by my legs. They are so veiny and unsightly in places, I can hardly stand to look at them. =( My sister-in-law complained about one tiny vein showing up on the side of her foot...must be nice to only have that to worry about! I got this procedure done when I was 24 and had several rounds of the vein injections after. I guess I'm a special case where it wasn't a very helpful procedure, unfortunately although my whole left leg doesn't fall asleep like it used to when I stood for long times. Any tips are welcome! I'm currently researching ways to improve circulation.
you have great services. this is something to consider.I'll share this with my friends.
This is a vein and vascular center that has multiple locations. They are located in near PHOENIX, ARIZONA, USA. Office locations are, Surprise, Arizona, USA, - Goodyear, Arizona USA, Chandler, Arizona USA and Gilbert , Arizona USA. These cities surround Phoenix, so we want to focus on each city and about a 20 mile radius around each one as well as Phoenix itself since it is in the center of all these cities.
This is a vein and vascular center that has multiple locations. They are located in near PHOENIX, ARIZONA, USA. Office locations are, Surprise, Arizona, USA, - Goodyear, Arizona USA, Chandler, Arizona USA and Gilbert , Arizona USA. These cities surround Phoenix, so we want to focus on each city and about a 20 mile radius around each one as well as Phoenix itself since it is in the center of all these cities.
The Closure procedure is an office based performed using either local anesthesia. The physician numbs the vein as the procedure is performed.
I just had this procedure done last week and am in a tremendous amount of pain. I wish I never would've had it done.
The doctor told me this would virtually be pain-free. The procedure was a nightmare and I felt every bit of it for the first 45 minutes. For the first week my thigh felt like it was on fire and burned. Now my calf pulsates with pain. I have had to take today off again from work. I'm very upset that I was not warned that this could happen.
I had this done one week ago. I didnt have to take anything beforehand. I had some pretty good pain when he started the procedure for a few minutes that gradually got better til it was gone. After procedure i've had no pain or discomfort at all. Did have some bleeding that night. The vein that was the problem is barely visible now and my leg feels amazing!
I just had VNUS three days ago. So far, recovery is going well. I was in a lot of pain on day one, but did a lot of walking on day two and today with very little pain. Still painful at the main site where I have one stitch. My leg was also really numb on day one, but that has now gone away. I still have a large visible calf vein which I was really hoping would be way better, but it's not. I hate the compression stocking, but am willing to wear it to ensure I get the best result. I guess probably I will need to go back for the saline injections, but we'll see what the Doc says in my follow up on Tuesday.
I'm having my vnus procedure next month & in already freaking out about not being able to workout (I do crossfit 5 days/week along with running & cycling when I can). My Dr isn't really an exercise guy and basically said no heavy lifting or exertion for at least 4 weeks! I'm thinking about just doing yoga & light cycling??? where do you get your compression stocking?
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The 3 months of compression socks is mandatory by every insurance company if you want the VNUS procedure covered. Mainly because it is elective in the overall sense ( a lot of people just live with veinous insufficiency).It's also a $4500 procedure, so to get it for a $35 co-pay is quite the deal. It sounds like the bulk of your complaint about VNUS had nothing to do with the procedure itself... and everything to do with how long it took to get it done and the inconvenience it caused your social life for a small amount of time.
If the primary complaint about VNUS is that you had to skip 3 workouts and wear compression socks for a month or two... I think you're a bit picky.
Yes, I've had it done. I'm not going to write about my experience, however anyone that has the disorder should feel assured that it's well worth it. 30 minutes of discomfort on an inpatient table is better than a lifetime of heavy and fatigued legs.
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