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by janel.rn

hi, people! I just want to ask for help. aside from leg pain that we experience, we nurses are also prone to varicose veins because of long standing. I suspect that am developing varicose veins. other than wearing support stockings, exercise, increase water intake, leg raising as preventive measures,are there medical measures that will not prevent me from working as a nurse? please advice. am scared that one day, they will tell me to stop from working because my varicose is getting worse.thank you for taking your time in reading my concern.
GOD BLESS!

[Marie_LPN, RN]

Re: varicose veins in nurses

My stockings (thigh high ones) are working well for this problem.

[janel.rn]

Re: varicose veins in nurses

can anyone here please tell me what are the best medical measures for varicose veins before it gets worse. I will be working in NICU soon and it requires a lot of standing. anybody out here who underwent medical treatment for varicose?

[Kimbalou]

Re: varicose veins in nurses

Originally Posted by janel.rn

can anyone here please tell me what are the best medical measures for varicose veins before it gets worse. I will be working in NICU soon and it requires a lot of standing. anybody out here who underwent medical treatment for varicose?

I had my veins stripped. It worked great. They will do a doppler study to check the blood flow and then reccomend stripping or not. Mine were huge and bulging. It took about 2 weeks to fully recover afterwards. The saline injections do not work for big veins. I had a vascular doctor look at them. I did this after my 2 kids, thought I was done having babies, but had #3 and had more veins come back in other locations on legs...just beware that pregnancy and hormones causes them, too.
You can wear TED hose that you have to get fitted for by a doctor and medical supply places order them. They are heavy duty stockings and cost about $100.00. They work, they're just time consuming to put on and take off.

Good luck.

[janel.rn]

Re: varicose veins in nurses

thank you for that information. is the procedure expensive? i am scared that it will really get worse once i get pregnant. but arent you in pain when its cold? because my friend's mother underwent vein stripping (that was mentioned to me 8 years ago) and her mother regrets for undergoing the procedure because its more painful when the weather is cold.

[Kimbalou]

Re: varicose veins in nurses

Originally Posted by janel.rn

thank you for that information. is the procedure expensive? i am scared that it will really get worse once i get pregnant. but arent you in pain when its cold? because my friend's mother underwent vein stripping (that was mentioned to me 8 years ago) and her mother regrets for undergoing the procedure because its more painful when the weather is cold.

My insurance covered it. I don't have problems with the cold weather. Just with standing a long time.
I couldn't live with those veins, so I'm glad I did it.
See a vascular surgeon. Good luck.

[janel.rn]

Re: varicose veins in nurses

thank you for your advice, i appreciate it so much.

[Daytonite]

I started having problems with varicosities almost from the beginning of my nursing career. I ended up having phlebectomies in my right leg which compromised the circulation in that leg even more. Now that leg gets edematous all the time. What I wish I had known was that I should have been wearing compression hose from the beginning--not TEDs but Jobst stockings. You'd probably need to see a general surgeon because they're the ones who end up doing the surgeries for this and they can also manage them medically. What happens is you can develop problems with stasis ulcers and difficult healing wounds as the result of the smallest scratches or bumps (I know 'cause I've had a few) that will land you on bed rest with you leg elevated for a couple of weeks while they heal. My boo-boos were managed by a general surgeon. Now, when ever I get a scratch I get compression wrappings on it immediately to keep any edema down so the poor thing has a chance to heal. It doesn't help that I have 3 cats that crawl all over my lap when I'm sitting down. Oh, and by the way, a varicose vein can rupture and start bleeding. Mine did.

[janel.rn]

Re: varicose veins in nurses

hi! u scare me..what is the difference between jobst and TED? Isnt it vascular surgeon is better than general surgeon?

[Daytonite]

Originally Posted by janel.rn

hi! u scare me..what is the difference between jobst and TED? Isnt it vascular surgeon is better than general surgeon?

I thought I would need to see a vascular surgeon too, but was told no, this is handled by general surgeons. Jobst stockings are custom made and exert more pressure against the leg than TED hose. They are the same company that make the compression coverings for people after burns. The measuring is very easy. I just had to go to a place that did the measuring in the morning when the edema in my legs is down. I get my stockings in the mail from Jobst about a week later. The last pair cost $175. I've had both knee high and thigh high ones made. Serious large varicose veins are nothing to put off doing something about. I was told by the surgeon who treated my ulcers that vein stripping is not recommended anymore because it results in even poorer circulation in the legs as I can attest to. The surgeon treated my boo-boos with unna wrapping and I had to be off of work for weeks. My operative leg is discolored and has scarring on it from the stasis ulcers that are now healed. Whenever I am going to be up and around for a length of time the Jobst stockings go on. Otherwise, I spend a good deal of time with my legs level with my heart or elevated above it.