[alinnell]

I have a terrible long, blue, bumpy varicose vein that looks horrible and occasionally throbs. It's on my leg, on the inside of my knee. Since it hurts quite often, I'm thinking of having it stripped (or whatever it is they do to them) and I was wondering if anyone else has had that procedure (or any other) and could explain how they do it and if it hurts, etc., etc.

[happydaisy]

I have had my veins stripped, lasered and had sclerotherapy and was very happy with all three. (I had all three because the laser works great for tiny ones that a needle may not be able to get, stripped for the larger ones and sclero for the moderates). My veins weren't that bad, but after I had my son they were awful. I got them all taken care of and just have a super mild recurrence right now, as a result of being overweight I'm sure. The most painful was the laser. Sclero is easy, it barely even stings if you get someone good who knows what they're doing. For the stripping they gave me a valium (or something like that), but it was more of a deep achy feeling than anything. For that one I took the day off and watched movies with my legs propped afterwards. The results of all have been good, I don't have near the pain in my legs I did, you can't tell where they did anything, and my legs aren't gross anymore. Good luck!!

[Meg]

I had bad varicose veins as the result of all my years of obesity and had them stripped. I had mine done - one leg at a time - in the hospital, under general anesthesia. I woke up with my leg wrapped ankle to top of thigh in Ace bandages. Really no pain at all. I took the following day off from the gym and walked for an hour every day after that. I was allowed to resume regular cardio (eliptical) two weeks later.

All in all, it wasn't a big deal and I would do it again in a heart beat.

Good luck to you!