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January 2015 Moms
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BabyStandish and others who have dealt with varicose vein issues

YaMrWhiteYaMrWhite member
in January 2015 Moms
I searched to make sure I wasn't bringing something up that had been discussed recently and this was the last time they were mentioned: https://forums.thebump.com/discussion/12368865/varicose-veins

Have they gotten worse for you? Are they affecting your running? 

I have them on my ankles and they look like this so not really severe looks wise but man do they make running uncomfortable. 

Curious how others are dealing with this lovely pregnancy symptom as we move towards the later stages of pregnancy.
Stephanie Ella ~ 6/15/2012
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Re: BabyStandish and others who have dealt with varicose vein issues

  • YaMrWhiteYaMrWhite member
    Hmm same happens with me. Some of my runs are good and then some, like yesterday, are pretty painful. I've started wearing my compression calf sleeves at night around the house and propping my legs up when I go to bed. I just bought a pair of graduated compression running socks that should be here tomorrow that I hope to test out with the running. I've noticed if I do a run first thing in the morning, it seems to be okay and if I wait for a later day run, that is when the pain is bad. Not to mention if I start running at an incline (I live at the bottom of a hill). 

    Sorry to hear you are still dealing with them and they've gotten worse. Just a few more weeks left :) Mine definitely went away after my daughter was born so that's good news!
    Stephanie Ella ~ 6/15/2012
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  • YaMrWhiteYaMrWhite member
    yvonnesophie said:
    I have them, and they aren't pretty but I haven't felt any pain or throbbing.  I'm not a runner, so not sure how helpful this is, but - I do have thigh high compression tights (super hot) that I wear when I'm traveling on the plane, and that helps a lot for travel swelling.  They were about $40.  I don't have the gumption to wear them all the time though.  I try to elevate my feet a lot.  I'm hoping they die down after the baby comes, if not I'll probably do surgery.  They're genetic in my family, and my dad had to have the surgery.  Ugh!
    No one in my family has ever had surgery for them but I do know on my dad's side that his mom was very overweight and her legs looked like a road map by the time she was in her 70's. I hope to avoid that fate and so far so good. I think this is why I'm using my running compression calf sleeves as opposed to the full on thigh high because I have noticed I get overheated just doing normal household chores and such. I hope they die down for you as well. Like I said previously, mine did go away after childbirth the first time so there is hope!
    Stephanie Ella ~ 6/15/2012
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  • aprilrose83aprilrose83 member
    I've had visible varicose veins in my legs for 2 years.  I had them before I got pregnant.  I had been considering getting them removed (before pregnancy), but decided to wait until after I'm done having babies.  In the meantime I've been wearing thigh high graduated compression stockings (30-40 mm Hg) that were prescribed by the dr.  He recommended sigvaris or juzo brand.  They are a pain to get on when you have to maneuver around a baby bump. But,they keep the swelling down when I'm on my feet for 8 hours at work.

    The way my vein doc described it, the varicose veins usually start in more superficial veins and can progress to deeper veins.  The compression is supposed to be pretty effective at preventing the veins from getting worse.  However, the compression is not going to fix the veins if you already have "venous insufficiency".  I'm not sure how pregnancy figures into this with all the extra blood volume we are carrying around....not sure if actual varicose veins can resolve themselves if you develop them during pregnancy or not. 

    If you still have trouble with the veins after LO arrives and want to pursue treatment for them, I'll share what I've learned.  The first thing they do is verify that you have "venous insuffiency" by doing a doppler ultrasound on your legs (painless).  They verify insurance coverage.  Some insurances require that you use compression stockings full time for 6 months before they will cover the procedure to fix the veins.  Then they do the procedure.  Different vein doctors will do different procedures.  I was told that an endovenous laser therapy is the most effective for my varicose veins and then sclerotherapy would clean up any little spider veins that are left.  My plan is to get the vein procedure after my LO arrives and before my insurance deductible resets so that it doesn't hurt my bank account so much.  I was quoted around $5500 per leg that would be billed to my insurance for the endovenous laser therapy.

    This may be way more info than OP was looking for, but I was thinking this info might be useful for others that would wander across this post.
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  • YaMrWhiteYaMrWhite member
    @aprilrose83 thank you for sharing all that information! Mine are definitely brought on by the pregnancy and not very bad in comparison to what some people have or are experiencing. Just 1-2 veins that appear swollen when I run and then it subsides after I stop. Hopefully, the information you shared helps someone who is dealing with a more similar issue to you. 
    Stephanie Ella ~ 6/15/2012
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  • YaMrWhiteYaMrWhite member
    BabyStandish said:
    Omg putting compression while being pregnant is the worst!
    Putting on socks in general sucks but add the compression kind and it becomes near impossible hahaha
    Stephanie Ella ~ 6/15/2012
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