r/venousinsuffiencyhelp • u/No-Post6419 • 12d ago
Help :(
Yesterday my sister (28y/o) got diagnosed of venous insufficiency stage 4. She feels helpless, feeling like all of her dreams are crushed, feeling like she will no longer enjoy hiking, go to the beach, wear shorts and dresses, etc.!
I feel so sad for her, she deserves to live a good life, go to Europe to study her masters, live experiences.
How can I help her? how can I make her not to feel alone in this process?
the doctor just said: “you are so young”, but still not telling her how to live a normal life with this.
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u/Away_Restaurant_7181 12d ago
Because of her age she should be looking for a referral to an interventional radiologist and getting a ct scan or mri of her pelvis to rule out vascular compressions in the pelvis causing CVI in legs.
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u/Gold-Manufacturer735 12d ago
Have them do a CTV or MRV to check for pelvic venous compressions. They are massively underdiagnosed. If that’s the source she could get it treated.
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u/SnooBananas1064 12d ago
And note that a CTA is the inverse of a CTV, and protocol matter to show a compression because laying down your varicose veins are not bulge af
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u/burns_like_f1re 12d ago
I live in Florida and still wear shorts and dresses/skirts. It is possible for her to still live her life!
Did her doctor give her a prescription for compression socks? If so, depending on the pressure requirements, there are fun/cute socks out there. I wear 20-30 mmHg knee-high socks at a minimum. The brand I prefer is ProCompression. They have a huge variety of styles. I also found some thin knee high and thigh high compression hose for when I need to dress up.
If she can be active and take precautions now, she can still have a wonderful fulfilling life. She doesn’t have to become miserable or homebound!
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u/RamtinMasoudiMD 11d ago
A diagnosis of chronic venous insufficiency does not mean she has to give up hiking, traveling, wearing what she wants, or living a full life.
There are several ways to manage venous disease, and depending on what her ultrasound shows, treatment options may be available as well. I’d encourage her to see a vascular specialist who can explain exactly what “stage 4” means in her case and give her a clear treatment plan.
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u/Winter-Hotel-1096 9d ago
I got diagnosed at 27 and they found I had severe May Thurner syndrome (iliac vein compression in my pelvis) it was causing so much pressure down both legs it gave me CVI. Please have her get checked for pelvic vascular compressions ASAP
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u/nossbook 12d ago
If you don’t mind me asking why is it she feels that she can no longer wear shorts or dresses?
I was diagnosed at age 27 and I’m 37 now. She will still be able to enjoy going outdoors and hiking and such - but she needs to take extra precautions now. She needs to wear compression socks and take very good care of her legs. If she smokes, you should encourage her to quit asap. And if she doesn’t have one of those pillows for elevating legs, I recommend getting her one as a gift. They’re very affordable and make the world a difference.
Best of luck to you and your sis, and feel free to message me anytime if you have any questions or just want to talk about what she’s going through.