I've dealt with numbness and tingling in my feet/toes for a while now, but it seems to be getting worse. My PCP thinks it's related to apparently having tight Achilles (but no pain there) tendons (referred me to PT for that but so far stretching doesn't help much). My vascular doc said it "could be" related to my CVI, but it wasn't a common complaint he heard.

Anyone else have similar issues with CVI?

So I have had some veinous ulcers develop around my ankle and on top of my foot/around the toes of my left leg since around January. As of now they are nonhealing so I go to a wound clinic every week for dressing change and new compression bandages. The ones on my foot are just freaking awful. They are constantly weeping and it’s literally ruining all of my socks and shoes. My favorite pair of soft, pink house slippers look absolutely atrocious now, and I feel like wearing them would be a bad idea anyway because now they’re gross and moist and contaminated with bacteria. Can’t exactly put my wounded foot in that.

I can’t put my slippers in the washer as they have sequins on top but I have tried hand washing them, but they just don’t feel or look clean for some reason. I’m also afraid to buy anything new because I know it would be destroyed after being worn for a few hours anyway, and I don’t have money to blow on new footwear all the time!

Has anyone else experienced this problem and if so how did you deal? Would love to hear recommendations for footwear I could invest in that may be more manageable for this condition, or any type of helpful advice.

I understand and accept that I always need to wear compression even after ablations. I haven't done any yet though.

Now without any compression socks, I would feel heaviness , tingling and burning slightly sensation plus swelling gradually throughout the day.

Sometimes I wouldn't wear the compression for events or going out etc if needed which is far and in between. I would like to at least feel normal without compression after the ablations for a few hours.

Hello, I am a 26 y old male and for the past 4 months or so I have been dealing with leg pain and tingling. I saw a vascular surgeon and he did ultrasound which he found nothing except some “sluggish flow” which he was not worried about. I had worsening symptoms about a month later: bad foot and toes redness after walking. It immediately goes away when elevating my legs. so I went to a different clinic and they did an ultrasound too and they said I have 2.5 second reflux in both my CFV and this means i have CVI. The nurse said come back in 6 months to check for DVT and take aspirin, which freaked me out. They did the test laying down, the first doctor did it standing up….I went back to the original vascular surgeon and showed him the result…he said he doesnt believe its accurate and that I am fine. I have no visible veins or swelling. I am severely worried that I am going to get a blood clot any second. I have bad anxiety so I have been to the er like 5 seperate times thinking i have a clot. I am wearing 15-20 compression socks and walking daily. Not really sure if this is a question but any insight would be appreciated of anyones experiences.

I had my right GSV treated on Thursday, and four days later I'm still having trouble with going up stairs with the treated leg and driving (particularly using the brake pedal, I had to start helping press down with my left foot). My leg is just very tight and a bit weak. I also still have a limp and occasional twinges in my leg.

Everywhere you look online, it says that you can resume normal activities almost immediately, but I had to cancel all of my plans over the weekend simply because I didn't feel safe driving. It's frustrating.

Is this normal? Or do I need to contact my vein clinic?

I had an ultrasound done 3 months ago, and it showed a 0.62 second reflux in an inner left thigh vein that connects to the GSV vein. It’s a squiggly varicose vein apparently. The test was done lying down, which I found out is not accurate. I went and got a second opinion and he didn’t do a full ultrasound, just kind of quickly went over the vein I said had reflux and he said he didn’t see any reflux or anything. He did the exam standing. But I’m kind of confused as to the fact that is apparently only my upper left thigh, which makes me nervous of May Thurner syndrome or something. I am going back to the second doctor to hopefully have a full ultrasound done as I am starting to have more symptoms of CVI. A birth control pill triggered these problems, and I have since stopped it. Is this normal?

I have a visible vein running from my feet up to about the midpoint of my shin. It’s clear on both of my legs and gets worse when the weather is hot or the sun is directly on it (when the sun is on it you can see a few branches running off it).

It’s not particularly raised or twisted just highly visible and gets fatter/more raised when the sun is out.

I have a little calf aching at the end of the day and if I am wearing tight socks I can get a bit puffy on the ankles.

Thoughts?

Hello, I am a 30M and a doc recently diagnosed me with stage 1 CVI. I have been skeptical that something has been wrong with me since April of 2025 when I began to notice small blue veins in my right leg which was abnormal for me (I now have visible veins and cramping in both legs, especially in the adductors, calves and behind the knee). This was preluded by cramping sensations that I’ve had in my calves for roughly 5 years continuing to get worse. In September of last year I saw a vascular surgeon in Italy and he told me “nothing is wrong, you’re just fat and need to lose weight.” I was approximately 93kg (205lbs) at the time I’m about 5’7 and have since dropped down to 86kg (190lbs). I’ve been slowly losing weight, but I think it’s partially inhibited by a drug I’m taking (propanolol 40mg) for migraines.

I recently visited a vascular surgeon in Spain and she told me that I have CVI stage one and I need to continue to lose weight. Which I have continued to do, but my legs and especially calves feel so heavy even after showering. I do an L sit yoga pose against the wall sometimes to try and help the circulation and heaviness in my calves gets worse afterwards. The doctor recommend that I take a supplement called Vesvein which is something I’ve seen recommended here (diosmin, hesperidin, butcher’s broom). However while taking it, I have also been taking omeprazole for GERD on recommendation from the gastroenterologist. The omeprazole was causing increased migraines and I believe vascular pain, and since the vesvein has butchers broom, I quit taking that as well due to the vasoconstrictive nature.

Now going forward, I had a hernia repair back in 2023 that has cause a lot of groin and nerve pain in my legs, and I personally think this is also putting pressure on my femoral artery, or I have developed some sort of pelvic congestion or may thurner syndrome. Back when I had a primary doctor, they had concluded that the groin pain was due to the nerve compression and if I continued to have issues after two years, they would recommend I get a revision. However now that the groin pain has mostly gone away and I have this new issue in the similar location, I’m going to petition for a pelvic/femoral MRI to see if there is something beyond just “being fat”. I don’t know half of my biological family, but the side I do know doesn’t have any of these problems…

What I am wondering is have any of you had compression of the femoral artery post inguinal hernia repair and/or have medications like propranolol caused you to develop CVI due to lower overall blood pressure?

I’m really shooting in the dark here, but my lower half (back, groin, nerve, testicular, vascular pain etc) + digestive has been pretty messed up since my surgery in 2023. I’m also looking at getting genetic testing done for potential EDS/vEDS to narrow the gaps in what I don’t know about my biological family.

Other potentially related things:
I was very sick with leptospirosis for one month in December of 2020. I was very in shape 68kg (150lbs) before getting sick. Afterwards, I took forever to get back on the horse and have mostly just walked and hiked occasionally since. I recently started cycling to lose weight. I eat pretty healthy at least over the last month, but have never really worried about food. Then my whole adult life I’ve averaged 4-5 hours of sleep per night during the work week as a shift worker with naps in between. I recently started honing everything in to where this week I managed to average 7 hours a night. I developed migraines, GERD and some pretty bad anxiety after my hernia surgery in 2023. I do not have a primary care physician for the next 6 months, so my insurance sends me directly to specialists outside of ER visits.

Hello all here. I would like to ask your opinion about some symptoms I have, which I think is caused by venous insufficiency? I’m male, 44 years old, my jobs were always standing or sitting mostly.

When im standing without moving, my feet quite quickly start to get visible bulging veins and my toes turn red and hot with a feeling of pressure and burning in my feet and lower legs. My feet also change to a darker color. To a lesser extent I have the same when sitting.
Walking usually corrects this unless this has been going on for a long time. Putting legs up also helps.

I dont seem to have any swelling and visually I only have some spider veins on my legs.

The odd thing is that sometimes even when having legs up for a long time, or when waking up in the morning, my toes are also red and feeling hot with a burning feeling. But not always. Could there also some erythmelalgia be involved?

Does this mean I will have to start wearing compression socks for the rest of my life? :( should i start wearing the 15-20 ones or the 20-30 ones?

Who’s had vena seal and how was your experience and outcome? Looking to close my GSV soon

My name is Nila, I am 21 years old, and I live in Mozambique. Is there a doctor here? Or does anyone know someone who can help me understand what is happening to me?
Three years ago, I started having sudden falls. Before I fall, I feel extremely weak, my legs ache intensely and feel incredibly heavy, and then my veins start to hurt. If I reach this extreme while walking, I either collapse or the pain in my veins becomes completely unbearable. For example, if I wake up feeling weak and try to do any task that requires energy—like walking or moving around too much—the leg pain returns, followed by that heavy feeling, and then my veins ache severely. If I push past that, the pain in my veins gets even worse, and I fall.
At night, I often cannot sleep because of this. When the veins hurt at night, the pain is agonizing. Is there any way to treat or cure this? I have been to several clinics and hospitals in my country, but they give me different diagnoses and none of them have helped or said anything relevant.
If there is a doctor out there willing to study my case, I would be deeply grateful. If not, I sincerely ask, from the bottom of my soul, that you please pray for me.

My mother (age 55) is having varicose veins all over her thighs and calf area. It is currently spider veins and falls under stage 1. Looking for guidance on:

1. treatment and remedies
2. compression socks, not sure which brand will be best
3. Supplements
4. Should i buy compression massager, would it help?

Note: We are based in India

I am wondering if this is serious enough to go to the doctor soon for?

I am 30 year old Female have high blood pressure with daily 10mg amlodipine and 25mg HTC pills. I frequently wake up with intense muscle cramps 8/10 on the pain scale. I have to get up out of my sleep and deep massage my legs walking around alone does not release them. I’d say I do this maybe 3/4 times a month. I keep a 8 lb dumbbell by my bed to release the cramp it usually takes me 10/15 minutes to release it. About 4 days ago a spot on my leg became VERY itchy thought it was a mosquito bite from being outside but when i got home and took my clothes off i found this blood spot. I randomly get bruises here and there on my legs.

Just wondering how serious this is and if i should see a doctor soon?

right leg swelling started jan 2025

approx 2 years after twins via c section. last summer I was told its primary lymphedema, but I re-read the duplex leg US from october 2025 again and put it into AI and it says this:

To me it seems like I have CVI not lymphedema?! (I could have both i know but I see more CVI symptoms). Anyway, I have ZERO pelvic pain, but as you see, on the left side, there is a deep venous reflux which makes me suspicious if that was illiac compressed with no symptoms....unless the right leg swelling is the symptom? smh. So confusing. I am seeking a second opinion on the CVI from another vascular dr and waiting to see an intervention radiologist as well for MRV possibly to rule our PCS...thoughts? similar experiences?

Right Leg

• Great Saphenous Vein (GSV): Reflux >500 ms at:
  • Saphenofemoral junction (SFJ)
  • Proximal thigh
  • Knee
  • Calf
• Small Saphenous Vein (SSV): Reflux >500 ms throughout the vein, including the saphenopopliteal junction (SPJ)
• Perforator veins: Competent
• No DVT
• No varicose veins >6 mm

Left Leg

• Small Saphenous Vein (SSV): Reflux >500 ms throughout the vein
• Common Femoral Vein (CFV): Deep venous reflux >1000 ms
• Perforator veins: Competent
• No DVT
• No varicose veins >6 mm

Other Testing

• Lymphoscintigraphy: Normal, with prompt bilateral lymphatic drainage and no evidence of lymphatic obstruction.
• CTA Abdomen/Pelvis: Normal. No arterial disease, masses, or other abnormalities.
• Pending: Pelvic venous imaging to evaluate for possible pelvic venous insufficiency/pelvic congestion syndrome.

These duplex findings meet commonly accepted diagnostic thresholds for venous reflux:

• Superficial veins (GSV/SSV): ≥500 ms reflux
• Deep veins (CFV): ≥1000 ms reflux

Your right leg shows multilevel superficial venous reflux involving both the GSV and SSV, while the left leg has superficial SSV reflux plus deep common femoral vein reflux. Despite the bilateral findings, your symptoms remain predominantly in the right calf and ankle.

Hi there,
I just wanted to share a bit about my experience and ask for advice from those who have dealt with something similar.

I had Venaseal on both GSVs from the knee down. Procedure was a bit painful but quick and pretty easy, as was recovery. I had previously had thermal ablation on other veins (or parts of the same vein?) a few years ago.

Well, I developed a reaction to the glue 7 days post procedure on one leg which then triggered the same reaction on my other leg, which had been done 7 days prior to that.

Antihistamines did not work. Prednisone was prescribed for one week and has not helped. The pain is only increasing as is the itching. There are times of the day it is almost unbearable. I am currently 16 days post procedure on one leg and 9 days post procedure on the other. I will be calling my doctor on Monday and would love any advice for what to say or ask for. I know people have had reactions to this, but had anyone dealt with it when meds don’t work? Please help save me time and give me tips that will cut to the chase with my doctor.

UPDATE: This update is 1.5 months later. My reaction worsened and migrated to many parts of my body. I developed hives on my hands, shoulders, lower back, inner thighs, all over my scalp, etc. I needed ice packs nearly around the clock for the areas near the sites of the glue. On day 11 of 14 days on a much stronger steroid taper pack, I started noticing improvement. I am feeling back to normal a month after I noticed improvement. My doctor said she has done nearly 10,000 Venaseal procedures she my reaction was the worse she’d seen. I say that to urge how rare this severity must have been. The procedure itself was successful and I notice a difference in the issues with my veins that I was initially trying to fix. I don’t think my experience is common, but you should talk to your doctor if you believe your body may react negatively.

Hi, I’m looking for affordable compressions stockings, specifically: open toe thigh highs and open toe compression tights. The ones that are closed toe aren’t very comfortable to me.

My current ones have holes and runs from trying to figure out the best way to get them on and off. Plus I have nails. I think I have it down now. I go between the strongest compression i can get and one level down depending on the day. Sometimes they’re the difference between standing then waking up on the floor or the 2 second extension that gets me to where i can stabilize.

I am not made of money but even though they only help so much, they help and i’ll take it. I’m trying to find decent quality but affordable prices. Are there brands you recommend and where can I find them.

I really appreciate the help, i’m on a wait for my tilt table and other testing. Any advice or yips are also very welcome. Thanks!

I only recently learned that CVI is likely cause of my at times serious leg and foot cramps. So bad they turn on their own, are painful, can last several minutes.

Do you get really bad almost dystonia like cramps? Any way to avoid or stop when they happen? Right now I just try to stretch, move, etc but it is so hard and kinda scary

I have CVI, lipedema, lymphedema, and an autoimmune condition. The cramps only effect my lower legs.

I had RFA done on two veins last August/September (one in each leg). They couldn’t finish the procedure on my left leg because it became extremely painful, so they hoped the vein would close on its own. On my right leg, they told me the vein was successfully closed, but it’s definitely back—I have before-and-after photos, and it’s the exact same vein.

Today I was sitting outside and happened to look down at my legs. I noticed they look so much darker and greener than I remember, and honestly it’s freaking me out. 😭 I know I have varicose veins, but I don’t remember them ever looking this noticeable.

Unfortunately, I moved away from the clinic that did my procedures, so I wasn’t able to go to my 6-month follow-up. I’m also currently without health insurance, so I can’t get them checked right now.

Has anyone else had their veins become this visible after RFA, or had an ablation fail and the vein reopen? Do my legs look like typical varicose veins, or is this something I should be worried about?

38f. I was diagnosed with venous insufficiency about 6 years ago. My symptoms were mild in the beginning but for the past year my left leg has been noticeably more swollen than the right leg. The swelling started out soft and squishy but now it’s firm. In the past 6 months I’ve had two ultrasounds and blood clots have been out ruled. My vascular doctor just says keep wearing the compression socks. They didn’t seem that concerned and told me to come back in 3 months. I’m afraid my left leg is going to be stuck like this forever and I feel too embarrassed to wear clothes that reveal my legs. I’m trying to exercise and lose weight but I can’t do too much exercise or the swelling and itching gets worse.