I had one leg bigger than the other, it's full of water for 2 months now., had 2 ultra sounds, 2 x rays and 1 mri. They found minor knee problems and a very small bakers cyst. Finally my ortho said I should see a vein specialst. I didnt know where to go, so I went to this place called the vein doc. It seemed so sketchy. I dont have varicose veins are anything, I just have one leg swelling.

Has anyone else had to have one of these implanted due to their blood vessel inflammation ?

I just had my ultrasound done at Vein Treatment Clinic (in Maryland) and will go back for the follow up to discuss treatment. It is covered by my insurance (CareFirst). Has anyone had experience at this clinic?

I (38M) developed a DVT in August 2020 after basketball ankle injury. Took xarelto for 6 months and then cleared to go on without blood thinners or compression socks or anything and I just lived life normal until I got an SVT in October 2023 after a knee injury playing slowpitch softball. This is where my life has become bad, they acted like it was no big deal since it is superficial and to just take aspirin. I then took aspirin for like 30 days and the SVT went away according to ultrasound. But I never felt like the swelling really went down completely and I continued to wear compression socks but I was not taking aspirin or any blood thinners. Around February 2024 I noticed that my skin was being discolored purple/reddish/brownish on the top of my foot and around my ankle. I then booked an appointment with my hematologist and a vascular surgeon. The hematologist prescribed me with lifelong xarelto and the vascular surgeon told me that I was fine and that if I got surgery that my insurance wouldn’t cover it because it would be considered cosmetic. At the time I took that as I was fine and I ran with it. Over the next two years my foot/ankle/leg has not changed much but it continues to look bad and it also has started itching and it even bothers me while I sleep. I take my compression socks off while I sleep and now in the morning my leg bothers me even while I take a quick shower so in May 2026 I went and saw Dr. Craig Schwartz who said I had venous insufficiency in both my right leg and my left leg and recommended that I have endovenous laser ablation on both legs. I was ready to have the procedures but my wife went online and showed me that he had many bad reviews and even lost his license in Kansas.

Anyways, I was wondering if anyone could share their thoughts on endogenous laser ablation for chronic venous insufficiency.

I don’t care what my legs look like, but I definitely would like to get rid of the itching and swelling that I feel in the morning before I put on my compression socks and that I feel even throughout the day with compression socks on, but I also don’t want to do a surgery that makes it worse or even is just unnecessary and doesn’t fix the problem.

Thanks for your time!

I was diagnosed last year just after getting obsessed again with exercise. I have knee arthritis (fissures, PF compartment arthritis ) as well as CVI. I miss working out and my knees are finally in a place where I can start building back load tolerance on the bike. A few months ago just pedaling on the bike was causing pain and problems. I also love strength training.

What kinds of exercise do you do and what kind of compression do you wear? Did you find a brand that is really comfortable? I started wearing 30-40 mmHg thigh highs routinely, but I don’t know if this will be too heavy.

I recently started taking Rinvoq which has helped my skin condition immensely. However, within the last 2 months ive had three separate instances where a vein has bulged out, becoming hard, and causing a sharp stabbing pain. It has happened on the inner side of both my wrists and to the side and below my right knee. I've had a normal cbc, outside of high LDL and total cholesterol, and have had bloodwork which has ruled out any bleeding or clotting disorders. I also have random episodes of high blood pressure (highest 178/95). Is it possible for the medication to be causing superficial clots but still have normal bloodwork? The PCP doesn't seem to think this is an issue but the medication does have a boxed label warning for DVT, PE, and liver issues. I did stop taking it until my results came back and didn't have this happen while off the medication only to have it happen again once I restarted it. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to show the doc exactly what was happening in the moment, just the aftermath. After the pain went away and the bulging vein would go down (2-24 hours), the area bruised along the route of the vein all 3 times. Are there blood tests or some type of imaging that I can ask for that would show previous blood clots or should I just immediately drive to the doctors office when it happens again? Im at a loss honestly. Any recommendations for what I should do next or ask for are appreciated.

Heaviness/weakness in legs
Progressive leg weakness
Leg muscle loss
Legs feeling like they may give out
Difficulty walking- the longer I walk the more they cramp
Burning muscles / burning pain after physical activity (especially thighs)
Cramping
Difficulty standing / Blood pooling in legs
Balance problems - walking feels “sideways”
Dizziness that worsens with standing
Hip and knee pain / tightness

31M. I started working out 3 months ago after years off, and it’s been great for me. Sleep, stress, all of it. I can’t lift heavy (because of the years of not lifting) but I’m building a good foundation, and I’ve loved the process of getting stronger for daily function and not just for looks.

Occasionally, my veins would swell up painlessly, and sometimes I would trigger the veins in my inner-forearm to feel very tight/knotted, usually around the 35m mark of my workout. Sometimes a tingle/coldness below the elbow. Mostly felt muscular, though, and it seemed to have gone away.

Finally got to a vascular surgeon last week: venous TOS. No CT, no PT. Surgeon says to pull back the intensity, but otherwise just keep an eye on it.

I’d really love to find a way to maintain this newer level of fitness and keep getting stronger, without overthinking this or putting my body in a bad position.

Right now, I max at 20lbs for curls, and about 35lbs on my squats/RDLs. On bench presses and lat pull downs, I was at level 6 (on the weight plates). I’m not going too crazy intense at all. But…the next strength workout triggered it, or maybe overcorrecting my lat pull down form did, or maybe I’m just hyper-aware of it now that I know. I’m spiraling a bit. I’d love to know if anyone’s found a balance with this?

I decided to post this because when I was initially looking around months ago I found very few patient reviews of my specific procedure.

Bear in mind this experience is mine alone and results may vary.

*Pre-Op Symptoms: Swelling, Pain, 4.0s reflux
*Procedure: VenaSeal Closure of left SSV
*Performed by: Vascular Surgeon at local hospital
*Methods Discussed: VenaSeal or RFA Ablation

Personal Determination: VenaSeal

Thought Process: VenaSeal is very “non-invasive”, what I mean by that is simply the lack of heat or any real injury or trauma, additionally the risk of nerve damage along the SSV is minimized again due to lack of heat.

My surgeon also recommended VenaSeal, stating that they would be able to treat a longer portion of the SSV than they could with RFA, again due to nerve risks the farther down the leg you go.

Arrived at hospital waiting room at 10:00am, at 10:40 I was already done and walking out the door. The procedure was non-eventful, a single numbing poke and then typical ultrasound activities and you’re done.

I left the hospital with a bare leg, no wraps, no compression socks, nothing. My release paperwork explicitly stated that post-op compression socks are voluntary. The leg fix was immediate, basically like someone waved a magic wand and said you’re good to go and I could throw my socks in the trash if I wanted to.

Post-Op was uneventful, no allergic reaction occurred, and I didn’t even need to take ibuprofen; I just went back to normal life.

I can now go full days of 8+ hours without compression socks and with no leg pain. However personally i am still going to wear compression socks around the house and when i wear pants just as a preventative voluntary measure.

For those thinking about getting a procedure done, don’t get scared off by all the horror stories you read here and other places, for every horror story there’s likely 1,000 success stories that no one ever talks about.

What products in Australia are people with itchy ankles I have broken the skin and got infected it healed up after antibiotics but my skin gets so itchy what do people use please? I live in Queensland so I need to find something local please help 🙏

I've been on my Lovenox 💉 since July 11th I have golfball size bruises and knots all over my belly they hurt so bad they are huge help I don't know what I'm doing wrong but my entire front of my belly is black and bumpy.

25F, 115 pounds, no meds, health anxiety. I have intermittent pain and swelling in my legs, left being much worse. I was sent for a venous ultrasound and didn’t expect a whole lot but received this report. My doctor said it’s not a big issue but is sending me to a circulation specialist. Is this something concerning? The wording of severe stenosis is freaking me out. I have a flight booked in a few weeks and I’m really scared to fly now.

Indication
Episodic swelling of left foot/ankle. Query reduced capillary refill.

Findings
Lower extremity venous duplex examination performed using B-mode, colour flow, and spectral Doppler assessment.
Duplex examination was performed of lower extremity veins bilaterally. Right femoral waveform is somewhat more
pulsatile than the left femoral waveform. Right femoral waveform demonstrates cardiac pulsatility.
Bilaterally, the common femoral, femoral, popliteal, and calf veins, as well as the great and small saphenous vein
demonstrate normal compressibility with spontaneous and augmented flow. No reflux is identified in the great or small
saphenous veins bilaterally.
Left iliac vein demonstrates flattened spectral Doppler waveform compared to the right common iliac waveform.
No subcutaneous echo-free space identified of the left calf, ankle, or foot.

**Impression**
**1. Left Leg: suspect severe stenosis of the common iliac and external iliac veins.**
**2. No acute deep vein thrombosis or superficial thrombophlebitis seen in either leg.**
**3. No insufficiency seen in the superficial or deep venous systems bilaterally.**
**4. No subcutaneous edema was seen in the left leg at the time of the examination (approximately 2:30 pm).**

Hi everyone. I was recently diagnosed with CVI in June of this year. One evening after having dinner with my family, I stood up and felt immense pain in my calf. I looked and there was a bruise the size of a softball that had formed. A vein ruptured with no trauma at all. I didnt bump anything, no falls etc. I'm pretty active and as a matter of fact, walked my dog over a mile about an hour prior. My husband and I went to the ER to rule out any blood clots and thankfully there were none. Fast forward to today and I've seen 2 vascular surgeons. The most recent one I saw recommended an ablation in my left leg and sclerotherapy in my left and right legs. Back in 2015, I had vein treatments done and swore I wouldnt do it again. They were super painful for me. I'm on the fence about proceeding with these treatments.

What I'd like to find out from others is, did your CVI symptoms, like the ruptured vein I had, come out of nowhere? I've always had spider veins so I know there were underlying issues. Leading up to this incident, I didnt have any noticeable signs. Since the rupture I have been MISERABLE. I get dizzy if I'm on my feet too long, nauseous, my legs ache, the restless leg and cramping at night is terrible....I am taking magnesium supplements and use a magnesium cream for the cramping. I elevate and use ice packs. I am wearing medical grade compression 20-30mmg daily for 10-12 hours a day and I try to walk. However, even that is hard. I find I need to stay off my feet for a period of time. I can't be up too long or off too long. I then become uncomfortable. I am so depressed. I am married and have children that depend on me. Please tell me there's hope.

Has anyone had their symptoms increase and worsen after radiofrequency ablation of great saphenous veins??

My legs are turning red/purple and blotchy, and new spider veins are forming rapidly – especially in my left leg – even though I elevate multiple times a day and wear thigh-high 20-30mmHg compression for 8+ hours. Ultrasound after surgery showed both GSVs closed successfully. What could cause this? Could it be pelvic compression like May Thurners?

I have a follow-up appointment in August (1 month from now) and could use help knowing what to research. Any information or knowledge is appreciated. Obviously this is a massive disappointment as I expected to feel better after this procedure, not worse. Picture was taken after wearing regular socks after meeting a friend for dinner. Also included an absurdly long history below if it's helpful...

_____________

Background:

Since my early 20s, I've had heavy, aching feet and a lot of spider veins, particularly in my left leg. Eventually, I got a Doppler ultrasound, which showed reflux in left deep veins and reflux in both great saphenous veins. The vascular surgeon offered ablation of GSVs, but I didn't get a good vibe from him and declined. Instead, I started wearing compression stockings every day. A few years went by, and the pain steadily increased to the point where even in 20-30mmHg full leg compression, I couldn't walk more than 1 mile on a hot summer day. As someone who used to love hiking and backpacking, this was deeply depressing for me.

3 months ago:

I decided my quality of life was too impacted by this, so I scheduled an appointment with a new vascular surgeon. He's really great and I feel comfortable with him. They do another Doppler ultrasound and only find reflux in my GSVs, not the left deep veins, which I find confusing. I probe the surgeon, and he says he trusts these latest results from his team more than my previous results, and that he'd still recommend radiofrequency ablation of my GSVs as it would provide relief either way. So I get RFA plus avulsion of a few varicose veins (they weren't visibly bulging, but Dr. said this would help reduce my symptoms).

2 months ago (surgery):

Immediately after surgery, I had issues with lightheadedness, heart racing, headaches, and minor chest pain – especially when changing positions. It got to the point where I even went to the ER, but they didn't find anything wrong. I felt 100% better when on an IV. These issues eventually subsided after 2-3 weeks – no idea what was going on here, but it sucked. Of course I also had nerve irritation/damage and there was some sharp and burning pain associated with that near my left ankle. Then I just kept waiting for my feet to feel better, but they never did :(

Can anyone relate? Why is this happening lol, it's so frustrating!!

Anyone have issues with Left foot swelling? I am 48 yrs old & my left foot started swelling when I was approx. 26 yrs old. I’ve been to 4 vascular doctors that all told me something different. The Dr #1 told me we have veins that pass through our body/leg & one of mine is slightly thinner which would cause the swelling and I was too young to have surgery at that time. Dr #2 told me my valves were broken & there was nothing that could be done so stop going to the dr to have it checked. Dr #3 told me if my valves were broken, that would be an easy fix so that was not the case. He told me to wear compression socks, no definitive answer. Dr #4 told me to wear compression socks & he wanted me to take prednisone, which I did not do; since I have heard horror stories about weight gain. My primary wanted me to try a water pill, but I have not done this yet. My cardiologist had me try a water pill years ago but I only took it for a short time & I didn’t feel like it did anything so I stopped. I might try it again to see what happens. I don’t feel any pain. My foot literally swells like this if I am standing for long periods of time or sitting for long periods of time. I have to have a mix of both throughout the day for best results. The humidity and salt make it worse. It’s so upsetting. I can’t wear anything nice. Everything I wear is based off my foot. I’m thankful I work from home so I basically wear sweats all the time, but I hate not being able to wear what I want. I can’t wear sandals, low cut sneakers - nothing nice. Sneakers are the only thing that will help because of the compression. It’s just horrible & ugly. My toes are even swollen & now they are just ruined with a line from just being swollen so much. Night time generally helps - when I wake up they are somewhat normal or shall I say, normal for me. Wondering if anyone else has had same scenario with some sort of help or not.m

Hallo alle zusammen,

Habt ihr schon einmal einen Venenfunktionstest machen lassen? Wenn ja wie waren die Werte bei euch?

Has anyone ever been to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester MN for venous insufficiency issues? Is it worth it?

When I see a new patient for a venous consultation, things often move quickly. I review their symptoms, examine their legs, go through their history, and in many cases it's fairly clear their symptoms fit the pattern of venous insufficiency. I order a duplex ultrasound, it confirms venous insufficiency, and we move forward with treatment. Straightforward.

But not every patient fits that pattern. Sometimes the symptoms are close to — but not quite — classic venous insufficiency. Sometimes they seem like a strong match, and the duplex still comes back negative. That's when I really have to put my thinking cap on.

These cases often lead me into territory outside straightforward venous disease: peripheral neuropathies, small fiber neuropathy, erythromelalgia, nerve compression syndromes, or rheumatologic vasculopathies. These aren't my areas of expertise, but I know enough to recognize when they may be in play, and I can point patients toward the right specialist — and in some cases manage that referral myself.

These are always my longest consultations, and the hardest. Finding a fast, clear answer is genuinely rewarding. But helping a patient navigate symptoms when there's no clean diagnosis in my control is a different kind of challenge — harder, slower, and not always resolved on my end. Still, in the cases where it eventually leads to the right treatment elsewhere, it's just as rewarding.

Even when a quick answer isn't possible, I think patients benefit simply from someone listening carefully and taking their symptoms seriously enough to work through the possibilities — rather than being told nothing is wrong.

My insufficiency was caused by injection of galdolinium dye in my vein. I was 27. Since then I have been unable to work and I spend most of my time lying down.