Plymouth Vein Clinic, Devon. Specialists in Varicose Veins

5. Going home.

For the first week sit with the feet elevated so that your heels are higher than your hips to aid the drainage of excess fluid from the tissues and assist healing. Three times a day take a short walk (a few hundred yards will do, but more if you wish) to avoid stiffness of the muscles and joints. Slight discomfort is normal. Occasionally, severe local twinges of pain may occur in some patients and may persist for some months. In the first week after the operation you may need to take a mild painkiller such as paracetamol to relieve discomfort. Care will be needed when washing.

You should wear the bandage day and night for the first week, after which you may remove it. Thereafter, you may feel more comfortable wearing a compression stocking during the day for a while, but do not need to. You should avoid getting the bandages wet, but can shower or bath in the usual way, after removing the bandage. The transparent dressings in the groins are waterproof and will not come off. These should be removed two to three days after surgery.

 

6. What next?

You will be asked to remove your own dressings about one week after surgery. Usually, dissolvable stitches are used which do not require removal.

You should avoid driving for about one week from the operation because, in an emergency, your response time may be prolonged. It is essential that you are able to perform an emergency stop without pain. If in doubt, delay driving until you are happy. Swimming and cycling are allowed after the dressings have been removed.

 

7. Complications to look out for.

Sometimes a little blood will ooze from the wounds during the first 12-24 hours This usually stops on its own. If necessary, press on the wound for ten minutes. If bleeding continues after doing this twice, phone your General Practitioner or the ward.

Occasionally hard, tender lumps appear near the operation scars or in the line of the removed veins. These can appear even some weeks after the operation and need not be a cause for concern. However, if they are accompanied by excess swelling, redness and much pain, they may represent a wound infection and you should see your General Practitioner.

Rarely there is numbness around the wound or ankle. This is unavoidable and is due to pulling on nerves during the operation. It usually settles after some weeks or months. The scars on your legs will continue to fade for many months.

 

8. Return to normal activity?

You can return to work when you feel sufficiently well and comfortable, generally about a week to 10 days. If you have had both legs operated upon at the same time and you have a number of scars on each leg, it will probably be three to four weeks before you are able to undertake most normal activities. If you have a job that involves much standing and your varicose veins were particularly severe, you may need up to six weeks off work. Your General Practitioner will advise you about returning to work in the light of your progress after the operation.

 

9. The Future.

You will have been warned that not every visible vein will disappear as a result of your operation and there is a chance that in the future, further varicose veins may develop, as you are clearly disposed to them. The taking of regular exercise, the avoidance of becoming overweight, and the wearing of light support tights or stockings will all help prevent you being troubled by varicose veins in the future.

 

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