I have never taken varicose veins seriously. When I was young, I often saw a lot of people, mostly ladies, having bulging veins in their calves and legs. I thought it was normal. My mum, who was a primary school teacher, had it as well. It didn't bother her nor complain about the pain.
Years later, after decades of being a teacher myself, I have developed varicose veins as well, just like my mum. I ignored it because it never hurt me at first. But after several years of ignoring them have taken their toll.
My legs were throbbing and aching and felt heavy. I often get cramps at night, and the weirdest thing was the area was really itchy. So, I decided to get a ClariVein treatment, a minimally invasive treatment for varicose veins. It has given me relief, but the aftercare was quite a challenge.
If you are undergoing a varicose veins treatment from a vein clinic in Singapore, here are my aftercare tips for you.
TIP #1: Wear your compression stocking or bandages
Right after my treatment, my vein doctor wrapped my legs with compression stockings. According to her, compression stockings help improve blood circulation in the lower limbs, especially in the affected area. It also reduces the chance of blood clots in the area.
I wore the stocking for two days without removing it for two days. After that, I remove the stockings whenever I take a bath or sleep.
My vein doctor told me that compression stockings help in managing the symptoms of untreated or mild varicose veins and even deep vein thrombosis in Singapore.
TIP #2: Rest, elevate, and walk
After getting treatment, be it a major surgery or a minimally-invasive procedure, as much as possible, you want your body to recover.
When I got home, I made sure to elevate my legs as often as possible. I kept my legs above my heart level whenever I sat or lay down.
My vein doctor told me that elevating your legs encourages your blood to flow back to your heart and prevent blood clots.
This trick is not only applicable for varicose veins treatment but also for deep vein thrombosis in Singapore.
During our ride home from the vein clinic in Singapore, I stretched my legs inside the car by sitting sideways.
At home, I avoided prolonged standing and sitting. Inactivity also causes blood clots, which was the last thing I wanted to happen. I made sure to walk around the house from time to time to get the blood flowing in my legs. No strenuous activities yet! Light walking is enough for the first three days.
TIP #3: Don't skip your medication
Medications after surgery are mostly antibiotics and painkillers.
Antibiotics are important to keep infections away, especially when the wounds from the surgery are still fresh.
On the other hand, painkillers are for managing the symptoms and side effects of the surgery.
Although my treatment is minimally invasive, I still had few side effects. There was a slight swelling and mild pain. There was also a little burning and stinging sensation.
The medication my vein doctor prescribed me helped minimise the symptoms and discomfort of my legs. The pain and temporary side effects were gone in just a day.I highly recommend not skipping your medication if you want to recover faster.
TIP #4: Maintain a healthy weight
Just to be clear, my BMI was normal when I underwent varicose veins treatment, but my vein doctor reminded me not to gain weight during the recovery period. Mainly because excess weight slows down the healing.
Excess weight puts pressure on the lower limbs, especially on the legs and feet. It takes a lot of work for the blood to flow back to the heart with this pressure, meaning there is a higher risk of blood clotting.
Maintaining a healthy weight is not only applicable for a person recovering from varicose veins and deep vein thrombosis treatment in Singapore. In fact, a healthy weight decreases the risk of developing varicose veins and prevents aggravating existing ones.
TIP#5: Watch out for complications
If your doctor asked you to attend follow-up checkups, please do so.
Your vein doctor monitors the progress of your healing.
Also, watch out for possible complications. As I mentioned earlier, blood clots are highly possible during recovery, especially if you have not done the first four tips above properly. If the swelling, bruising, and pain persist a few days or weeks after the treatment, it could be because of a blood clot. There could be an infection if the swelling and throbbing are accompanied by a fever.
Visit your vein clinic in Singapore if you are experiencing unusual side effects after your treatment.
Final Words
Nothing will go wrong with your recovery if you follow your vein doctor's instructions carefully. My tips are just guidelines based on my experience. Every case is unique and different; that is why it is important to listen to your vein doctor.
Thanks to Cheng SC Veins and Endovascular Clinic for their effective varicose vein treatment and for guiding me through my recovery period.
