Background Story

I noticed my first symptom of varicose veins when I was 20. I looked down at my ankle one day and noticed a large bruise, but I didn't recall hitting my leg. The bruise, as I called it, never went away. Based on my family history, I should have known what it was. The problem was that I associated varicose veins with the twisted ropes that protrude from your legs.

When I was pregnant was first daughter, I saw my first twisted rope varicose vein. I was only 21. The OB/GYN suggested I elevate my feet and wear stockings. I was naive and thought maternity pantyhose would help. The twisted rope was on my right leg on the inside of my knee. I complained to my French doctor that the protruding vein made it difficult to shave my legs. His suggestion was not to shave. I wanted to tell him to go back to France. A different doctor in that office called a intern into the room during my physical exam to see how high up the varicose veins went. Could I get paid to be in a medical journal?

I thought that getting down to my ideal weight would help my veins. At 136 (I'm 5'6") my ankle was still bruised and I had a nasty vein sticky out by my knee. Keeping a tan lessened the visibility of the bruising and growing spider veins on my ankle.

Six years later I was pregnant again. When my midwife saw my legs at my 8 weeks appointment (on Valentine's Day), she immediately prescribed compression stockings. Oh, maybe that is what the French doctor has intended. My husband and I left the appointment was went to go get my first pair of compression stockings. The medical supply store smelled "like death" according to my husband. They sold craft-matic adjustable chairs and electric scooters. The woman escorted me into a room where the stockings huge on the wall. She pulled the curtains closed and told me to take my pants off. My jaw must have hit the floor because she then explained me she needed to measure my legs to get the right fit. My color options were nude or nude. I tried to make the best of the situation. I joked that most couples pick out sexy black thigh highs with garter belts on Valentine's Day. I went home with 20-30mmHg nude thigh compression stockings. It was a huge turn on.

As I had been warned, the varicose veins were getting worse this pregnancy. About half-way through the pregnancy, I started have plan in my leg left. I noticed discoloration above my heel and a vein was starting to stick out across my calf. The vein on my right leg was now sticking on on the inside of leg. The compression stockings helped with some of pain, but I then I notice veins sticking out of my thigh above the stockings. The final straw was when I got varicose veins "down there". That's right. Every vein below my pelvic bones was swollen. I upgraded my thigh high stockings to 30-40mmHg full maternity belly hose. It took me over 5 minutes just to pull down my stockings and get then back up plus pee time.

This picture does not show the full extent of problems. For obvious reasons, I don't like to take pictures of legs. If my legs are shown at work, I use make up to cover up the bruising. Make-up doesn't hide twisting rope veins though.