Chronic Venous Insufficiency Puns

Has anyone here had any experience with supplements and their PTS/CVI? There's a few I'm looking into, namely Diosmin, Grapeseed extract and Pycnogenol, but have only been able to find a few small scale studies on them and thats about it.

Was just diagnosed and am wondering how much it might be contributing to my leg pain, which is where most of my fibro pain is focused.

I’m scheduled to have a few ablation procedures at the end of September and I’m hoping these treatments will reduce my daily pain.

Does anyone else here have CVI? Did ablation treatments help relieve your pain at all?

I've seen both being listed to help fight chronic venous insufficiency.

My main problem is poor blood circulation in my lower legs. I look like I sprained both my ankles. They look swollen 24/7. Not red or discolored. Not itchy. No varicose, no spider veins. Just very swollen.

Doing my own research, I've seen red vine and horse chestnut being used to help chronic venous insufficiency.

Is there one you'd recommend over the other?

Thank you

22 year old male here. I was just diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency in both legs in my superficial veins. The pain from all this started sometime in December.

Recently, I’ve had pain in my left pelvic area (my CVI is worse in my left leg), and it’s been freaking me out. I told my doctor about it and brushed it off and said we’d see what the tests say. After the ultrasound, we went over the results where she diagnosed me. I asked if the pelvic pain was related, and she said probably not.

Sounds good. Then I start researching CVI, because it’s a part of my life now. I notice that symptoms associated with May Thurner Syndrome I present (lower back pain, pelvis sensitive to touch, etc.), and I see that normal ultrasounds used for most CVI diagnoses aren’t sufficient in diagnosing problem with pelvic veins.

Naturally, this has me very anxious. I see my doctor again in a month and I plan on bringing it up with here then, but I’m still worried if I should go in sooner. The biggest issue with all this is CVI makes blood clots (DVTs) more common, and, to my knowledge, my grandfather had clotting issues. The doctor knows this family history, but id really like to get checked out. I plan to. I just wanted to see if anyone who has experienced something similar has any advice. Thanks in advance.

My husband (50 M - I'm 41 F) suffers from chronic venous insufficiency, and has for about 10 years now. It started as swelling in his feet, and moved up his legs. He's dealt with leg ulcers on both calves, and most recently had infections in one foot and his toes that have led to three hospitalizations - two just this year.

He also had stents put in his femoral artery last year, which helped some, but not enough. His legs and feet just stay swollen, and he goes to wound care twice a week.

He is in constant pain from all of this - so much so that he has trouble getting around and has put on a tremendous amount of weight over the years. He's now (at 6'1") almost 400 lbs, and doctors are more and more blaming his weight - but if walking didn't cause excruciating pain, he could get some activity to help the weight issue. It's a vicious cycle.

As his wife, I'm at my wit's end. I don't know how I can help him, and his doctors (GP, cardiologist, infectious disease specialist, etc) are no help. And FWIW, he is not diabetic - he had the glucose tolerance test last month.

Is anyone else or their loved one in this situation?? I feel like I'm just waiting to be widowed.

I’ve been overweight or obese all my life. I don’t mean adult life. All of it. I’ve been overweight since I was 3. I’ve always had high blood pressure. And I started binge eating uncontrollably around college, and it got really bad after I got my first job and moved across the country to live alone.

I’ve had a number of health issues related to this, but this one takes the cake. I’m only 33, but I already have a cardiovascular problem no one can fix, and I may even lose my leg at some point in my life.

I have no time to be sick or to feel sorry for myself. I and my wife both work from home while caring for a 1 year old who also stays at home. We barely get any sleep, let alone exercise. I see no end to this, and I’m just so discouraged.

I’m not really looking for advice or anything, just needed to rant somewhere. Please stay safe everyone, I love you all.

22 year old male here. I was recently diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency (CVI - different word for vein disease and varicose veins), and I'm freaking out about blood clots.

I went to the ER in December for leg pain that I was (at the time irrationally) scared was a DVT. I get an ultrasound and everything was clear. I got to the doctor this month (February) for this constant ache in my calves, she sends me to a vein specialist, and I'm diagnosed with CVI.

My health anxiety has been the worst its every been since a cancer scare (thankfully just a scare) in October. I obsessively think about all of these things that are wrong with me. I've since started seeing a therapist and taking Lexapro, which I think has helped tremendously. I finally got to a point where I felt normal again, and then I'm diagnosed with CVI.

As far as I know, it's a pretty common thing and usually hereditary. My grandmother and cousin both have it, but they just have varicose veins. I don't think they experience pain. Rationally, I know this isn't life threatening, world shattering, or anything of the sort. But my anxiety is telling me it is. I feel like I'm going through a mourning period for a disease that will eventually kill me.

All this background leads me to that I have compulsively googled myself into a hole. People with CVI are more likely to develop DVTs (the thing I had been told I was irrationally worried about), and my grandfather apparently had a clotting issue (something I wasn't told until I was in the ER waiting on DVT results). Essentially, I'm freaking out. I feel like I'm at my wits end. I feel like I've driven my family and friends mad with all this. And I'm sad and angry that I feel like all the slow inching progress I've made since October has all been erased. I've completely relapsed.

It feels like my worse case scenario, even though I know it isn't. I've been irrationally worried about all of these issues for months, finally got to a point where I felt like I was being a bit irrational, then my fears are somewhat confirmed with a diagnosis that puts me at risk for DVTs and a potentially hereditary clotting issue that I previously knew nothing about. And on top of all of this, I found out I have high cholesterol (like 240 overall number). And I'm only 22.

I'm overwhelmed and tired. Any advice would be helpful. Kind words, comforting statistics, anything would be welcome. My anxiety has me convinced that I won't make it out of my 20s even though ever

Hi all,

Im 28 and have had venous issues since 22 and have run the gamut of dismissive doctors, grinding beurocracy, and pointless consults. Anyone else have CVI and reflux issues. Pointers, ideas, progression of the illness?

For me

• CVI in legs: surgery done but no cure
• large varicocele: embolized -hemmoroids/resultant skin tags: untreated -ED problems: investigated but inconclusive
• nasal congestion
• vein on hand showing bumps that look like faulty valves

Cheers

30F /5'4/105lbs/caucasian

Primary Complaint: Heaviness and swelling in lower left calf. Left foot swelling, redness, hard red bumps on toe pads/underside of toe joints.

Duration: intermittent flares lasting a couple days to weeks at a time

So as stated above, having issues with swelling and pain in my lower left leg and foot. Worsens with prolonged sitting or standing, and feels especially painful when I first get out of bed in the morning and when I take a morning shower. My right hand is also stiff/puffy in the morning and worsens with overuse. Alcohol and warm drinks definitely make symptoms worse. I see all the veins puff out in my hand and wrist and it's very uncomfortable, so I'm avoiding both.

Elevation provides temporary relief. I had a similar issue over the summer last year, but not nearly as painful. It lasted for a few days then went away, so I didn't do anything about it at the time. My PCP at the time suggested varicose veins. I do have visible veins in my calf and it runs in family, but with much later onset.

The pain and swelling this time around has gone on for 2+ weeks. My 2 hour commute and sedentary desk job became unbearable. I went to urgent care Friday and they did an x-ray for the toe joint bumps. All normal. I have a venous ultrasound and appointment with a vascular doctor scheduled for next week. I know I'll find out more then, but in the mean time I'm doing whatever I can to stay comfortable.

The urgent care doctor suggested 600mg ibuprofen every 3 hours. On top of that I've been taking a tincture of horse chestnut extract, 30 drops in water in the morning and night. I've done the horse chestnut consistently for 5 days now. Ibuprofen I haven't been as regimented.

I've noticed redness and swelling go down dramatically over the past two days. Feeling of heaviness is still there, though not as bad. My calves visibly just look bigger than they used to.

So all of this is to say, what do you think is actually helping? Could it be just another flare like last time? Does varicose vein pain (if it is that) usually occur in flares like that? Am I safe continuing with the daily ibuprofen/horse chestnut until my ultrasound next week? Now I feel silly going to this appointment if the swelling goes away again.

Hey guys, I’m not sure if this is the right place to post this so forgive me if it isnt. I was just wondering if anyone here has CVI? I am 29 years old and I was diagnosed with CVI in both legs about 3, maybe 4 years ago. I have had a few procedures done on both legs, and have been in the hospital twice for blood clots. I wear prescribed compression religiously, and it does bring “slight” relief but not much. My legs are always bruised, in pain, they swell up really bad, and I have these embarrassing brown pigment stains from the top of my foot to maybe 3 Inches under my knee. Honestly I am very miserable.

I’m not really sure what else I can do, and over the past few months I have been considering applying for disability. I have seen online that CVI does qualify, but I am not sure to what extent, or how to go about it if I were to go that route. I guess I’m just looking for any help/information you guys may have and also doing a little venting.

I am a 33m, 170lbs, 5'10". I have vein weakness in a superficial vein and also a deep vein in the distal area. I wear knee-high compression socks and am getting some thigh-highs ordered soon. Do I have CVI something different? My doctor says I am okay to fly as long as I wear my compression socks but everything I've read about CVI suggests not to fly. Is CVI different than two weaknesses in the same area?

She says I am not a risk for DVT but I have read CVI is a risk for DVT.

[Clinical and capillaroscopic evaluation of chronic uncomplicated venous insufficiency with procyanidins extracted from vitis vinifera]. Costantini A, De Bernardi T, Gotti A. Minerva Cardioangiol. 1999 Jan-Feb;47(1-2):39-46. Italian. PMID: 10356940 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

I had an ultrasound completed on both of my legs yesterday due to them feeling heavy and slight swelling in calves. Radar showed venous insufficiency in the right great saphenous, sapheno-femoral junction and common femoral vein. There is also evidence of valvular incompetence involving the left great saphenous, common femoral and femoral veins.

Anyone else have experience with this? I’m nervous. :(

I had a venous ultrasound on both of my legs this morning to check for CVI (waiting on results). Does anyone here have chronic venous insufficiency? I read that this too doesn’t allows blood to properly return to the heart. Can this also cause an increase in heart rate due to the lack of blood flow?

It seems like it's something doctors aren't really researching because it's generally not a super serious issue, but I can't imagine a good life for myself with this condition. Is there any hope it can be cured, not just halted? It baffles me that something so simple doesn't have a surgical fix.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Clinical+and+capillaroscopic+evaluation+of+chronic+uncomplicated+venous+insufficiency+with+procyanidins+extracted+from+Vitis+vinifera

Minerva Cardioangiol. 1999 Jan-Feb;47(1-2):39-46. [Clinical and capillaroscopic evaluation of chronic uncomplicated venous insufficiency with procyanidins extracted from vitis vinifera]. [Article in Italian] Costantini A1, De Bernardi T, Gotti A.