Now What To Do About Those Veins?

Guest post from fellow mom, Annemarie, who is currently the resident expert in what to do with those lovely varicose veins pregnancy can sometimes bring on.

There’s the weight gain. The bad skin. The morning sickness. The delicate emotional state.

Those of us who have been through it are familiar with the many inconveniences and indignities of pregnancy. Then there are the varicose veins and blot clots. Ugly, uncomfortable and sometimes painful, these blessings from mother nature sometimes continue after baby’s arrival.

So what to do when the new mother’s figure starts to return to normal and she’s ready for some normal, perhaps even fun, clothing? Well, thankfully the fashion gods are kind this season and leggings are in. Also, since I live in a cool summer climate, leggings are welcome for warmth. But what about that trip to LA, having a drink by the pool? What to do with those purple legs?

The good news is that there is an entire medical specialty focused on this very problem with plenty of treatment options (more about that later). But the best news for other new moms who suffer from the unsightly and sometimes painful varicose veins is that most insurers consider this a medical issue, not a cosmetic one.

Now, before you get excited about a little rhinoplasty to go with your vein procedure, you must check with your insurer and, of course, your doctor. But, the key to insurance reimbursement is to consult a vascular surgeon shortly after delivery, or maybe even during pregnancy, in order to make sure there are no dangerous blood clots and to establish a relationship with a specialist.

As for treatment there are a variety of options, depending on your situation. Examples include injections, laser treatment, radio frequency ablation, surgery and even herbal therapies. Something for every taste and budget, it would seem!

According to the vascular surgeon I met recently, treatment can begin when I start to feel “normal” again. Maybe six months or so postpartum. Sounds pretty simple, not too painful and definitely worth it to me. It’s not that I have anything against 90-year-old purple legs. Just not on a 30-something year old body!

As a great source for information on symptoms, treatment options and how to find a physician, check out the American College of Phlebology.

Now, about that post-baby ass….

photo credit: CarbonNYC