Question Does anyone know where to buy surgical support stockings?
I am a member of a forum for where I live and a lady has just had varicose vains removed. she was discharged from the hospital without the surgical stockings as they didn't have any in the hospital in her size. I'd like to be able to help this lady but I'm unsure myself where to get them. I know you can get travel stockings and that kind of thing but she says she needs them thigh length in size XXL. Any help or links would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Best Answer If the Lady needed a surgical stocking then the Hospital would have supplied them, no matter how large she is. My late Father had his veins done in the morning and discharged himself at 3pm, arrived home wearing his bandages and walked in and asked me to pay the Taxi fare. He never returned, he never had any surgical stockings. Best of Luck

Question I'm 27, should I have surgery to remove varicose veins in my leg?
I got referred to my local hospital by my GP for varicose veins(not majorly bad but they do slightly ache) & got told that yes I do have varicose veins but treatment not available to me on NHS & it will cost me about £2000/leg which I can't really afford but I am prepared to pay it if it will stop more problems later in life, I don't want to get into debt then have to pay it out again in ten years when/if they go varicose again. What should I do, I have a scan booked for 10th October which is gonna cost £240, should I go & see what the scan turns up or try support stockings first? Please help!!!!

Best Answer What treatment is available? Compression Tight fitted stockings support the veins from outside and help to stop the blood pooling and stretching the veins. These are used either after treatment or on their own. Injection If the problem is very localised, a chemical can be injected directly into the bulging vein causing it to shrink (known as “sclerotherapy”) This procedure may be sufficient on its own or may be necessary after surgery or laser to tidy up remaining varicosities. Surgery If the whole vein system is incompetent, the varicose veins are stripped from the thigh by making a groin incision under general anaesthetic. A short stay in hospital is required. A bandage and pressure stocking are applied and must be worn for a week or two. Full recovery from surgery can take several weeks. Further visits may be required to eliminate secondary varicosities and superficial unsightly veins (spider veins). Laser ablation (“ELVeS”,”EVLT”) A new non-surgical way of treating varicose veins has been developed over the past five years at centres in USA, Spain and Germany. It is performed as an outpatient “walk in, walk out” procedure with no requirement for general anaesthetic or overnight stays in hospital. The laser treatment involves the insertion of a laser fibre into the varicose vein of the thigh from the knee to the groin using ultrasound imaging to guide the way. The laser fibre is then withdrawn along the vein, heating it from within to close it, using local anaesthetic to minimise discomfort. The treatment session lasts in the region of one hour. A pressure stocking is applied and must be worn for a week. The majority of patients can return to normal activities including work the next day. Further visits may be required to eliminate secondary varicosities and superficial unsightly veins (spider veins). What is best for me? The exact choice of treatment depends on the particular nature of your veins, your medical background and most importantly, your wishes. At your initial consultation and assessment , the Doctor will arrange for you to have an ultrasound Duplex scan to map out the condition of your veins, discuss your relevant medical background and explain the options to you, for you to decide. Laser surgeries http://www.mayoclinic.org/varicose-veins/treatment.html At this site you can see a video of this procedure. Good site for information: http://hcd2.bupa.co.uk/fact_sheets/html/Varicose_veins.html There is no guarantee that there will not be a reappearance of further varicose veins. The taking of regular exercise, modification of your life style, the wear of light support stockings and the avoidance of risk factors (smoking) and becoming overweight will all help prevent you being troubled by varicose veins in the future