Venous insufficiency ( swollen legs)

[essex boys]

Hi all, I suffer with venous insufficiency where my calves and ankles swell and sometimes I get ulcers which are painful but I can deal with these in house, anybody else suffer here with it? I’m based in Khon Kaen and was looking to see if anyone suffering with this can recommend a hospital where the veins can be dealt with, they can remove the vains or cauterize them, this stops blood pooling in the legs as the blood won’t be able to travel down the broken veins, I need a hospital that can do an ultrasound scan of the legs to detect what veins are damaged. I will just paste a copy of a note on the symptoms 

 

Chronic venous insufficiency occurs when your leg veins don't allow blood to flow back up to your heart. Normally, the valves in your veins make sure that blood flows toward your heart. But when these valves don't work well, blood can also flow backwards. This can cause blood to collect (pool) in your legs.

 

many thanks in advance for all and any help

[BangkokHank]

Is this the same as varicose veins?

[Moonlover]

How much exercise do you get @essex boys? That should  be the question to ask yourself before seeking medical intervention.

 

There is plenty of advise out there on the web. I'd suggest you go do some research.

[essex boys]

@BangkokHank kinda the same treatment required but venous insufficiency generally requires veins to be ablated so blood can’t run back down them causing the swelling.

@Moonlover good question, I’m doing about 45 minutes a day excercise that might be walking or yard work around the house, I’ve had the condition for about 12 years but as I’ve got older it’s got worse, I could do with losing about 15kg…but seems like this could be a hereditary condition 

[Moonlover]

7 minutes ago, essex boys said:

@BangkokHank kinda the same treatment required but venous insufficiency generally requires veins to be ablated so blood can’t run back down them causing the swelling.

@Moonlover good question, I’m doing about 45 minutes a day excercise that might be walking or yard work around the house, I’ve had the condition for about 12 years but as I’ve got older it’s got worse, I could do with losing about 15kg…but seems like this could be a hereditary condition 

It sounds to me that you don't do any 'targeted' exercise that could help you with your condition. Walking is good of course. It is after all our basic and most common exercise. I advocate and do at least an hour per day. (I live in the country so it's easy for me)

 

I wear a smart watch which lets me know when I reach my target of 7,000 steps per day and it also sends me a reminder to 'get up and move' every hour. If you can try to avoid sitting for too long. You may have heard the saying, 'sitting is the new smoking' and it's true I'm sure. It's all too easy to settle in a comfy chair and idle the hours away, but it's not good for us at all. In the last year I've lost 20kg without dieting, simply by adopting a modest increase in exercise. No gym involved by the way.

 

Small changes in our lifestyle can bring about noticeable changes in our health. Go for it. ????

[Sheryl]

The best hospital in Khon Kaen is KKU university (Srinagarind).

 

https://srinagarind.md.kku.ac.th/

 

Try to see Prof. Supatcha Prasertcharoentuk there. 

 

In addition if not already doing do, should:

 

1. Wear compression stockings

2. Elevate legs when sitting down

3. Lose weight if at all overweight

4. Control diabetes if you have it

 

A thorough cardiac workup may also be indicated if not done recently as insufficieng cardiac function can cause or contribute to pooling of blood in the legs

 

[Expat68]

I used to have bad circulation (legs used to swell up) very painful, after standing for 12 hours at work. Since moving to Thailand having retired I no longer have this problem 

[AAArdvark]

On 8/14/2023 at 11:10 AM, BangkokHank said:

Is this the same as varicose veins?

No

[oobar]

Daflon 500, or its cheaper generic, twice daily is helpful.

[AAArdvark]

I would try a diuretic for possible water retention. Cheap and harmless. Try for a week in see if it helps. 

[mikesil]

See Dr Jaruprot at:

     Bangkok Hospital Khon Kaen, Saturday 9 am to noon, make appt first --- 043042888

or  Central Hospital Khon Kaen, Tuesday

 

Central is a bit cheaper but you have to speak Thai.

[placnx]

I've had some swelling in the feet for about 10 years, but a year ago it started getting so bad that in the end I could only get my feet in my shoes with a shoe horn and a struggle. Normally I am quite stationary, but sit with my feet elevated, but last year I started spending a lot more time sitting with feet down. 

 

A vascular surgeon prescribed Daflon 1000 for 2 months. It didn't do anything.

 

At the end of the 2 months I got a doppler ultrasound which showed no blockages. 

 

What helped quickly was resuming feet up or sitting in bed and reading. So I'm back to where I was a year ago or so when sitting habits had changed.

[Surasak]

On 8/14/2023 at 11:10 AM, BangkokHank said:

Is this the same as varicose veins?

NO

[Surasak]

Visit the KK general hospital and ask to see either Dr Nattaporn or Dr Pak pronounced Park. Both very good with this kind of problem

[couchpotato]

A vascular surgeon prescribed Daflon 1000 for 2 months. It didn't do anything.

 

Yes I had same prescription. Daflon 500, but it didn't seem to help at all......but it was worth a try.

[FlorC]

3 hours ago, Expat68 said:

I used to have bad circulation (legs used to swell up) very painful, after standing for 12 hours at work. Since moving to Thailand having retired I no longer have this problem 

I kind of have the same problem . Every time I go to europe , my legs swell up. When I get back to thailand , it's back to normal . I don't exercise here , it's too hot.

[Surasak]

2 hours ago, Surasak said:

NO

I did say no, but it could well be the result a previous problem with varicose veins 

[Surasak]

2 hours ago, couchpotato said:

A vascular surgeon prescribed Daflon 1000 for 2 months. It didn't do anything.

 

Yes I had same prescription. Daflon 500, but it didn't seem to help at all......but it was worth a try.

Daflon helps with the circulation and you probably wouldn't notice any changes. However, you may notice a change if you stopped taking it?

[Surasak]

On 8/14/2023 at 10:50 AM, essex boys said:

Hi all, I suffer with venous insufficiency where my calves and ankles swell and sometimes I get ulcers which are painful but I can deal with these in house, anybody else suffer here with it? I’m based in Khon Kaen and was looking to see if anyone suffering with this can recommend a hospital where the veins can be dealt with, they can remove the vains or cauterize them, this stops blood pooling in the legs as the blood won’t be able to travel down the broken veins, I need a hospital that can do an ultrasound scan of the legs to detect what veins are damaged. I will just paste a copy of a note on the symptoms 

 

Chronic venous insufficiency occurs when your leg veins don't allow blood to flow back up to your heart. Normally, the valves in your veins make sure that blood flows toward your heart. But when these valves don't work well, blood can also flow backwards. This can cause blood to collect (pool) in your legs.

 

many thanks in advance for all and any help

If as you say the blood is pooling in the legs, are the lower legs RED? If yes, then it is as you say, more than likely venous insufficiency.

[Sheryl]

10 hours ago, AAArdvark said:

I would try a diuretic for possible water retention. Cheap and harmless. Try for a week in see if it helps. 

Do not self prescribe this. Can cause serious electyolyte and sometimes kidney problems.

 

The situation where diuretics  would be indicated is when there is an element of heart failure contributing to the accumulation of fluid. In that case other meds will also often be indicated and supervision by a cardiologis is essential. 

[Expat68]

15 hours ago, FlorC said:

I kind of have the same problem . Every time I go to europe , my legs swell up. When I get back to thailand , it's back to normal . I don't exercise here , it's too hot.

Try walking early morning and evening, only 30 minutes each will be of benefit 

[Skipalongcassidy]

Works for me... I have the same problem... I don't do the crunches though

[dlclark97]

Try Bangkok Nursing Home (BNH) on Convent Road.  See Dr Nopparat in Cardio Metabolic Center.  Ulcers sound more like diabetes, painful and long time to heal.  Maybe time for one of those annual specials that pretty much give you an overall health checkup.

[essex boys]

Hi all, thank you all very much for your suggestions and advice especially @Sheryl for the contact and hospital suggestions which I’m going to follow up on..

many thanks also to @Moonlover for your advice regarding excercise etc, I do have an Apple Watch so now I’m going to set some targets on there for daily steps and stand prompts and excercise times.

 

it’s all to easy living here to just do bugger all all day, I normally wake up 7am by 8am the missus is heading out to work, I then spend probably 3-4 hours sat down on the iPad emailing friends or just generally browsing, next thing you know it’s lunchtime so stuff my face, maybe spend 20 minutes playing with the dogs, then it’s sit down again untill the missus comes home about 4pm, only then do I do any activity by helping get dinner ready and tidying the yard up a bit…

[Mark Nothing]

I had this problem with swelling in my lower extremities, especially after longhaul arplane flights and permanently corrected it.

 

The method I used was to request assistance from God, the all knowing power. By prayer.  The answer received was simple.  Lose weight, exercise more, eat a more natural diet, and apply his medicine.

 

Unloading the problem onto an omnipotent power relieves your brain of worry creating better mental states for your immune system to heal the problem.  

 

I hope your legs are feeling better.

[Moonlover]

2 hours ago, essex boys said:

Hi all, thank you all very much for your suggestions and advice especially @Sheryl for the contact and hospital suggestions which I’m going to follow up on..

many thanks also to @Moonlover for your advice regarding excercise etc, I do have an Apple Watch so now I’m going to set some targets on there for daily steps and stand prompts and excercise times.

 

it’s all to easy living here to just do bugger all all day, I normally wake up 7am by 8am the missus is heading out to work, I then spend probably 3-4 hours sat down on the iPad emailing friends or just generally browsing, next thing you know it’s lunchtime so stuff my face, maybe spend 20 minutes playing with the dogs, then it’s sit down again untill the missus comes home about 4pm, only then do I do any activity by helping get dinner ready and tidying the yard up a bit…

Good to hear it @essex boys. Motivation is key. It doesn't matter where that motivation comes from, be it from@Mark Nothing's god or in my case my Qigong instructor,  acting upon it is what counts. Good luck.

[placnx]

On 8/15/2023 at 6:16 PM, Surasak said:

Daflon helps with the circulation and you probably wouldn't notice any changes. However, you may notice a change if you stopped taking it?

I didn't see any change after stopping Daflon around 6 weeks ago. This morning I could see my ankle bones clearly. This was not the case for the last 6 months or so.

[placnx]

On 8/16/2023 at 10:07 AM, essex boys said:

Hi all, thank you all very much for your suggestions and advice especially @Sheryl for the contact and hospital suggestions which I’m going to follow up on..

many thanks also to @Moonlover for your advice regarding excercise etc, I do have an Apple Watch so now I’m going to set some targets on there for daily steps and stand prompts and excercise times.

 

it’s all to easy living here to just do bugger all all day, I normally wake up 7am by 8am the missus is heading out to work, I then spend probably 3-4 hours sat down on the iPad emailing friends or just generally browsing, next thing you know it’s lunchtime so stuff my face, maybe spend 20 minutes playing with the dogs, then it’s sit down again untill the missus comes home about 4pm, only then do I do any activity by helping get dinner ready and tidying the yard up a bit…

When you do that sitting, try keeping your legs elevated.