OTG- thank you for your input- I already told the DR that I won't have cortisone shots- but I'm looking into Prolotherapy or sclerotherapy. It is an inflammatory therapy which involves the injection of a known irritant, usually glucose or sodium morrhuate, into a ligament, tendon or joint. This will cause irritation of that joint for the purpose of improving the tensile strength of ligaments. Inflammation is produced in order to stimulate the formation of fibrous connective tissue which will bring about healing of that ligament or deficient structure. Prolotherapy was originally evolved by Dr. George Hackett, M.D., in Kenton, Ohio, back in the 1940s and 50s, although you can trace its origins back to the ancient Greeks. You will find references to it in medical literature under various names including sclerotherapy, prolotherapy, or proliferant therapy. More recently, it has been called non-surgical joint reconstruction, coined by Dr. William Faber, D.O., from the Milwaukee Pain Clinic, Milwaukee, Ohio. These terms are used interchangeably. It has been around for a long time and have tested it, and know the results are reliable. I explained this treatment to my Dr who has never heard of it before!

I have had sclerotheraphy three times and will have another one in March. I have had success with the treatment...I know you're probably wondering how I could have success and yet keep going back. Let me explain...the women in my family have a real problem with varicose and spider veins. My poor mother is 60 years old and from her knees down are just horrible...has to wear dark hose to hide. I am 41 and am lucky enough to have access to a treatment such as sclerotherapy to maybe keep from having the same problem as my mother does. I mainly have problems in the thigh area and near my ankles. I make an appointment once a year to have sclerotherapy in hopes to "stay ahead of the problem". The results have been good. The sclerotherapy treatment has gotten rid of the ones I have at the time of treatment; however, new ones do appear. I have never had side effects. There is some discomfort while being treated...especially in tender areas like the backs of the knees and around the ankles. I wear support hose for a week and only take showers...no tub soaks...and do not do heavy exercise. You can walk for exercise at a slow pace after about three days. I have mine done every March so that I will not be wearing support hose in warmer months...tried that and was miserable. Also, you will have some bruising and you will want that to be gone before shorts weather. Good luck!!!

I was just diagnosed with venous insufficiency. I really just care about my legs looking better but it does cause my legs to feel tired and I have restless leg syndrome. The plan is to wear support stockings for 3 months (I just wear them occasionally) and then go back to the dr. in November. There I will tell him (the support stockings do not improve my tired legs etc.). I will then have laser procedures (already scheduled) starting at the end of December. Due to the fact that I have double veins in my legs (1 in 100 do) I have to have 4 procedures. 1 per week. Just can't exercise on the day of the procedure. Basically what looks like a pin with a cord attached is inserted into your leg. It has a laser on the tip. I don't know the details of what is done as that will be discussed in November. It is covered by insurance. I will have 20% copay. These procedures should make my legs look much better. If I am not completely happy then I can have additional (different) procedures done on my own dime. It should also greatly give me more energy in my legs and help me sleep better. Go to a good doctor and have them diagnose you. Not having proper blood flow can lead to other complications and is a matter of quality of life. Some doctors just fix the look of the legs and not the underlying issue.

I had my first sclerotherapy in 1989 by a guy in Beverly Hills. He maxed out the strength, so he would only use one syringe per appointment and no compression stockings afterwards. I could taste it immediately after the injection. Those veins never came back. I wish he were still around, but I've never had the same success level despite going to a number of folks over the past few decades. Anyone in So Cal have a good doctor? Also, I just ordered a couple calf sleeves at the Nordstrom sale. I always wear compression socks when I fly more than 3 1/2 hours so my feet and ankles don't swell. Does anyone have experience flying with calf sleeves? Often I'm flying for business and the socks won't fit in my pumps. Oh, the problems I have..... ;)