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Cynthia777
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What Do TEDS look like?
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Cynthia777
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tigz
graduate
I've been wearing support hose to work for varicose veins for a couple of years. It was five days out before I could put the stocking on by myself. Hubby or daughter helped me until then.
My instructions say to wear them for six weeks. Ugh!
My instructions say to wear them for six weeks. Ugh!
craftdee
graduate
Well @Cynthia777 you'd think it was ONLY the patient's individual risk factors that determined TED use... but it's not; the surgeon that was going to do the surgery originally (but wasn't going to be available for follow up, so I went with his Locum, who is now "My Guy"
) had a different set of post op requirements altogether to the one that did the op. He required TEDs (don't know for how long), blood thinners (self injection x 28 days) and "hip precautions" - but only for six weeks. "My Guy" didn't require TEDs or blood thinners (other than an aspirin a day! - he gave me some info on his reasoning here's a link to one study) but required hip precautions for TWELVE weeks; so you can't even say one is more cautious than the other... they just have their emphasis in different areas
Overall I'm sure the patient's particular risk factors figure heavily in it; if I had a history of embolism I'm certain even My Guy would have been prescribing TEDs, blood thinners and MORE; he did say that "generally" in his experience there was little evidence to support the efficacy of them and that more of his patients had presented with problems from the self injecting than from embolism... he does work with a lot of sports injuries though, so his patients are statistically more likely to be from the lower risk end (younger, fitter and otherwise healthy) than average. Point being, I'm the same patient with the same risk factors for the two surgeons, the regime they wanted me to follow was absolutely personal preference.... theirs not mine
I would have picked what I ended up with, but for the six weeks, but as I had put my trust in my surgeon I thought it only right to follow his advice and "did" 12 weeks - and no, I wasn't that gracious about it
) had a different set of post op requirements altogether to the one that did the op. He required TEDs (don't know for how long), blood thinners (self injection x 28 days) and "hip precautions" - but only for six weeks. "My Guy" didn't require TEDs or blood thinners (other than an aspirin a day! - he gave me some info on his reasoning here's a link to one study) but required hip precautions for TWELVE weeks; so you can't even say one is more cautious than the other... they just have their emphasis in different areasOverall I'm sure the patient's particular risk factors figure heavily in it; if I had a history of embolism I'm certain even My Guy would have been prescribing TEDs, blood thinners and MORE; he did say that "generally" in his experience there was little evidence to support the efficacy of them and that more of his patients had presented with problems from the self injecting than from embolism... he does work with a lot of sports injuries though, so his patients are statistically more likely to be from the lower risk end (younger, fitter and otherwise healthy) than average. Point being, I'm the same patient with the same risk factors for the two surgeons, the regime they wanted me to follow was absolutely personal preference.... theirs not mine
I would have picked what I ended up with, but for the six weeks, but as I had put my trust in my surgeon I thought it only right to follow his advice and "did" 12 weeks - and no, I wasn't that gracious about it
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Cynthia777
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@craftdee
I'm in 100% agreement with you with regards to the surgeon's individual protocall. I guess I wasn't very clear on what I meant when I said, "I imagine it would also depend on the patient's individual risk factors..." Unfortunately, and I have tried to avoid mentioning it here, I'm a long time smoker (uh oh, I know I'm going to get some finger wagging and head shaking here...please don't tell Josephine...lol), I've been sedentary for several years and am about 30 pounds overweight. Thank ou so much for the link...can't wait to read it!
I'm in 100% agreement with you with regards to the surgeon's individual protocall. I guess I wasn't very clear on what I meant when I said, "I imagine it would also depend on the patient's individual risk factors..." Unfortunately, and I have tried to avoid mentioning it here, I'm a long time smoker (uh oh, I know I'm going to get some finger wagging and head shaking here...please don't tell Josephine...lol), I've been sedentary for several years and am about 30 pounds overweight. Thank ou so much for the link...can't wait to read it!
craftdee
graduate
Ah @Cynthia777 smoking, the new.... smoking!! It doesn't rear it's ugly head when you're GETTING hooked, but it definitely does later and oops, "later" is here 
I've never smoked, which is a good thing as I have an addictive personality and I would NEVER have been able to quit... hubby quit smoking when we got married (actually he still had the odd sneaky smoke for two years... but I didn't find that out until about 20 years later when he pointed out that the deal was he stop smoking and I stop biting my nails; and here we are 37 years on and me with chewed nails and him a reformed smoker... much more "anti" smoking than I too :rolleyes
I'm not going to say anything.... except (and you're of an age to remember Cheech and Chong, as to whether you remember this one is another thing, it just used to crack me up) and I quote "I used to smoke 40 a day, but since I lost a lung I've cut my smoking in half" Well, you've gotta laugh, don't ya??
It definitely does have an impact on your health care... but all this stuff is taken into consideration beforehand; it's what that pre op assessment is all about, sorting out post op tactics
btw, my friend is a long term, what we call "committed" smoker and she reckons it would be more socially acceptable to own up to being an axe murderer than a smoker these days, so you're no orphan in wanting to keep it quiet 
Donnax
I've never smoked, which is a good thing as I have an addictive personality and I would NEVER have been able to quit... hubby quit smoking when we got married (actually he still had the odd sneaky smoke for two years... but I didn't find that out until about 20 years later when he pointed out that the deal was he stop smoking and I stop biting my nails; and here we are 37 years on and me with chewed nails and him a reformed smoker... much more "anti" smoking than I too :rolleyes I'm not going to say anything.... except (and you're of an age to remember Cheech and Chong, as to whether you remember this one is another thing, it just used to crack me up) and I quote "I used to smoke 40 a day, but since I lost a lung I've cut my smoking in half" Well, you've gotta laugh, don't ya??It definitely does have an impact on your health care... but all this stuff is taken into consideration beforehand; it's what that pre op assessment is all about, sorting out post op tactics
btw, my friend is a long term, what we call "committed" smoker and she reckons it would be more socially acceptable to own up to being an axe murderer than a smoker these days, so you're no orphan in wanting to keep it quiet Donnax
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Cynthia777
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@craftdee
Oh yes, I do remember Cheech and Chong (my brother's favorite show...I preferred Laugh-in. Lol)!
I do expect a reprimand from the surgeon on the 9th, but more likely I will receive a command to quit smoking prior to surgery. Pre-op is a difficult time, as you already know, and quitting now seems harder than ever before. Boy do I agree with your friends sentiments! I feel so ashamed that I smoke and when I admit it to a stranger, I want to follow up with, "But I really am a nice person"!
Oh yes, I do remember Cheech and Chong (my brother's favorite show...I preferred Laugh-in. Lol)!
I do expect a reprimand from the surgeon on the 9th, but more likely I will receive a command to quit smoking prior to surgery. Pre-op is a difficult time, as you already know, and quitting now seems harder than ever before. Boy do I agree with your friends sentiments! I feel so ashamed that I smoke and when I admit it to a stranger, I want to follow up with, "But I really am a nice person"!
Michegon
senior
@Cynthia777 Hi, some good topics going on here. People don't realize that smoking is hard to stop for three main reasons. First , the nicotine, second, the habit itself and third, is that all American tobacco products are sugar cured. Taking that sugar fix is like taking sugar from a baby. A lot of women don't quit because of the weight gain and or the side affects. No Judgement at all. I have had a change with varicose veins. My right leg is completely free and my left has diminished in half. Has anyone have that happen?
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Cynthia777
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craftdee
graduate
Well @Michegon it's funny you should mention that.... I don't have many "visible" (raised, mine are more discolouration and "spider veins") but those I have are SO much improved; more than anything it's the aching that's improved - I actually mentioned it to my hubby a few weeks after surgery.
I had had a really badly aching left calf for YEARS prior to surgery, it throbbed - I didn't want to say too much to the OS in case they deemed it a thrombosis issue (I know, who was gonna be the winner in THAT one?) but as soon as the mahoosive bruise I had on that calf (from the manipulation during surgery) went my calf stopped throbbing. At first I thought it was because of the pain meds I had on board, far more than normal, but even since all pain meds have stopped (and all the other niggly pains have returned, for instance in my other arthritic sites) my calf doesn't ache AT ALL, even after a lot of exercise I only get the "that had a workout" feeling, not the deep ache I had before. Like I said to hubby at the time I first noted it, nobody said this could happen, but I'll take it... with BOTH hands 
Same as the knee pain I had - it's so much better I can hardly believe I had my HIP done, it's to do with improved gait I think, and balance or weight distribution must have a role as well because the knee on my unoperated side is better than it was too... and that hip is "due" for renewal
I had my gallbladder out last year as well as the THR - had what turned out to be my second gallbladder attack (didn't recognize the first attack, thought it was something I ate, or wind) after they found gallstones at the CT scan given at the time of my KIDNEY stones a few weeks after the fall that gave me the MRI that confirmed the bone on bone status of the hip and found the AVN..... bad year! I read all the horror stories about how after cholyecystectomy you couldn't eat this or that, couldn't wander too far from the toilet, still had pain yadadyadayada took ALL that on board (it's what I do, yet everyone says how positive I am, go figure) then had, not only NONE of those problems, but the IBS I've struggled with for a long time all but WENT - another happy, unexpected "side effect". The surgeon I had said it "could" happen, well as far as I'm concerned it DID, too much of a coincidence otherwise, same as the varicose vein scenario.
and @Cynthia777 you know they will try and get you to quit smoking; it would be good if you could of course, I know you know that BUT it is also a very stressful time in your life and I for one couldn't have removed any of my "support" structures at the time - if smoking is one of them then so be it - there's work-arounds. I know what you mean about justifying yourself too, I suffer from Depression and people's reactions (though MUCH improved from 35 years ago when I first suffered) often make me jump in with "buts" ... "but I'm feeling great at the moment", "but it doesn't make me mentally deficient", "but it doesn't mean I can't make decisions /have opinions / contribute...." In the end you give an internal shrug and go, you know what, like John Candy said in the movie Planes, Trains and Automobiles I don't care if you like me, I like me 
Have a good one (day here, whatever where you are
)
Donna
I had had a really badly aching left calf for YEARS prior to surgery, it throbbed - I didn't want to say too much to the OS in case they deemed it a thrombosis issue (I know, who was gonna be the winner in THAT one?
) but as soon as the mahoosive bruise I had on that calf (from the manipulation during surgery) went my calf stopped throbbing. At first I thought it was because of the pain meds I had on board, far more than normal, but even since all pain meds have stopped (and all the other niggly pains have returned, for instance in my other arthritic sites) my calf doesn't ache AT ALL, even after a lot of exercise I only get the "that had a workout" feeling, not the deep ache I had before. Like I said to hubby at the time I first noted it, nobody said this could happen, but I'll take it... with BOTH hands Same as the knee pain I had - it's so much better I can hardly believe I had my HIP done, it's to do with improved gait I think, and balance or weight distribution must have a role as well because the knee on my unoperated side is better than it was too... and that hip is "due" for renewalI had my gallbladder out last year as well as the THR - had what turned out to be my second gallbladder attack (didn't recognize the first attack, thought it was something I ate, or wind
) after they found gallstones at the CT scan given at the time of my KIDNEY stones a few weeks after the fall that gave me the MRI that confirmed the bone on bone status of the hip and found the AVN..... bad year! I read all the horror stories about how after cholyecystectomy you couldn't eat this or that, couldn't wander too far from the toilet, still had pain yadadyadayada took ALL that on board (it's what I do, yet everyone says how positive I am, go figure) then had, not only NONE of those problems, but the IBS I've struggled with for a long time all but WENT - another happy, unexpected "side effect". The surgeon I had said it "could" happen, well as far as I'm concerned it DID, too much of a coincidence otherwise, same as the varicose vein scenario.and @Cynthia777 you know they will try and get you to quit smoking; it would be good if you could of course, I know you know that
BUT it is also a very stressful time in your life and I for one couldn't have removed any of my "support" structures at the time - if smoking is one of them then so be it - there's work-arounds. I know what you mean about justifying yourself too, I suffer from Depression and people's reactions (though MUCH improved from 35 years ago when I first suffered) often make me jump in with "buts" ... "but I'm feeling great at the moment", "but it doesn't make me mentally deficient", "but it doesn't mean I can't make decisions /have opinions / contribute...." In the end you give an internal shrug and go, you know what, like John Candy said in the movie Planes, Trains and Automobiles I don't care if you like me, I like me Have a good one (day here, whatever where you are
)Donna
Hooray
junior member
Just thought I'd share my experience of these lovely TED's. I had left THR on 13th of this month, and am I think doing OK. I was home by the evening of 16th, and have a 30 day course of blood thinning tab's, 6 weeks of hip precautions, and instructions to keep the TED's on for 6 weeks too. I'm relatively fit, and reasonably active already, but I've had a lot of bruising down the left leg and a large black and blue swollen knee, front and back. I've elevated and and iced frequently (frozen peas!). Beneath the top of the TED, down to my toes the leg looks nigh on perfect, so all the discomfort is above the stocking top. I reasoned with the nurse who removed my dressing on Friday last that the stocking looked to be causing a problem with my knee which is now leading to some mobility issues. I suggested leaving it off, but she was having none of it. I spoke to my GP earlier this week and ran through the same argument, and he felt strongly that it's more important to guard against DVT, and that a bit of bruising was a small issue. When I mentioned again that I was trying to get more mobile, and a thundering swollen knee was slowing me, he then wrote me a prescription for a longer stocking, to come higher up my leg; lovely. Our pharmacist has had to order something in, and I'll pick it up later today, so we'll see if that helps.
Just wondering if anyone else has had these issues?
Just wondering if anyone else has had these issues?
Me2
post-grad
Just chipping in on the dreaded smoking ...... I quit almost six years ago for the second time. So just saying I smoked from 1978 through 1983 and from 2000 to 2009. Grr I can't even imagine having to admit to current smoking when I get that loud silence when I admit to having EVER smoked. Geez, You'd think they never did anything "bad" or unhealthy.
But that said, I can't say that I miss smoking EXCEPT that I sure to enjoy second hand smoke, and still have occasional cravings.
And, no, the TEDS did not help my ugly varicose veins. They are still gross, but not painful, and if I survive this back surgery I may maybe someday get them taken care of, too!
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But that said, I can't say that I miss smoking EXCEPT that I sure to enjoy second hand smoke, and still have occasional cravings.
And, no, the TEDS did not help my ugly varicose veins. They are still gross, but not painful, and if I survive this back surgery I may maybe someday get them taken care of, too!
Sent from my iPad using BoneSmart Forum
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