What's On Your Monday Menu, RNYers?

Actually yes, I am interested in hearing more about it.

Yes the treatments are for varicose veins.  Like Grim, I have had lots of treatments before and I am happy to answer any questions!  Varicose veins are a problem for a lot of us who have been really overweight.

In my case, I would say my vein problems through my life have been perhaps more of a problem than my obesity!  I have a bad-vein ****tail of previous obesity, four pregnancies, and the two biggest factors:  (1) a significant congenital/genetic propensity to diseased veins, especially the pelvic veins, which then affect all the veins below; (2) pelvic congestion that we now know was exacerbated by a double uterus, severe adenomyosis, and also from May-Thurner syndrome, where the iliac vein is compressed and unable to do its normal work. 

So, I have had all of the treatments below either in the past decade, or some recently, or will be having them soon--sorry if this is TMI for anyone!  Note that in all cases (except for the stent placement), vein treatment "kills" or shuts down or removes the diseased veins.  The goal is never to repair or rehabilitate a problem vein--just to get rid of the failed veins.  Then, other veins take over the blood flow for your body.  Hopefully, the other veins do not develop the reflux problem.  In my case, it is always a sure bet that the replacement veins will also become diseased over time and require treatment in the future.

--Pelvic Venogram with embolization (3 different times)

--Stent placement for compressed iliac vein

--Thermal ablation--this is laser burning of some veins, which I have had done before.  Upcoming this week, I will have this done again, but this time with radio frequency waves--new technology!

--Sclerotherapy.  This is chemical injections into veins, usually into the convoluted ones--I have had hours and hours and hours of this stuff, on my legs and in pelvic floor/bum)  A lot of people have a kind of sclerotherapy to eliminate spider veins, but this procedure is also used for large veins.  Many people think of sclero as a cosmetic thing because of the spider vein connection.  In my case, it actually left a lot of discoloration in my skin.  I will never have pretty legs!  But the treatments do make them less lumpy.  And of course, less painful, and less likely to develop ulcers and other big complications.

--ambulatory phlebectomy.  I have not had this done before, but I will be having it done over the next few weeks.  This is where they target the really large ropey veins near the surface of your skin.  They basically cut little incisions in your skin and pull them out.

Feel free to PM me if you want to ask specific questions! 

Also, here is a link to the website of the place I go to.  I think they have some good educational information on their site.

Pokemom's vein treatment place

My bad veins were in my legs. They looked really bad, but they were causing havoc with my circulation.

When we're obese, we can actually grow new veins to help with circulation. Then when we lose weight, we have lots of extra veins that now cause trouble. And, veins have valves inside them to make sure the blood flows in one direction -- toward the heart. Apparently being 475 pounds blows the crap out of those poor little valves. My blood would flow toward the heart as the valve contracts, as it was supposed to, but then back toward my feet as it expanded, which isn't supposed to happen. So my blood pressure was dangerously low.

First they did EVLT, putting a wire with a camera and laser in, near both ankles. They ran it up into my thigh, and as they pull it back out the heat from the laser closed the vein. They did the Greater Saphenous in one leg, and the Lesser Saphenous in the other. 

With the masses of varicose veins now cut off from the primary veins that carry the blood, they go in with a vein hook and yank out the unused veins. It looks like a small crochet hook, which is redundant, since crochet is French for hook already.

That was the sucky part. They put the hook over a vein and just keep yanking until they pull out a hunk. Hurt like a ******* It was like having a badger with his teeth sunk into your calf trying to pull your leg off.

Then they did sclerotherapy, which are injections of a chemical that dry up some of the remaining veins. They only did that with some of the smaller ones on me.

This was over the course of a few different appointments. They did mine at the doctor's office, not a hospital. It wasn't a big deal, outside of the maniac with the hook thing.

As far as appearances go, my calves look great now. I must say, my calves can turn heads.  I have a couple of before pictures, and they looked terrible. I can send them to you if you're really interested, but no one wants them posted on a menu thread.

But most importantly, it really fixed some major circulatory issues I had.

I like the:  Today's behavior goals: This I think is a good idea.

The delete button is not your friend HA HA HA

Sorry you are still having discomfort, hope that resolves soon. 

Good to post here, write out behavior goals, you got this.

your one behavior goal is quite good, we can all take advice from this: "remember that every moment's habits form who I am, and that is the important focus--every moment is more important than the scale, because the scale will follow if I take care of each moment's habits (metaphor for life, right?)"

Best of luck for a better tomorrow

Wow, its been a few days since I have been on here.  I love reading this feed, thank you all!!

I have to say my celebrity crush is Queen Latifah!! 

My life has been a little crazy for a while now, My wife and I have 5 kids (all grown) and 7 grandkids so we stay pretty busy with them.  I went an helped put a bunk bed together last night and one of the grandkids has some kind of bug, not feeling good.  I hate when the kiddos are sick and we just cant make them feel better.

B- Coffee with protein drink

S- cheese O's (finally ordered the variety pack and these are all yummy)

L- chicken salad

D- turkey taco salad

Not sure the count on this yet.  I have not put it in the calorie counter yet.

Have a great day everyone.

I love her and L.L. Cool Jay in the Last Holiday. Such a good movie. 

Queen Latifah--good pick! She just oozes "cool". I'll never be even an eighth as smooth as her. Chicago was amazing.

Love Queen Latifah, she has some awesome music and some very funny movies!  WOW, 5 kids and 7 grand kids will keep anyone busy!

Oops, I forgot to answer KQOTD - My celebrity crush is Hugh Jackman!