I have some really lumpy purple, blue varicose veins. A few friends think I should have the new laser surgery and sclerotherapy. I worry that the procedure will affect blood flow to the heart. I already have low blood pressure…yes, the veins are painful, but is it better to suffer painful legs or take a chance that my heart won’t be affected? I am 69 years old and do not take ANY prescription drugs.
I would talk to your doctor. Write down all of your questions. He should be able to answer them for you,
I wouldn't suffer with painful legs unless there are no alternatives.
I just wonder if the blood flow to the heart affects Ataxia…it was after menopause began and weeks after sclerotherapy to my left leg that my Ataxia showed up. Makes me wonder…do I suffer the veins or becoming truly crippled because of an as yet unknown link? At 69 I’m beyond vanity…had these veins since I had all my kids…
If I ask the vein doctor will he be entirely truthful with me? Big question!
My SCA is hereditary so I've always had it. There are page of causes of SCA so it's hard to say what the cause of yours is. You can talk to your doctor but he probably just doesn't know.
This website might give you some indication what we're dealing with:
http://fightataxia.org and click on ataxia classifications
Thanks, Kay. There’s a wealth of information at that site! My ataxia was inherited from my mother who got it from her mother…I’m pretty certain of this. My mother’s condition showed up when she was in her late twenties. It was worse than my grandmother’s. Mine showed up when I was 42…and is worse than my mother’s case. I really have to study that website…some of it is too technical for me…not one doctor in three different states has ever suggested PT…and I think I have been blessed with a very slow progression, since I’m sure PT would have helped me tremendously even twenty years ago…i have broken my hip, femur, ankle and wrist…all on the left side…I have a real fear of falling and cracking my head open! I’m truly happy to have found this community…God Bless
I was diagnosed about 2004. I just started PT and OT this year. I have found it is making a HUGE difference. They are teaching me how to walk, walk on rough surfaces, down small hills (aisles), up/down stairs. When I have falls we try to recreate what happened so I can maybe prevent it from happening again. There is no standard of treatment for ataxia. Unfortunately, we have to find out ourselves what works.
Even though it's been 20 years I would go to PT and OT. I was diagnosed a long time ago but I found they are really helping me a lot. I would tell you to check it out. You can always stop going if you don't think they're helping. Just make sure if you go that they work with neuro patients not orthopedic.