I'm having vein problems and I don't know what to do.

I have had broken blood vessels and spider veins on my hips/legs/butt for a very long time now but I'm getting varicose veins that run up and down my legs...particularly where my braces hit.

They're getting worse and the ones by my knees hurt and are very sensitive to touch...I have blood filled areas on the back of my left knee.

I need my braces to walk...but I know I can't let this continue because they won't go away and they'll just keep spreading...and if one starts bleeding it's going to be a hell of a mess.

I asked some other ppl with EDS about it and most of the ones with HEDS haven't had this problem...and the only info I've found on it pertains to Vascular EDS.

But then again I don't have a "type" so who the hell knows?

I don't even know what dr I'd see for this...I'd have to tell my physiatrist who Rxed my braces but then what?

As I've said on Facebook: I don't get varicose veins, but a hell of a lot of broken capillaries, and those drive me crazy because they're mostly on my breasts and face...

I started to get vericose veins when I was 15... For me they're on the backs of my thighs. And I also get a ton of broken capillaries and LOADS of blood blisters for no reason.

Yeah - I don't have varicose veins, either. Just lots of little telangiectasias on my arms and chest. But that's different. You can stick make-up on those.

Varicose veins are a whole other matter, if that's what you're really talking about rather than just little broken capillaries. Those carry larger medical implications. Probably should get them looked at, because either way, there's some tissue damage going on there and that's never a good thing - especially for a bendie.

It very well might be what PushCrash is talking about but here's one of the pics I took.

More show up when I'm warm.

yeah, that just looks like broken capillaries. Varicose veins are big blue/black things.

Looks like your exoskeleton isn't fitting quite right. (Which is why - bubblepack lining for me, if I ever get one.)

Maybe just a fitting issue? You'll want to be able to tell them whether it's from rubbing or pressure so they know how to fix it up. Can't tell by me - I wouldn't even try it because of the bruising problem. I'll be in a Hover Round before I try bracing.

They fit me well...my dr and I agreed that we want me to walk as much as I can...esp since I can't go anywhere in my manual wheelchair by myself and can't currently get the funds for a powerchair (DME coverage is horrible)

It could be the pressure of them...nothing's poking me or anything. I do know I've had skin flake off and sometimes I get itchy when I take them off. Most of the time I wear tights underneath to prevent the strap from cutting in (i had a problem with this for a while)

Thanks

PS here's the other leg

That one doesn't even look like broken capillaries, to me. It just looks like little abrasions. I can get little abrasions like that from the craziest things - lace on clothing, even just leaning on my elbows.

I guess it's possible to have two different problems going on each side. Maybe some lambs wool? That's what they use in convalescent hospitals to ease pressure points. I have a pad of it attached to my seatbelt to keep the thing from causing abrasions. works great, too.

My skin's not broken and those have been there well over a year now. My skin just has tons of lines that are always visible.

Now that's an idea! Or some fleece or something...I have moleskin which I put on the strap because it had sneaked up and was cutting into my thigh at one point.

Thanks.

Steph, varicose veins are raised and painful. It's like the veins pop out from under the skin.
if your braces are rubbing - of course, you need protection from the pressure. Sheep skin is helpful - but can be bulky but you can shave it down a bit. I have some spare sheep skin laying around if you need it - i'd be glad to send it on.
Sheepskin has protective oils - like lanolin in it to help protect the skin better. and it's not hot or cold - it adapts to the temp. it's good stuff.
be sure to take care of your skin too - use healing lotions on your legs when you don't have your braces on and make sure your skin is well moisturized when you do wear them.
Linda

Those look almost like stretch marks. There's a stretchy bit of texture in one of the pictures, and they look just like the ones I have. And those would stay for a long period of time. Stretch marks occur a lot more often than people expect, basically anytime you grow and your skin doesn't adapt... and even very subtle weight shifts can cause stretch marks in some people.

I was about to say that, actually. I have lots of silvery stretch marks in certain places, and they were reddened for the first year or so they were there.

I have PLENTY of stretch marks...have had them forever...I did get some better pics of what was going on this evening.



Linda these veins on this right leg do raise up and while they don't hurt they're sensitive to the touch and are particularly prone to bruising. This area started when I was 13 and got bruised there...and it just kept worsening.



This is totally brace induced...I didn't have this before...and it runs right along the sides...I think blood vessels are just popping in line or something...towards the knee this DOES hurt.

Tralia: My skin is always shiny and silvery...it's quite thin and I can even see the pores on my face (I'm legally blind) and very pliable (strrrrretch)...and it's always soft and squishy. I never understood why it's so shiny though! Not to mention I'm whiter than Casper was after his visit to Siberia...

I was looking around for a pic I took of a crazy bruise that appeared on my thigh out of nowhere. It had the reddish striae around the edges that looked a lot like what you have. But those marks went away when the bruise healed.

I couldn't find that one. But I found a pic of a giant fake vein I made on my hand. That's why I wasn't thinking stretchmarks so much. I don't get them because I got that shar-pei skin thing going on. I just get the breaking capillaries.

Note, the hand is laying flat on the table. There's no hyperextension involved there. Too bad I couldn't stand the sound of myself practicing violin, eh? Coulda come in handy.

my hands do that too but it's much more prevalent in my feet