During your first appointment with a vascular doctor, he will ask you a number of questions – about your health history and that of your family, about any symptoms you may be experiencing, etc. The doctor will then perform a number of tests to evaluate your venous health, and present the findings to you. At this point, there are a number of questions that you’ll want to ask the doctor, too.
“What did you find? Are my symptoms due to vein disease or not?”
This is, after all, the reason that most people schedule a venous health screening. You may have noticed overt symptoms of vein disease, such as varicose veins or spider veins, or more subtle symptoms such as weakness and swelling in your legs and ankles, but now is your opportunity to find out for sure.
“If I don’t have vein disease currently, what can I do to prevent it?”
Your Boynton Beach vein specialists may discover that you don’t have vein disease at present, but are at high risk of developing it in the future. Some risk factors for vein disease you can’t do anything about, like your age, gender, and whether vein disease runs in your family. But other factors – such as your weight, how much exercise you get, how many hours you sit each day, and whether you smoke – are very much in your control, and you can discuss with your doctor ways to reduce these risk factors, and thus reduce your overall vein disease risk.
“If I do have vein disease, what are my treatment options?”
Depending on your condition, your Boynton Beach vascular doctor may recommend conservative treatment options (exercise, lifestyle changes, the use of compression stockings) or more aggressive forms of treatment. If you have varicose veins or spider veins, the doctor will explain the minimally-invasive types of treatment that can eliminate them permanently. If you have more serious vein diseases such as deep vein thrombosis (DVT), the doctor will explain techniques that can be used to eliminate blood clots and restore you to health. During the presentation of these treatment options, you’ll want to know particulars:
• “How long does each type of treatment take?”
• “Will its effects be permanent or temporary?”
• “Will there be any pain or discomfort either during or after the treatment?”
• “How long will it be before I see results? For example, how long before my varicose veins go away completely?”
“What would be the result of avoiding or delaying treatment?”
Interestingly enough, this is one of the most important questions you should ask. As vascular doctors, we know from experience that many patients decide not to have their conditions treated immediately. This is your decision, of course, but you should be aware of potential complications that can arise from leaving your condition untreated. For example, varicose veins that are at present merely unattractive can very quickly get worse, causing your legs to become so painfully swollen and covered with open sores that you cannot walk. If your doctor has told you that you have DVT, leaving the condition untreated can actually result in a potentially fatal pulmonary embolism or stroke. So you should understand not only what happens if you decide to go ahead with the recommended forms of treatment, but what happens if you decide not to.
Whatever your questions, we’re here to answer them for you
At South Palm Cardiovascular Associates, we want you to understand all aspects of your vein health examination, so that you can make the best choices about both treatment and future lifestyle choices. We welcome your questions, because we want to be your partners in helping you become as healthy as it is possible for you to be. Give us a call today at 561-515-0080, and we’ll set up an appointment for a screening, so that you can ask us questions of your own.
