Pregnancy side effects: Varicose Veins

Their are so many things about pregnancy that no one tells you about.  It can be shocking to experience when you are expecting to have this perfect "glow" while you are creating this perfect little creature and you will eat pounds of ice cream without gaining a pound past the ones that go directly to this perfect little being.  The realities can be very different for some, including me.

For me, each pregnancy has carried with it a different and new challenge or discomfort.  My first I had hyperemesis, my second was a surprise finding out at 20 weeks and then developing a lipoma, my third I woke up one night with a mass of spidering veins in my lower leg that suddenly appeared feeling as if they were on fire.  Awesome, now their is a risk of a clot as I just blew out the veins in my legs from the "abnormally large" amount of amniotic fluid I was carrying my baby in.
As soon as the baby was born the doctor referred me to a vein specialist and it has been a year of treatments to avoid having a clot issue.  Basically, they inject your destroyed veins with a medicine to close them off so your body can regrow nice healthy veins.  Sometimes they insert a devise in the larger once and cauterize the damaged vein on the way back out.  After it is all said and done for me I get to have the large veins actually removed in a same day surgery.
Just this past week or so I had my final injection appointment.  Each treatment leaves my legs a little swollen and looking like I am a literal pin cushion during my off hours.  It takes a year or so for the purple in the veins absorb back in my body, but it is worth it as the risk for clot is back to what it would be prior to my last pregnancy.  In one year I have already noticed the large mass of blown out purple veins have disappeared and am now looking forward to getting the authorization from the insurance for my last two procedures, the large vein removal one in each leg.
In case you are thinking of getting pregnant know it isn't all "glow" and endless ice cream for everyone.  Maybe your pregnancy is a little rougher than you expected know you are not alone.  Growing a little person is not easy and each time they bring their own marks to place on your body, both visible and internal.  Being a mom, growing a person is not for everyone.  For me it is worth every trip to the toilet to pray to the porcelain gods, every surgery, and every needle prick to get to see their little faces light up when you enter a room.  Their little arms reaching up to give you a hug or sloppy kiss, their little voice saying they love you, and their little body curling up into yours for comfort and to express love.  For me it is worth it and I don't mind the hurdles of pregnancy, once they are over ( I will complain up a storm during them).   Just make sure you take note of your body.  This way if you wake up one night to a Charlie Horse that isn't like the others you will know if that patch of veins isn't normal for your body and you may want to check in with your doctor.
Just to note their isn't much they can do during pregnancy, they will prescribe a stronger support hose for you to wear and if your family has a history of bad veins or you've noticed some spider veins prior to pregnancy you can get support hose to wear during pregnancy to help your body with the increase of blood it is trying to move around and maybe prevent this issue.  If it gets worse and you do develop a full DVT then your doctor may want to take more of an immediate action so always make sure you are keep them aware of the changes your body is experiencing.
If it does happen to you where you blow out some veins and have to experience the treatments to help fix this, than know you aren't alone, you will feel like a pin cushion or walking voodoo doll, but it will pass and it will get better and the little one you grew will help you with their smiles, laughter, and love!