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Preparing for your appointment
By Mayo Clinic staffThere are no special preparations you'll need to make before your appointment. Your doctor will need to look at your bare legs and feet to diagnose varicose veins and figure out what treatment might be best for your condition.
Your primary care doctor may recommend that you see a doctor who specializes in vein conditions (phlebologist) or a doctor who treats skin conditions (dermatologist or dermatology surgeon). In the meantime, there are some steps you can take to prepare for your appointment and begin your self-care.
What you can do
- Write down any symptoms you're experiencing, including any that may seem unrelated to varicose veins.
- Write down key personal information, including a family history of varicose veins or spider veins.
- Make a list of all medications, as well as any vitamins or supplements, that you're taking.
- Take a family member or friend along, if possible. Sometimes it can be difficult to soak up all the information provided to you during an appointment. Someone who accompanies you may remember something that you missed or forgot.
- Write down questions to ask your doctor.
Your time with your doctor is limited, so preparing a list of questions will help you make the most of your time together. List your questions from most important to least important in case time runs out. Some basic questions to ask your doctor include:
- What is likely causing my symptoms or condition?
- What are other possible causes for my symptoms or condition?
- What kinds of tests will I need?
- What is the best course of action?
- What are the alternatives to the primary approach that you're suggesting?
- I have other health conditions. How can I best manage them together?
- Are there any restrictions that I need to follow?
- Should I see a specialist? What will that cost, and will my insurance cover seeing a specialist? (You may need to ask your insurance provider directly for information about coverage.)
- Are there any brochures or other printed material that I can take home with me? What Web sites do you recommend visiting?
In addition to the questions that you've prepared to ask your doctor, don't hesitate to ask questions during your appointment at any time that you don't understand something.
What to expect from your doctor
Your doctor is likely to ask you a number of questions. Being ready to answer them may reserve time to go over any points you want to spend more time on. Your doctor may ask:
- When did you first begin experiencing symptoms?
- Have your symptoms been continuous, or occasional?
- How severe are your symptoms?
- What, if anything, seems to improve your symptoms?
- What, if anything, appears to worsen your symptoms?
What you can do in the meantime
Even before your appointment, you can begin self-care. Try not to stand or sit in one position for more than 30 minutes, elevate your legs when you're seated, and avoid uncomfortable footwear and tight socks or hosiery.
- Varicose veins. National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/vv/vv_all.html. Accessed Dec. 8, 2008.
- Greenberg DL. Varicose veins of the leg. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Dec. 10, 2008.
- Beebe-Dimmer JL, et al. The epidemiology of chronic venous insufficiency and varicose veins. Annals of Epidemiology. 2005;15:175.
- Varicose veins and venous insufficiency. Society of Interventional Radiology. http://www.sirweb.org/patients/varicose-veins/. Accessed Dec. 10, 2008.
- Spider vein, varicose vein therapy. American Academy of Dermatology. http://www.aad.org/public/publications/pamphlets/cosmetic_spider.html. Accessed Dec. 8, 2008.
- Horse chestnut. Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. http://www.naturaldatabase.com. Accessed Dec. 8, 2008.
