Re: Varicose Eczema- treatments and experiences?
Posted: Mon May 13, 2019 6:11 pm
Hi there.. I can understand how you feel as my mom also had issue with varicose veins (valve not working, causing 'stale' blood to keep pooling at the calf instead of circulating to be fresh) and was very concerned with the darkened skin and sometimes infected/ warm to touch skin.
I've done up a post on this some years ago, you can read it if you like http://eczemablues.com/2014/09/elderly- ... se-eczema/
Personally, what happened to my mom was
- she had to go to emergency as the blood pool at the calf burst
- realized after specialist consultation that surgery has now improved a lot and infrared day surgery can easily solve the valve issue by cutting off that failed valve
- went for day surgery
- went for quite a few weeks of surgery to clean the old wound >> basically due to so many years of stale blood, the flesh around the wound area is 'dead' and nurses had to clean off that dead skin (painful but necessary process) to allow the new skin to grow properly
- from about half a year from surgery, the skin lightened much more and no further risk of varicose vein issue
Even with two knee cap replacement surgery after, there was no issue with leg veins and the blood circulation was good before and after the knee cap replacement surgery.
Hope the above experience helps and yes, definitely, elderly with their very delicate/ soft tissue is very susceptible to cellulitis (bacterial skin infection complication) which if left untreated, can sometimes be life threatening - sepsis. You can read up more online and x-ref against the pictures to see how bad your mom's skin/ vein situation is.. as sometimes pushing the elderly to a treatment that they are not comfortable with can also be emotionally draining for everyone. Best, big hugs!
I've done up a post on this some years ago, you can read it if you like http://eczemablues.com/2014/09/elderly- ... se-eczema/
Personally, what happened to my mom was
- she had to go to emergency as the blood pool at the calf burst
- realized after specialist consultation that surgery has now improved a lot and infrared day surgery can easily solve the valve issue by cutting off that failed valve
- went for day surgery
- went for quite a few weeks of surgery to clean the old wound >> basically due to so many years of stale blood, the flesh around the wound area is 'dead' and nurses had to clean off that dead skin (painful but necessary process) to allow the new skin to grow properly
- from about half a year from surgery, the skin lightened much more and no further risk of varicose vein issue
Even with two knee cap replacement surgery after, there was no issue with leg veins and the blood circulation was good before and after the knee cap replacement surgery.
Hope the above experience helps and yes, definitely, elderly with their very delicate/ soft tissue is very susceptible to cellulitis (bacterial skin infection complication) which if left untreated, can sometimes be life threatening - sepsis. You can read up more online and x-ref against the pictures to see how bad your mom's skin/ vein situation is.. as sometimes pushing the elderly to a treatment that they are not comfortable with can also be emotionally draining for everyone. Best, big hugs!