After the Procedure:

Your legs may be wrapped with bandages to control swelling and bleeding for 3 days after surgery. You may need to keep them wrapped for several weeks.

When you are resting, try to keep your legs raised higher than the level of your heart. Place pillows or blankets under your legs to raise them up.

You may also be wearing compression stockings. These help with blood flow. It is very important to keep your bandages and compression stockings on until all the open vein ends have healed. Your doctor will tell you when you no longer need them.

Your doctor may prescribe pain medicine. Take it before your pain gets severe. Do NOT drive or use machinery if you are taking narcotic pain medicine. The medicine will make you drowsy, and it will not be safe for you to drive or operate machines.

Take at least 10 to 12 short walks a day, for 5 to 10 minutes each. Do not sit or stand in one place for too long.

You will probably be able to return to your normal routine in 2 weeks. But you should not do strenuous physical activity for 3 to 6 weeks. You should be able to shower 2 days after surgery.

Outlook (Prognosis):

Surgical vein stripping is usually very successful. It reduces pain and improves the appearance of your leg. Vein stripping does leave scars sometimes.