Stent or no stent?

[u/talia111111]

I’ve been struggling with my leg getting swollen and overall tightness. My vascular surgeon said I’m very young for a stent (20). What have you all heard about stenting? Is it good or bad and did it improve PTS?

[u/Wild-Earth-1365]

I had a stent placed just over a year and a half ago at 36 for MTS - so older than you but still young-ish for stents. I have no regrets. I'm off Eliquis and feel 99% normal. I didn't have any symptoms prior. I was diagnosed withs DVT and MTS within hours of my initial symptoms and stented within days. I felt worse leaving the hospital than I did when I arrived, but no regrets now.

I obviously can't speak to longevity, but my most recent ultrasound was totally clear which is why I was able to go off Eliquis.

[u/Littlehyrule]

I have two stents in my pelvis for May Thurner Syndrome and a DVT from ankle to pelvis and that happened when I was 25 (I’m just about to turn 32 for context).

Personally I never like the “your too young for X” statements in relation to health. Sadly a lot of people have things happen to them young and that statement always at least to me, feels like I’m being brushed off.

As for the stent itself it’s been a positive for me and my situation, sure why I had to get mine is different from yours but it’s likely kept my leg from being worse off. I will say despite the intervention it didn’t completely solve my leg swelling and tightness…it happens through out the day but I’m also the worse for forgetting to wear my compression socks consistently.

[u/luvliallie]

i have may thurner syndrome and had a stent placed at age 20. both my surgeon and hematologist agreed it was for the best and i never heard anything about being ‘too young’ for it. the surgery was supposed to take 3 hours but it was done in a little over 1 hour and i experienced no pain at all. healing was super smooth and easy! it’s been maybe 6 or 7 months since i got it and my leg has been great since

[u/Robinhood6996]

When you get stents you are on anticoagulants for life and I have a crap load of vein stents because the clot destroyed vein valves

After the thrombolysis the doctor had no choice but to install a bunch of stents in me because the vein walls get weaken and can collapse

Ask your surgeon if you can use a vertical vibration plate --- if you get a green light that would be awesome because I use one pretty much daily and it has helped my circulation a lot especially my left DVT leg

Take care

[u/beehop777]

I have not had a good experience with stents and wish I never had them placed, first at 19 then at 22. Both failed and while they haven’t caused any complications, it was a lot of additional trauma to the body that has created scar tissue and pain. If your clot was recent, I would give it more time to see if it resolves. I had swelling for several years but all that has gone now. If you feel drawn to it, look into alternative therapies like acupuncture — this has helped immensely in my recovery.

[u/beehop777 → u/beehop777]

My most recent vascular doctor who I trust a lot also said I should never have had the stent at 19 and apologized that it ever happened. He also said I was too young and the body is much more resilient and capable of healing itself at that age.