5 Recommendations
Please share your positive experiences with LEEP. I think it would inspire many women to make the right decisions to get it done, while most of these postings make it very fearful.
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Positive Experience with LEEP
- By mmk1383
- Posted January 8, 2009 at 11:09 am · 44 replies
- In HPV/cervical cancer vaccine prevention strategies
- Shared with the public
Explore topics in this discussion:
Exercise Cancer Surgery Pregnancy Kidney cancer Anxiety Pain Endometriosis HPV Gardasil Stress
44 replies
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- By weebles
- Posted November 22, 2009 at 7:22 pm
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As strange as this may sound, I thought the LEEP was easier than the colposcopy. I didn't feel a thing. The colposcopy I felt cramping pains. I had worked myself up to a nervous frenzy before my first LEEP and all for nothing. It was over before I knew it and only with local anesthetic.
The painful part was the payment! :P
- By fallfun
- Posted November 22, 2009 at 2:18 pm
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Thank you for posting all of the positive results. I had a clear pap last year, but this year it came back with ASCUS and then the colposcopy biopsy was CIN III. Now I'm scared of the possibilities - there seem to be so many - cancer, CIN III with clear margins, not clear margins. There is no way to predict the future, but I'd like to hear more about how people coped with their results.
Anyway, my LEEP is on Wednesday. I am excited for the procedure because I want all of those bad cells GONE and I'm not scared to have it done. It's the results I'm most nervous about. :)
Thanks to everyone.
- By lindestar
- Posted November 21, 2009 at 11:47 pm
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I had my LEEP last Thursday, November 12. My doctor gave me five shots in the cervix to numb me. I really only felt one shot, and it wasn't all that painful. She talked me through the procedure, telling when she was 1/3 finished, etc. It was not painful, more of a dull pressure. I could tell there was cutting, but it didn't really hurt. She was so kind, and kept telling that, "We don't want to hurt you". After, she told me most people have shaking when they relax their muscles. I certainly did. I have had only moderate discharge; I am sore if I do too much. The one thing I wish is that they would tell you more after the procedure about what to expect in healing. However, I can always call the nurse if I need to. My pathology report came back this Thursday, and it was CIN III, with clear margins. My next pap is in 3 months. The healing is going pretty smoothly so far unless I over do things.
- By Jincha
- Posted November 18, 2009 at 12:48 am
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I had my LEEP done on Oct 15 (the day of my niece's b-day, so I'll never forget!). I had a horrible experience with my biopsy (waiting for about 30mins with the speculum in while they found the cancer specialist somewhere in the clinic, feeling traumatized by hearing the scissors clip and I'm apparently a wuss for pain cuz I started crying and couldn't stop, especially when it hurt). I was scared that the Leep was just going to be a repeat of the biopsy, but to my delight it was not. Once they gave me the local, which did accelerate my heart beat, my legs shook uncontrollably and even my tongue went numb, not to mention I started laughing hysterically at the doctor. The worst was when they put the local anesthetic on, but it was a very minor discomfort compared to what I was really expecting. It was over so quickly, and, although it stunk when they cauterized the blood vessels, there was no pain and not even discomfort as I got dressed and went home. I'm a bleeder, so with me I had discharge for a bit more than a week with what looked like old blood, but never anything worrisome. I did feel very exhausted, because, between the biopsy, the LEEP and the two menstruations in between, I bled every day for two and a half months. Now I'm just waiting on my surgery, since mine turned out to be cancer, but when it comes to the LEEP, I wish it was all that "simple"!
- By peachmarie
- Posted November 12, 2009 at 12:33 pm
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Had my LEEP/cone done yesterday - without going into detail, I can say it really was exactly as those who have written positive experiences! I am so glad I did it with local anesthesia. Don't be afraid . . . you can do it! Today I feel pretty good, and so far, no bleeding.
- By peachmarie
- Posted October 30, 2009 at 2:29 pm
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this is the best discussion! Thanks for starting it . . . I am having my LEEP/conization under local anesthetic on Nov 11, and have been a little scared. However, I've had three children, so it can't be as bad as labor! I'm just happy to hear some positive stories, it really has helped calm me down.
Everyone on this site is so wonderful, strong, and supportive. Sooo glad I found it. Thanks everyone!!!
- By miss_kate
- Posted October 29, 2009 at 11:46 pm
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Thank you so much for starting this topic! I am having a LEEP done in about a week, and I really appreciate being able to read positive experiences with this procedure.
- By babydoll07
- Posted August 11, 2009 at 9:41 pm
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I am having LEEP surgery next week. I had biopsy done about 2 weeks ago and found out I have HPV and severe displasia. I am nervous about the surgery especially since I already have an incompetent cervix. I had my son at 17 years old about 7 years ago and I delivered him at 26 weeks. They said that I have a thin cervix and this is why he was born early. THe doctor told me that everytime I get pregnant I have to be stitched up to avoid premature birth. Now i have to have this LEEP surgery and I do not know how much cervix they are removing yet but I am scared that now my cervix is going to be even thinner, too thin to hold a baby. I am very nervous. Does anyone have this common issue?
- By KC1981
- Posted August 11, 2009 at 2:10 pm
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Thank you all for sharing your experiences with LEEP here. Like most of you, I've also been scouring the internet for information (most of which has scared the daylights out of me) so it's good to hear it's not nearly as bad as it's made out to be!
I just scheduled my LEEP for next month and am trying mentally to get tougher about it. The last colpo I had was just terrible, and left me feeling icky and crampy for over a week so the thought of now having something electrified and burning stuff inside of me brings tears to my eyes.
I'm debating now though if I should get a 2nd opinion and/or wait to have this procedure? I saw that some people have been able to clear the dysplasia on their own with diet & exercise, etc. and I wonder if that could be an alternative to getting the LEEP.
- By teb83
- Posted June 15, 2009 at 12:29 pm
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my doc said that even though I had HPV that I should get guardasil because those are the 4 worst viruses and I could benefit from it.
- By mmk1383
- Posted May 7, 2009 at 2:16 pm
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Hi Helvin,
I waited 3 weeks a couple days before having sex again...I was pretty much done with all the discharge and bleeding at that point. I had sex in every single position (gently) just to test things out and I had no pain at all!! I am now 5 months post-leep and everything feels just fine. hang in there!
- By meg09s
- Posted May 7, 2009 at 12:51 pm
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My LEEP experience was better than my experience with colpo/biopsies! Although I was extremely worried, almost sick to my stomach, and thought I had to have someone with me, in actuality it went smooth and I didn't need anyone. I think it had a lot to do with the numbing medication given. I even told me doctors I would rather have LEEPs than colpos anyday. And the results were positive! That is the best part.
- By Helvin
- Posted May 7, 2009 at 3:40 am
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Hi everyone! I just wanted to add my bit, because I'm really happy I found this site - after googling so much I began to freak myself out from all the bad stories... I feel sure now that there are more good stories than bad, but people tend to write about the bad rather than the good...
Anyway, I am 21yrs old and now 15 days post-op. I had the LEEP or LLETZ (whatever you decide to call it) procedure done under local anesthetic. It was honostly the best decision I had ever made doing it under local. I went in, the nurse and doctor were talking to me the entire time which made me feel a lot more comfortable (oh and I have to mention I was squishing a stress ball in my hands during the procedure). The doctor would tell me what he was doing while he did it, so I knew when to expect pain etc. I think really, the worst part of it all was when he put in that duck-billed device they use to open you up... the injections, I had 4, felt really odd and stingy, but were definitely bearable (kind of like when you get injections at the dentist). They made my heart race and my limbs all shaky, but I was told to expect that. When he actually began to cut into the cervix, all I felt was a really warm sensation - no pain whatsoever. The nurse and doctor encouraged me to talk about what I was feeling, and they reassured me it was normal. The procedure took 15mins!!!
For the first 6 days post-leep I only had a watery discharge, and the occasional cramps. My period started on the 7th day, a day before it usually does (I'm on the pill), and was a fairly normal period... however, I believed it stopped when it should have 3 days ago, but since then I've been spotting, and today I have blood stains on my pad. Despite the horror stories, I expect this is fairly normal... reading the following message board was really helpful and calming to me, hearing about Melissa's personal experience: http://www.inspire.com/groups/national-cervical-cancer-coalition/discussion /bleeding-and-sex-after-leep
My doctor said I would be able to have sex again after 3 weeks (next tuesday!) but I have a feeling I won't be finished being icky down there by then... but I'm hopeful I should be all good sometime soon... I look forward to reading more positive posts on this site, my main worry is about resuming my normal sex life (typical 21yr old, I know)... thanks heaps everyone!
- By corellin
- Posted April 17, 2009 at 9:05 am
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hi sorsha -- I had a LEEP in March of 2007 and so far, I've not had a return of dysplasia. However, my last biopsies all came back with endometriosis in the cervix and vagina, so I'm still trying to figure out what that's all about. Sorsha -- congratulations on clear paps. Are you also continuing to test negative for HPV?
- By sorsha79
- Posted April 17, 2009 at 2:51 am
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correllin when did you have a leep? have you been fine since? mine was in 2006 for severe dysplasia and ive been clear for 3 years:) i just hope im as lucky in sept for my annual...
- By booboo22
- Posted February 21, 2009 at 12:55 am
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How many of you have had children after leep? Should i wait so many months after to try to conceive. 6 weeks or 7 months? I have heard lots of differnet things and am wondering all of your htoughts.
- By vella555
- Posted February 19, 2009 at 3:28 pm
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Had my LEEP today and wanted to add to the positive experiences....
the worst part was really my own emotional anxieties....the procedure in itself was so easy, i barely felt anything. beforehand i met with the nurse & got blood pressure taken, then went to the exam room-- the doctor came in and was super supportive and comforting. i didn't feel the initial numbing injection, felt the second one like a pang that lasted only 1-2 seconds. after that i didn't feel anything but really really mild cramping at one point. the machine was on only for about 5-10 seconds, twice, which was about the time it took him to remove the cells. he did an ECC in no time, i didn't even realize it (the ECC during my colpo was uncomfortable, i was fearing it again but it was nothing).
afterwards there was barely any bleeding, i lay/sat there while the nurse cleaned things up and chatted, she took my blood pressure a few more times and that was it. the actually procedure part was minutes and now, a few hours later, i took a nap and feel fine. really relieved in fact.
- By mmk1383
- Posted January 26, 2009 at 8:44 am
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Hi Everyone, 14 days post leep. As I mentioned before, I didn't have any bleeding, spotting, etc. a week after my leep. However, a little bit before one week post, I started having reddish-brown discharge. I've been having this for over a week now, I know this is normal, but just wondering how long did it last for those that had it?
- By MomOfThree9767
- Posted January 25, 2009 at 1:34 pm
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Hi!.. I had a leep done last Monday the 19th. I thought the shots were the worst part, i had myself so nervous and worked up that when I got the first shot I had a panic attack (my first ever--lol). After that it was cake. I had the same discharge as everyone else--it's just the odor. oh my gosh, its horrible. I am not in pain, no pus, it's just stinky! I feel so grossed out by myself... Hoping it will go away... but all in all, it was not that bad at all...
- By mmk1383
- Posted January 23, 2009 at 9:41 am
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That's great to hear Lulu. I had quite a few shots as well, but they weren't too bad. I can't wait to be fully healed! I am still having the spotting etc. post leep day 11....but, I'm hoping that goes away real soon. Glad to hear your procedure went well and the results!
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