It’s been 18 months since I had my LLETZ procedure. The test results from the 6-month checkup were all good, I’m now HPV and abnormal cells free.
However, my periods have been weird since the procedure. I noticed changes like so many mid sized clots, brown/pinkish discharge 3-4 days before period, periods taking 10-12 days to finish, etc. Had none of these before LLETZ. Cramps are getting worse each month and I actually passed out last time because of the pain and nausea.
Even outside of periods, I have quite bad pain in my lower stomach (mainly left side), left groin and lower back which is affecting my QOL massively. My lower stomach is bloated 24/7, feels like I’ve got a water balloon inside.
My GP has been refusing to see me as ‘it’s just period pain which is nothing serious’. I thought I might have stenosis but it could be endometriosis or fibroids, who knows!
Perhaps it’s not even related to LLETZ and just a coincidence but has anyone had a similar experience? Thank you😊
Hi there i read through your post an just wanted to ask im having my 6month checkup after Lletz im just trying to prepare myself for it is it just a routine smear or can they tell from that app how things are going with the HPV another girl on here mentioned a dye test just trying to prepare myself for it all sorry im not much help on your post but thought id ask an its great news your 6month check up was clear xx
Hiya!!
I’m pretty sure they just did a routine smear for me, don’t think they did anything else like a dye test. I was a bit scared as I thought it might be more painful after LLETZ but it was absolutely fine for me😊 Had light bleeding but I was told it’s normal after LLETZ and it stopped after half a day. Hope your checkup will be easy and painless, good luck x
Thanks so much @Fox11 just trying to prep myself for whats ahead i think its,more the waiting an worrying for results . Im so sorry your going through a bad experience after Lletz i do know it can cause an upset to the cycle at times i think its very unfair your doctor wont see you my only advice i can offer is that you dont feel right you keep pushing an demanding to be seen those who shout the loudest get heard we know in ourselves how we feel so you do whats right by yourself maybe even consider a private appointment with gynae i know it can be costly but for one appointment it could be just what you need to put you at ease xx
I thought I’d reply as I have a somewhat similar experience.
I had Lettz and cone biopsy 2 years ago for CIN 3 and Cgin.
I’ve since had two clear smears and waiting on results for a 3rd smear currently.
Glad your results have been clear!
Since my surgery’s I’ve had some post coital spotting and periods have changed. Similar to what you describe. I have brown pink spotting for 2-3 days then heavy bleeding and then mixed brown /pink /red spotting for another 4 or so days. Maybe 8 or 9 days all together. My gynaecologist suspects I have scarring and cervical stenosis and has said I can have a procedure to help with my symptoms in which they dilate the cervix under general anaesthesia.
Hello,
I am glad you have posted this!! Not glad to hear what you are going through obviously but I had LLETZ 8 weeks ago and in the last 3 weeks I have developed a lot of symptoms that I am unsure of what they are due to! I have been diagnosed with cancer but wasn’t sure if these symptoms are due to that or LLETZ or something else. I went to doctors this week and she treated as infection and prescribed antibiotics but Im not 100% convinced it is this… but who knows.
I also have a lot of pelvic pressure/pain/discomfort which radiates to low back and slightly through groin. I have had weird shooting pains through vagina and cervix. Bloating and excess gas and pink discharge. None of these symptoms occurred prior to LLETZ.
I also would like to know the cause as I cant help but worry and also it is uncomfortable most of the time so constantly on my mind.
I’m not sure I have helped at all but sounds very similar to your experience
Take care
CC Blue
Hi @Fox11 glad to hear your 6 month check up results were all good. I had 2 LLETZ procedures for stage 1a2 and have my 6 month check up at end of November, but for the past few periods I’ve experienced the same as what you’ve described, with cramps seem to be getting worse. I’ve had back problems for a while before the cancer, so hard to tell if that’s also related or not.
I’ve been thinking about contacting my clinical nurse about the symptoms, so from seeing this thread I think I’ll do that and will post again if I get any new insight.
Take care
Hi @Leelee09, sorry to hear that you have similar symptoms. It’s not nice at all! Hope your third smear test will be clear.
On the day I had my LLETZ, the doctor said a small number of people experience cervical stenosis after the procedure but she didn’t mention when. I wonder if it can still happen months or years after the scar has healed.
Hello CCBlue, glad your LLETZ went ok and sorry to hear you’re going through the same symptoms.
I know it’s really confusing and worrying, I feel like there is no sufficient research on changes in periods after LLETZ. It’s starting to make me think LLETZ is not an as easy and quick treatment as it’s advertised… I see quite a few people here go through various difficulties after that🥲 Are antibiotics helping? Hope you will feel better.
Hi Maryqg, so sorry to hear that you’re experiencing the same stuff. It’s scary isn’t it everytime period approaches. Hope you can speak to your clinical nurse soon and let us know how it goes. Take care!!
I just wondered what your initial smear results were before finding out you had CC. I’m due for colposcopy in a couple of weeks for low-grade dyskarosis and i’m so frightened it’s going to be much worse that the original smear results. I’ve literally just turned 26 and my mind is in overdrive.
Hi m4ry,
No, no problem, all are welcome
My smear test was back in Mar this year and my results were high grade changes. I then had the colposcopy which he said was “worrying”. I then had LLETZ with unclear margins and got diagnosis then.
Its very difficult not to worry but its good you had smear, results picked up and now having colposcopy. My colposcopy was urgent and then my LLETZ was pretty quick to. If yours is not being done on such a quick time frame maybe less cause to worry.
Positive is the colposcopy will explore and determine if any treatment is needed or just to watch and keep an eye. Hope all goes well update us further down the line x
thank you so much for taking the time to reply - i really appreciate it & so sorry again about your recent diagnosis!
I guess yes - as mine hasn’t been down the urgent referral route that’s a slight positive. As you say it’s great that whatever it is has been picked up - will be sure to keep updated after having attended the colposcopy itself after hopefully getting some more clarity on what is going on.
Out of curiosity did you have the LLETZ at the same appointment as your colposcopy or was you required to come back?
No I had referral to have it done under general. I’ve seen some people on forum saying you can request this, I didn’t he just said that would be best as need larger area removed.
I know I found it a little scary going to colposcopy unsure if they were going to do something there and then. The actual colposcopy was ok, apart from someone viewing your personal area lol it wasn’t really painful or uncomfortable. They did punch biopsies but I had to cough whilst they did them so cant say I really felt anything. Afterwards I had slight bleeding and cramping for few days.
Hope all goes well with yours x
Just a quick update… I had a severe pain in my lower stomach and light spotting again so contacted 111 as my GP won’t do anything. They referred me to out of hours and did some general tests. Long story short they think I might have endometriosis, not cervical stenosis.
Apparently if you have bleeding outside of your period (even if it’s small amount), your GP needs to refer you to gynaecologist within 2 weeks which I didn’t know. My surgery kept ignoring me for months and now I am extremely worried about what could happen next.
Hi @Leelee09, no they didn’t, unfortunately there was no ultrasound facility available in my area. They said my symptoms and level of pain seemed quite typical based on the patients they have seen who turned out to have endometriosis. The out of hours GP said the gynaecologist will probably do an ultrasound and MRI for me after I get referred from my GP.
Hi, i had 2 lletz procedures for high grade cells and cgin. One under GA and then a further one for cells left behind. Since my second lletz my periods are all over the place. Really short one month, then long, spotting in between.
I had a lletz for CIN3 back in February, so almost 6 months ago now. My first colposcopy was December 2022 and can you believe they did several biopsies but missed the CIN entirely. I had a second colposcopy in January. And lletz in feb.
Ever since all these procedures started being done to my cervix, my cycles have been all over the place. I’ve had late periods, early periods, 2 periods in one month, lighter bleeding, shorter periods, spotting for days and days before my period begins.
I did mention all of this to my consultant at my lletz appointment, as by the time I finally had that I’d been going through procedures a few months already so had already noticed changes. She gave me such a weird look and told me these procedures have no impact on the menstrual cycle. But I’ve seen so many people saying they’ve had issues across multiple groups. I completely agree that they are downplaying the impact these procedures can have, maybe to stop people being put off having them. Understand they are life saving but I think we deserve to know the truth about the impact it could have, so we can prepare and not be so concerned that it’s another sinister issue.
I’ve actually been to my doctor several times about this. She has tried to refer me to gynaecology TWICE at the hospital and they have rejected the referral both times and refusing to see me.
I also have abdominal pain on the right hand side just sortof inside my right hip bone, that radiates into my back as well. I’ve been so concerned that I might have another issue going on but gynae have refused to help me or investigate.
I am now trying to conceive as well with no success so far and obviously with my cycles being completely messed up I am sure that is contributing.
I’d be interested to hear from anyone on here who maybe did manage to get some investigations after changes to their cycle? My doctor has now basically said there’s nothing more she can do as gynae have refused the referral twice and she just said come back if anything changes. But EVERYTHING has already changed. So many new symptoms for me that I never experienced prior to the lletz. I’m not sure if it would even be worth mentioning at my test of cure appointment since all the doctors at colposcopy seem adamant that biopsies and LLETZ don’t cause cycle changes.
xx
