Newbie here, so I hope someone can put my mind at ease!
I will start from the beginning…
I had my smear test and received my results within 2 weeks - they came back as sever high grade dyskaryosis and HPV positive. Next steps were to have a colposcopy…
I had my colposcopy today and the Dr talked me through the procedure etc (was going to have a biopsy taken and remove all the abnormal cells) - its what I had prepped myself for so I was ready!
During the colposcopy, the Dr said the surface area of the cells was too large and was too close to the vaginal wall to remove so i will have to go under general anesthetic to have them removed/looked at! Not what I was prepared for!
I am absolutely worried sick - worrying that the cells have spread too much into the vaginal wall… worried they have spread to my womb… I’m 28 and me and my fiance are trying for a baby (no luck as of yet) so I am absolutely beside myself with worry about what’s to come…
Can anyone shed some light on their experience with this please (I have searched and I can’t find anything which is worrying me even more) what can I expect?
Sorry for the lengthy post, but any advice/support would be greatly appreciated!
I don’t have exact experience in regards to being told the size of cell abnormality was too large to do procedures under local anesthetic. I had my colposcopy and biopsies taken but do need LEEP procedure (supposed to be next week) and my gyno only does it under general anesthesia. Not at all what I had prepared myself for either so I’m nervous too as I’ve never had any type of anesthesia before. Which I now know after speaking to people is quite rare for someone who is 32
Everywhere I’ve read whether here on the forum or random medical sites via Google, it states LEEP is typically done with just local anesthetic and there’s no need for general. However, My doctor said it’s much more comfortable and less anxiety inducing for the patient to be asleep for 30 min or so and then just wake up and be done with it. I know some people on here have had general though so it’s not uncommon, per say. Maybe your doctor wants you to do general for the same reason, it would just be more comfortable and easier for you that way! I remember reading a few posts on here of women saying they had to do general because the location of their cell changes were in a harder to reach area and it would just be easier to have done that way! I’m sure someone will come along soon and share with you
Hi
I had the same results come back from my smear test, I had the colonoscopy appointment where they did the LLETZ at the appointment, but then when I had my results back the consultant advised that I needed to have it done again under GA due to not fully getting the area and the reason for GA was due to the location and having to go in deeper and it would be too uncomfortable for me to do under local, also they don’t want you to be able to move whilst they are doing it, so it sounds like this could be similar for you (but I’m no doctor)
I know it’s easier said than done but try not to worry, as from what I have read and spoken to people it normally takes years for it to develop into cancer, that most people that abnormal cells have them removed and have no further issues or treatment required as it seems they are catching it very early on before it does develop into something more serious.
So just to give you a little more back ground on me - for the last 3 months I have been a complete mess and worried/scared/anxious/other thinking etc
so I had my smear in April, 2 weeks later had results and 2 weeks later had my colonoscopy appointment and LLETZ carried out, I was told the results would be 4 weeks (that’s the worst bit for me waiting for results), 4 weeks passed and no results, I kept chasing but got no where so in my head I started to think if there was anything then I would have heard. 2 weeks later (6 weeks after the appointment) I got a text message to say I had been booked for a pre op assessment 2 days later - yet I still had no results, after numerous phone calls to find out what’s happening, I had to wait till the following day to speak to the consultant who advised as above, he put my mind at rest a bit and said in his 40 years of doing it he has never had it come back as anything serious, and if the procedure isn’t done for a few weeks it will not be an issue, he also told me he wanted to do the procedure and not a different consultant and not sure what all the quickness and fuss was about. Had my pre-op assessment and got a phone call later that day to book in the surgery which they tried to give a different consultant but explained the call and they scheduled in with the consultant I had already seen, 2 days later I got a call to say that my case had been discussed in there internal meeting and they wanted to bring the procedure forward and do it in 5 days time. I didn’t think to much of it as thought maybe they had a cancellation. Anyway the following day I received my appointment letter which showed that I had a different consultant carrying out the procedure which then scared me as to why the change and why was I not told and is there something I hadn’t been told for it all be happening so quick now but being a Saturday I couldn’t call and speak to anyone (don’t get me wrong the quickness is not a bad thing, but does make you panic a bit).
I spoke to the hospital on the Monday to be told that they are now not doing the LLETZ again and actually doing a cone biopsy, and the consultant I was under is unable to do the cone biopsy.
Anyway went in for the surgery had a chat with the consultant who also told me that my results will be put down as urgent and to come back in 2 weeks (once again alarm bells rang in my head).
The last couple of weeks have been a roller coaster waiting for the results with all the over thinking, but today I received a call to advise that they had removed all the area and it is just CIN III and that no further treatment is required, I will be called back in 6 months for a check up and also a smear test to check all ok, which is such a relief and now I can start trying to get my life back on track (I’m currently single and would love a family - so I was worried that it wouldn’t happen) I was also told that it shouldn’t effect me if I did have children, the only thing they may do is monitor me and scan me a bit more in the early stages due to the cervix being a bit smaller, but said this is nothing to be concerned with.
Just a couple of things to point out
I had to go for a covid test 3 days before and then isolate till the day of my surgery,
you will need someone to take and pick you up from the hospital as you won’t be allowed to drive home.
I hope the above helps, but if you have any questions feel free to message me.
Thank you both so much for replying! It has definitely put my mind at ease to know at least I am not the only person to be going for this procedure under GA!
I suppose alarm bells started ringing because the Dr said its such a large area (unexpectedly) and the location of it! The last thing you want to hear - and the last thing you expect as well!
Honestly I really appreciate you both taking the time to tell your stories, and it has really helped my overly worried brain!!
