Having been anxious about what this would involve I wanted to put a good experience out there to help those in a similar situation. I’m 36, first abnormal smear with HPV and severe dyskaryosis, treated in Brighton UK.
I saw a thread on twitter where people seemed to have had pretty rough experiences. I asked my GP for Diazepam to take before the appointment, at first she did try to fob me off with beta blockers but say you want diazepam if thats what you want. I was given 4mg which is a relatively small amount and for the £9 prescription charge I can see why people might purchase anxiety meds online instead (30 x 10mg pills cost £20). Anyway my procedure was more low level than expected so this amount worked fine taken 45mins before.
Doctors and nurses were great, the equipment is much better than when having a smear, the speculum was small and less awkward. In the pre consultation the doctor talked through the options, he didn’t mention LLETZ via GA… but as I had researched I knew thats what I wanted. I think it’s a lot cheaper and quicker for them to get you to do it under local and get you out that day, don’t be afraid to ask for GA if you would prefer it. I was relieved he didn’t have to do the biopsy as I was going straight to LLETZ under GA in a few weeks, so that was an unexpected relief. He ended up just taking a look and prodding with a q-tip, I watched on the screen and couldn’t feel it.
I’m less anxious about being put under (first time) than I was that first appointment, however do worry there might be long term effects to sexual function from LLETZ. If this was something that happens to men I bet they would have invented a pill that clears it up by now
I asked the question about sexual dysfunction before I had Lletz few days ago and the doctor said in her 10 years of performing the procedure she has never had anyone come back and report about it and she hadn’t heard of it either but they don’t get taught about the nerves in cervix etc but so far I’m not feeling any different but you can’t have sexual intercourse for 6 weeks while healing so she said if anyone is having sex whilst healing it might feel different and it’s better to not risk the healing process
Hello I read your comments about the sex after Lletz was something I did worry a lot about before the surgery. But for me sex is exactly the same as before it took me longer than 6 weeks to go for it probably around 8 weeks but I can honestly say no difference just as good . I will say start slowly the first couple of times but after that is all good to go.
Ah thanks thats good to hear I read a Cosmopolitan article from 2019 that talked about some women having trouble achieving orgasm post LLETZ, it did sound like it might be down to the skill of the doctor perhaps, so hopefully it is rare. I read that too - about gyno’s not being totally clued up on the nerves in the cervix, unfortunately women’s sexual function still seems to be a bit of a medical mystery. Hope your recovery goes well
I know about the article in Cosmo and maybe some women have issues after but I am sure is a very small minority and it makes me wonder if maybe the issue is more in the mind from the stress and the whole surgery trauma than a physical issue with the Lletz itself. In sex the mind is extremely important .but is only my opinion I am not a doctor or a sexologist.
I’m glad you researched it as I did too and knew I wanted that. I had punch biopsies under local and it was so traumatising for me. Awful, painful and long experience! That’s when I knew I wanted to have GA for my treatments as it’s quicker for the drs and much less stressful for me! I’ve had 2 treatments under GA and I’m going in for my 3rd in 2 weeks, they just can’t seem to get rid of mine. It was my first time under GA and it was a really calm experience for me. The anaesthetists are lovely and very understanding. I hope it goes well for you
Ah interesting I did wonder if you could request the punch biopsy under local, haven’t seen that offered, its quite a mad procedure to have done raw so to speak, I saw a Tiktok of them doing it to an orange and… men would never! So sorry you had to endure a bad experience with those.
I was thinking of coming off the pill maybe and using condoms post LLETZ as there seems to be a link between HPV and contraception (as I suppose you don’t use a barrier method when on the pill) I do wonder about the pill and cancer risks long term too. I hope your 3rd is successful
Thanks its great to hear yeah I plan to wait a bit longer than 6 weeks, don’t want to poke the scab off or something I’m relieved to hear its just as good, its only been in recent years I’ve been fully enjoying it so would be a shame to lose that now!
I’ve asked a few different nurses and consultants whether all my issues are from the pill but they said no. I’m concerned it is but I should really trust them as they’re the professionals! xxx
That’s true, but without meaning to sound like a conspiracy theorist information about the pill is supplied by the drug companies that make it and it’s to their benefit that it keeps being used.
When I read that they dropped studies into formulating a male version of the pill because it was deemed unethical for men to suffer the side effects of pregnancy prevention…well
probably around 8 weeks but I can honestly say no difference just as good 
. I will say start slowly the first couple of times but after that is all good to go.
I read a Cosmopolitan article from 2019 that talked about some women having trouble achieving orgasm post LLETZ, it did sound like it might be down to the skill of the doctor perhaps, so hopefully it is rare. I read that too - about gyno’s not being totally clued up on the nerves in the cervix, unfortunately women’s sexual function still seems to be a bit of a medical mystery. Hope your recovery goes well 
men would never! 
I’m relieved to hear its just as good, its only been in recent years I’ve been fully enjoying it so would be a shame to lose that now! 
