I’m 25, had my first smear in March 2021 and have been diagnosed with HPV positive and CIN2. I had good experiences with my smear and colposcopy, but now I have been told I need a LLETZ treatment. I have a big phobia of needles and so I was wondering whether I could get advice from anyone who has had either local anaesthetic where they numb the cervix with a needle, or whether anyone has had general anaesthetic and been put to sleep?
Im worried that I will panic too much if I see the needle with local, so maybe it’s better for me to go under so that they can carry out the procedure without trying to calm me down?
Any advice would be appreciated. Hope everyone is doing ok
Hi I’ve had this procedure done in May of this year and you don’t see anything there a slight sting on first injection but after that I didn’t feel anything and there was 3 other proffesionals in the room who was talking to me all of the time with is a great distraction.
Hope all goes well
I had my LEEP done on Thursday the 29th and had it done under general. I was terrified bc I’ve never had anesthesia before but after it was said and done, it’s the way to go!
I went in, met the nurses and anesthesiologist who were super nice. She started an IV in my hand, gave me what she called a “cocktail” that made me feel like I had a few glasses of wine and I honestly fell asleep before she even gave me the anesthesia! Next thing I knew I was waking up. I think they I was only asleep maybe 20 min? The procedure itself only took around 10 minutes. I went home and had some mild period like cramps for about 1.5 days, and slept off and on the day of the actual procedure. I only had brownish discharge for the first few days afterwards but it was from the Monsel solution. I started my period 4 days after my procedure so I’ve had that up until today.
If you have any other questions feel free to message me
I’m just about to today. I have CGIN so they want to do a hystecoscopy under a GA to take a sample of the endometrial lining and they will do the Lletz at the same time. I’ve never had a general before so I’m pretty nervous. There is no harm asking if this is your preference. x
Thank you so much for taking the time to reply and also I wish you all the best with your treatment. I think I’ll go under GA - I will have to wait a bit longer as I need to go on a waiting list for it, but seems like it would be the best option for me.
Keep me up dated with your journey guys, it’s really lovely to feel supported and talk to you all, thank you
Hey, I just had my hystercoscopy yesterday which included a LLetz under a GA. I’m the opposite to you as I had a huge phobia of a general and I was terrified about it. However, now it’s over I’m so happy it was done this way. I bled a lot after my initial biopsy at colposcopy and it was pretty stressful, this was much easier in comparison. Good luck with everything. xx
I have had lletz under local and I’m going for a second lletz under general next week. The local procedure, you really don’t see anything unless you ask to watch it on the screen, you won’t really see what the doctor is doing at all. The anaesthetic has a slight sting, and the procedure itself is not painful as you’ll be totally numb. It is very anxiety inducing though, that’s totally understandable and normal for something so intimate and invasive.
My next one is under general because they have to remove cells from deeper inside. I’m not sad that I won’t be awake for it to be honest.
Hi,
I had Lletz under general just over 3 weeks ago, I’m terrified of needles! But there will be a nurse there with you holding your hand if you try and concentrate on her and on your breathing, and say to them that you have a needle phobia before you go down. You’ll be fine x
Hi I had my second lletz 14/8/21 the first one 28/4 21 was a bit painful got through that but on the second one I had to have a deeper lletz done just having the needle injuection go up deep in the cervix was painful then the cut was worse than before and heard doctor say I have a squirter he couldn’t find where I was bleeding and trying to seal the bleeding was very painful ends up that I have three squirting blood points was a lot of blood I had four injections to numb the cervix that felt like it didn’t get numb am left crying doctor apologies three time and said that they need to go deeper with this lletz am left traumatised if I have to have it a third time I want to be knocked out.
Hi Tara, hope you’ve had your procedure now and are doing well. Just to let you know I had my second lletz today under general (first one was local) and I found it far less stressful. I would absolutely opt for GA for anything like this in the future.
I had mine done in May I have written my story on here. I was first down and they put needle in my hand wasn’t thar bad whilst the anethnetist was doing it the lady was lovely distracting me he then flushed the canula out put some liquid in and my head started spinning etc then he put me to sleep
Thank you so much for your stories. I hope you are all doing ok
My procedure is on October 1st now so I will keep you all posted. Until then, I’ll be waiting - feeling much calmer now I know what it is they are treating and hearing everyone’s journeys x
Thank you so much for asking this question! I just got my biopsy results yesterday, CIN 3, and was told they would do a LEEP and gave me the choice of hospital under GA or an outpatient procedure in the clinic. I’ve searched the internet in hopes of finding something to help me decide what to do but there isn’t much information out there! I’ve felt so alone through this whole process because I don’t know anyone who’s been through this. My biopsies weren’t horribly painful but the cramping, back pain, and fatigue I felt for several days after were pretty rough. They also called me today and want to do an ultrasound before the LEEP. Has anyone else had this done or know what they may do this for?
Glad that this post has helped to some extent I am feeling much better knowing that when I go in for my procedure, I won’t be awake for it because I’m a bit of a nervous wreck!
Sadly I can’t advise you on why you have been told you need an ultra sound, but from reading different forum posts, it looks like everyone has a different experience and it depends on what your medical team advise. Are you in the UK?
No I live in the USA in Texas. I finally spoke to the Dr. and she said they want to do the ultrasound to look around and see if they can see what else might be causing my abnormal bleeding. They are also going to test my thyroid. They want to do all of this before they do my LEEP. I am scheduled for these tests this Wednesday. Praying they don’t find anything major. I wish they would just do a hysterectomy so I don’t have to worry about these lesions coming back but they said that since it’s not cancer the hospital won’t due it because it’s considered elective surgery and they aren’t doing that now due to covid
Thought I’d update this thread so that others can read my experience. Thank you for all your help.
Personally, I’m so glad I decided to have GA. Knowing that I wasn’t going to be awake for this just completely eliminated my nerves! I felt very looked after and I don’t have any recollection of the procedure. I had the LLETZ 3 days ago, and so far I have not experienced any pain or any bleeding / discharge and I have felt well in myself.
I know that everyone’s story is different, but I wanted to share my positive experience for anyone who is about to have a LLETZ and is nervous.
I’m following precautions and not exercising and I also had 2 days off work (weekend) to recover, and I watched movies all day and ate comfort food. I’m feeling very well rested and positive.
I’ll keep you all updated with my results in 4-6 weeks.
and I honestly fell asleep before she even gave me the anesthesia! Next thing I knew I was waking up. I think they I was only asleep maybe 20 min? The procedure itself only took around 10 minutes. I went home and had some mild period like cramps for about 1.5 days, and slept off and on the day of the actual procedure. I only had brownish discharge for the first few days afterwards but it was from the Monsel solution. I started my period 4 days after my procedure so I’ve had that up until today.
