Hysterectomy Recommended at 34

Well yesterday was a shocker, went to colopscopy clinic, prepared for the usual legs up, stirrups on, smear, biopsies blah blah blah but none of that. My amazing consultant just sat me down to tell me that my recent smear is showing CIN2/3 again. After 5 years of treatment, 2 LLETZ under local and 2 LLETZ under general plus a cone biopsy, I have minimal cervix remaining for them to continue anymore treatment through LLETZ, and they are now recommending total hysterectomy as quickly as next 2-4 weeks. I don’t have children and would have liked to have kids however I know for me that this is the right thing to do. I don’t post here often and wanted to say thanks to everyone for the amazing stories, information and support available on this website and forums, which have helped me over the last few years, when I haven’t been able to talk to family and friends around me, you ladies have been here.
For those who have recently had abnormal smears, please do not think that you will end up where I am, I am just one of the very unlucky ones whose pesky hpv will not clear. I am lucky that my abnormal cells have been treated and not progressed to anything worse. For most of you ladies out there, you will not go through anywhere near the amount of treatment I have had so do not let my situation worry you.
There are also so many ladies here who have had much worse results and remain so positive, that is what I intend to do, still taking it all in at the moment, but I’m only 34 so I have a whole life to live and if I have to do that without my womb then so be it!
I hate Hpv!!

Sorry you have had such a tough and long journey. Your HPV changes are really darn persistent aren't they?! You have every right to hate it. I am 35, so a similar age, I wish we were of an age that the HPV vaccination had been around. It is hard when major medical decisions just kind of land in your lap like that, but as you say you just have to shrug it off and stand up tall and move on with your life trusting in the medical professionals around you.Y ou sound strong and positive, and I hope you have found peace with the situation too or can find that in future. I also hope if you still yearn for children that you can find a way to nurture some little ones somewhere. Best wishes, Gabrielle.

Hello Dizzy,

I'm just one step ahead of you on this whole journey, having just had a hysterectomy via keyhole surgery on 22 Feb.

At my first abnormal smear 3 years ago I was called into colposcopy to be told I 'might' have cancer and worse case would need a hysterectomy (I was 38). Absolute shocker, especially knowing pretty much zero about it all. Thankfully it wasn't cancer but I have had Lletz, loop, two cone biopsies and now a hysterectomy and it certainly hasn't been an easy ride. It is rare for this to happen and definitely one of the unlucky ones.

I've just had my 3 week post op check up and all is healing fine and looking good, thankfully I'm at ease with not having children. For me it was more important to prevent any further developments as I have a pretty pesky strain of hpv too. They did  find CIN3 again in the cervix tissue but not in my womb, so this does mean I will be tested again for hpv in 6 months as there is still a risk it could develop in my vagina ( oh happy thoughts).

However I do feel more positive this time round as at least everything bad is out and fingers crossed this will be 5th time lucky!

Like you I'm thankful it's not anything worse and also grateful for the support on here, certainly helped me to feel less insane at times. 

Good luck with your decision x