lletz today

Treatment for cell changes (abnormal cells)
1

Hi people 

 

I had my long awaited lletz today.

 

I was very anxious and jumpy beforehand  which was helped by taking part in a research project with a lovely doctor about vulvar cancer (very interesting). I don't have that as far I know but I am very nerdy and interested  in medical things in general. I mentioned that I'd been worried about having an anterior (front)anal fissure for which I am receiving treatment and she said I was to ask the doctor. I said I thought I was just seeing the nurse and she said she thought that that wasn't true(it was). It seems to have healed again after the second treatment so probably no connection.

 

The nurse brought me in and told me some information which I mostly knew from being on this site and having looked into things a lot. She did say that I was slightly more at risk from being older as it can be more difficult to treat cervices post menopause due to stenosis  if they need further treatment. She did say that this wasnt too much of a risk but she's mention it. Why do they never believe me when I say this is a new infection ? I had zero risk until 2016 as we had both been virgins when met in 1983 and were together until 2016. Since then I have been quite experimental. 

 

 

I had gas and air which was amazing. Absolutely recommend and if I need further treatments would have that again if offered. Just made me not so anxious. I was aware enough to talk and made very silly jokes (a bit inappropriate). They turned  the monitor away. No pain-well very little. Tiny prick of the injection.

 

After it had finished I asked about yoga. No yoga, not baths. no sex, in fact nothing to laugh at at all. She said she'd taken off about the size of my thumbnail. No idea if that was the width or the depth ? Never asked. 

 

She also said she's not seen anything too worrying. In my colposcopy the gynae had said it thought was cin1 -biopsy was 2. I actually had  had a look as own a speculum and it had looked ok with a few pink areas near the os. It had been bleeding a bit, but only post coitally and minor. She said that might just be ectropic ?? I know from my reading it can also be cin. Didn't say.

 

They asked me where I'd got a speculum-I said Bondara (couldnt think of a lie lol). 

 

At present t I just have a little light period like bleeding and a little heaviness, like a period. Nothing at all really. Not unpleasant or painful, at the moment anyway.

 

i was told that the biopsy would take 6 weeks because of covid and that I would be called in if necessary. If not necessary, I would have smear at 6 months plus HPV test. If this was clear, back to 5 year smears-I'm not happy about that and glad I am being vaccinated. Might think of private HPV tests.

 

I was very sad afterwards and went to my friend's. Weeping in the hospital. Fine now though.

 

Thank you for thinking of me-Dreamland in particular 

And LL -sorry didnt include you. Blame the beer.

 

xxx

 

R xx

 

 

 

 

2

Glad to hear it all went well today.

I'm really surprised you go back to 5 yearly smears if the 6 monthly check is ok. It'll be great to be given the all clear, but you would have thought you'd get more regular checks for a bit for reassurance.

Anyway, glad you got your treatment, at last!

Lots of love,

Xx

3

I'm so glad it all went okay. I've been checking back all day to see if you've posted.

 

I too am really surprised that it would go back to 5 yearly, wow!

 

I hope you continue to heal well lovely xx

4

Thank you both x

I'm  not at all happy about the 5 year thing andgoing to get advice. Very glad I'm getting vaccinated. Second dose tomorrow.

I'm a bit of a socialist, but anyone would think it was a money saving exercise. 

 

The typos in my post were possibly influenced by me drinking a whole large bottle of leffe on an empty stomach (couldnt eat at all ). I've corrected now :) Plus ordered a takeaway

 

5

hugs xxxx

6

hugs also to you-

xxxxx

7

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8942830/

looks like the only thing she gave me to worry about wasn't necessarily true ...ie stenosis being more common after menopause. There may be other research which disagrees ? 

8

Hi Rebecca,

I'm really pleased that you have had your LLETZ at last, and that it went well. I'm chuckling at the idea of cracking inappropriate jokes during the procedure - you probably made the colposcopy clinic staff's day!

Really interesting link to the paper about cervical stenosis. My reading of the abstract is that cervical stenosis is a bigger risk for people over 50 years of age (sorry!) - "The risk of postoperative cervical stenosis was higher for patients over 50 years of age (relative risk [RR] 3.07, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.30, 7.26; P = .031)". It's not an independent risk factor as regardless of your age, the height of excision and a totally endocervical lesion were correlated with cervical stenosis. But you were treated for CIN2 and fr me that was an excision about the size of a 2p piece and 10 mm deep (the nurse colposcopist asked whether I wanted to see and I said yes - biologist, etc, etc.)

I note that it's quite an old paper (1996), but that more recent research has been done on preventing cervical stenosis in post-menopausal women (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32444670/) - the full text of this paper is available (click 'Free PMC article') if you want to know more.

9

Thank you :) 

Probably didn't read it properly - the nurse says she's removed about the size of my thumbnail so about 1cm ? So that's a plus. Plus my babies, despite having had 4 were very unproblematic births ( I wonder why that is higher risk- some seem to think cervical damage but they came out easily, all in my 20s. Plus HPV is ' other' which might be a plus ?

My feeling is that I'll be fine as I'm not far into menopause and I am quite functional. Not quite sure how to put this, I feel no different than when I was younger and my sex drive is weirdly higher? To be honest that was my main risk factor and why I'm getting vaccinated. I looked up post menopausal  cervix and mind didn't look as those described tmi. ??looked like the pre menopausal ones lol

I have also come to realise that there is little control over this. I have a fear of hysterectomy which is probably quite irrational. I think is also a sexual thing. I was talking with my friend who experiences things differently to me. I'm not quite sure what I should say here and I haven't read anyone else write this. And it is possibly not sensitive as there are in such a more difficult position than me.


10

I'll look at the paper you sent

i read something about dilation but no point asking anyone at the hospital at present as they are too busy to ask anything. I think their concerns were more about monitoring than anything to do with me/ my experiences. 

11

Ha yes 

I wonder how you get cervical dilation 

sounds good but probably not available on the nhs. I was banned from even putting anything in for 4 weeks- I better not have a go myself after 3 ( as the article says- obviously in hospital not DIY- they are far more advanced than us in the far east).

I wonder how being multiparous as they call it affects these things. My os looks like it's pushed out  a few babies :) way to go to close ...

 

12

Good idea to put a question into 'Ask the expert'. Also pleased that you're recovering well - that's my experience, too. Period-like pains on the day; minimal bleeding and discharge until 4 days after, when watery pink discharge started (panty liners enough, and still are). I ran a temperature over the weekend (6 days after) but 16 hours sleep seemed to sort that out, and no other signs of infection. Yesterday (8 days after) I was suprised to wipe and see fresh blood - only the once, though, and today the 'coffee grounds' have started. All in all, a lot more manageable than I was worried it would be.

13

I've not had any period pains at all, a bit of a heavy feeling which isn't really unpleasant. I'm only on day 2. Had pink discharge, but more than a pantyliner but that's gone away a bit now. 
hope it stays like that as going away at weekend .

From what I've read, day 10 is the usual time for weird discharge. It's all a bit strange ...

thanks for getting back. Hope all carries on well for you. 
And reading my weird post Lletz rather drunken musings 

14

How are you doing today Rebecca?

 

I hope you are continuing to recover well. X

15

I'm fine physically. I just am still upset emotionally and seem to be choosing things to worry about. At present it is that you only get checked every 5 years at my age if you are HPV negative at 6 months. 
Silly really.

I had coffee with a woman who was also waiting for colposcopy check. She'd also found it very upsetting. I suggested gas and air if she needed gas and air.

How are you LL ? Is it a waiting game for the results of your second Lletz?

1 Like
16

Got my results today over the phone - 4 1/2 weeks after having LLETZ (I did chase them up after 4 weeks, as national guidelines are that the results letter should be posted within 4 weeks and I knew that if a letter was in the post, the colposcopy clinic staff could read that to me over the phone). LLETZ biopsy showed CIN2, consistent with my colposcopy biopsy, and they got it all. The best outcome in this situation - and some respite before having to return to my doctors for a test-of-cure in 5 months. I foresee a few months of clean living (and wine).

1 Like
17

Hi Akaytee

I didn’t know guidelines were 4 weeks -I was told 6 . I’m on 4 weeks Monday though not healing well
Good news -I bet you are relieved.
wine is an excellent idea.

18

I’ve read all sorts of random stuff while on this journey, one of which was the UK Government guidelines on ‘Providing a quality colposcopy clinic’. Under the heading ‘Reducing anxiety for individuals’, the point is ’ * biopsy results should be communicated to the individual within 4 weeks of the test (acceptable standard of ≥90%), and 100% must be communicated within 8 weeks (achievable standard)’. But the ONS statistics for 2019-20 (the latest year for which they’re available) says that ’ * Neither national standard was met in 2019-20. 81.9% of letters were sent within 4 weeks, and 98.3% with 8 weeks.’ I concluded from this that chasing my results after 4 weeks was reasonable, despite my discharge sheet saying I should phone them if I’d heard nothing by 8 weeks! I am very relieved and I think you’ve had a tougher recovery than me, Rebecca - I am very mindful of others on this forum who are (through no choice of their own) walking a different path - I genuinely wish you all courage, strength, tears, gin, whatever it takes to get through.

19

They specifically told me within 6 weeks ( but saying that my punch biopsy ones were much earlier than planned). I thought it was 6 weeks but I’ve just checked and is ‘ within’.
I suppose they are inundated in the north east.
I am on a strict regime of DOING NOWT lol
However completely intending to drink beer with boyfriend ( as not allowed to do anything else with him). The antibiotics I’m am on allow it :grinning:
I have had an easy time compared with others and I don’t think my biopsy will be any more than cin 2 as seemed low grade at Colp. Might even be 1/2
We will see
Have a lovely weekend x

1 Like