I had LLETZ under GA back at the end of September and then a letter from the consultant informing me I would go back in 6 months for another colposcopy, she also advised I may need a further treatment if some cells (biopsy at original colposcopy in March said CIN3) were left.
I’ve since had the letter with my appointment for the repeat colposcopy to take place in March. All good, exactly what the consultant had informed me would happen.
Today I have got home to a letter with an appointment for 10 days time. The letter is very vague and doesn’t tell me what this is for, why I’ve been sent it or even who I am supposed to be seeing, simply an “arrive at this date and time”. I’m assuming this is for a check up? Has anyone been to an appointment at this stage that could tell me what to expect? The letter claims there should be a leaflet with it but there wasn’t so I’m completely in the dark as to why I’ve been called in at 2 months post LLETZ instead of 6.
I don't live in the UK so I can't help with the system of letters etc. but I also had CIN3 removed under GA in May this year.
After the surgery I went in 10 days later for a follow up to discuss the results and just to make sure I was feeling fine. I was wondering if in your first mentioned letter if it said you had clear margins? If your margins are not clear then I would say they would invite you back to discuss further treatment plans.
It could be a bureaucratic letter generation mistake or a very late follow up.
Is it possible for you to call your doctor to ask if they removed it all in September and if your margins were clear or even ask what the appointment is for?
The original letter said that it was "unlikely to have clear margins" and they'd see at the 6 month review if more treatment would be needed. I've got the appointment for the 6 month review (march).
I wonder if they test the tissue they take away during the LLETZ? I had the results from the original biopsies that were taken and assumed they wouldn't need to test again.
My smear was back in March this year, getting slightly fed up of everything taking forever to sort out, especilly as it took until Sept to get the CIN3 removed!
Hi Cclare, So I am finding this strange that the original letter mentioned that they thought it was unlikely they would achieve clear margins. Essentially this is the aim of treatment and it baffles me they would tell you they are choosing a treatment option that they don't think will work.
The follow up colposcopy 6 months after Lletz is standard after a CIN3 diagnosis and my doctor told me they leave it 6 months to ensure the cervix has had time to heal so they can get an accurate reading off of the pap smear.
You are correct in saying that they test the biopsied piece from the Lletz. You should have received (in my experience) a letter stating the grade of the CIN and if the biopsied piece had clear margins or not. The biopsy done at colposcopy is quite small and can increase or decrease in CIN levels once they have a chance to examine a larger piece. If you were originally told that they expected they would not get clear margins I suspect they are going to repeat the Lletz or discuss/perform another treatment modality.
I am not sure what the time that is needed between Lletz treatments but I have read of ladies on here having them approx.3 months apart. So that could be it. Sorry I am of no help. I am speculating on the information you have given. I feel like you have been screwed around enough (waiting until September from March for your Lletz is INSANE). Call the place where you got treatment and ask for your report from the Lletz and where ever you have the appointment for in 10days asking what it is for. I know if I were you I wouldn't want a Lletz sprung on me and quite frankly it is your body and you went through a Lletz already and should know what the results were.
I never did get a letter with results from tests on the tissue from lletz. I'll give the clinic a ring in the morning to ask where those results are. I know that the biopsies took 6-7 weeks to come back from the lab, I would assume the results would take just a long (so about now!). I don't think this new appointment is for another lletz as the clinic and theatre aren't in the same place. I'd imagine having had to do the first lletz under GA the following ones would need to be too. Partly due to fear/anxiety & pain on my part - I really struggled with the colposcopy itself and having the biopsies taken. The lletz had to be done in two bites so I'm glad it was under GA!
Please don't think you have been of no help, it's nice to have had someone just as baffled by the whole thing as me!
I've managed to get hold of the clinic today who have told me the appointment is for the results of LLETZ and the woman couldn't tell me them over the phone. She did say that the appointment was booked following a MDT meeting, does anyone know what this meeting is or what it is for?
