Hi I had my LLETZ procedure yesterday.
Not sure what I actually want to ask as if I’m honest my head is a little all over the place from the whole thing and not sure how I’m meant to feel x
If I’m honest ( as much as I somewhat laughed about it yesterday, I think it was just my way of coping with it ) I feel I’m actually a bit traumatised by the whole procedure after the fact.
The local didn’t work properly so felt quite a bit of pain and not just pressure like they said it should be. Felt like a really bad burning/stinging pain a lot worse than the numbing injections. I was brave and managed not to cry but think that was more because it only took a few seconds.
Probably didn’t help that the speculum was super uncomfortable ( I mentioned it was really sore and uncomfortable when she put it in and I have never had any issues before with any form of discomfort with them but consultant said she’d had to use a bigger one than usual for the treatment so just went with it )
I also don’t think I helped myself as I chose to have the coil refitted as they’d had to remove my original one to carry out the procedure.
But the consultant forgot and it wasn’t till I stood up to get dressed one of the nurses remembered and asked if I still wanted it putting back in.
They seemed a bit shocked i said yes but in my mind it made sense as I struggle getting appointments at gp clinic for stuff like that and I have 2 weeks off for half term after today so made more sense to have the pain all at once.
Which unfortunately for me meant I had to have the speculum reinserted and was told it shouldn’t hurt as my cervix should still be numb ……… WRONG!!! X
I squealed in pain, hurt 10x more than when I had the first one put in back in October ( bearly flinched for the original one as it only felt like mild period pain ), this one however felt like someone had put a hot poker through me right up to my ovaries as could literally feel the pain radiate like a channel up to around my hips x
Since about 30 mins after I’ve had cramps that feel like my worst period days ( I have bad cramps that I’ve learnt to work and push through as …… don’t get days off for being a lady lol ) and been bleeding more than I’m used to these days for a period ( although I’m a chronic tampon girly so probably feels more having to use pads ) x don’t help I have undiagnosed ADHD and suffer with sensory issues one of which being the feeling of wearing pads and the feeling of things exiting x
One thing I was a little worried about as it’s never mentioned on the leaflets but have read on a few threads online is the tiredness/fatigue x I am soooooo tired. I haven’t done anything really since getting home yesterday, had a bit of an unsettled nights sleep due to having aching pains in my joints and woke up at 6am with annoying back and hip ache.
Also is it normal to have a bloated/full pressure like feeling in your pelvis ( not sure if that is the right description but only thing I can relate it too is the pressure feeling at the end of pregnancy when you get lightning crotch and the babies head is pressing on the cervix lol ) x
Feels genuinely like my cervix is heavy and bruised at times especially when I’ve walked about for about 10-15 mins x
I’ve took today off work as I work at an SEN school working with older sensory needs kids so sitting down and taking it easy isn’t overly an option as most of them like to be up and walking about a lot or on the move and also my head feels a bit foggy and I can’t seem to concentrate much if that makes sense.
Think what my random ramblings are trying to get too is why do they not tell you about the mental side of how you could feel after this procedure as I was fully prepared to go to work as normal today but knew within hours of having it done I probably wouldn’t as knew it didn’t real remotely like I thought I would.
I had a biopsy in feb which lead to this and I had zero side effects or symptoms after so expected to just feel a little sore but that’s it.
Pain and cramps I can deal with but I feel like a zombie and like my body is forcing me to rest with the aches ( it knows me so well as usually I push through regardless lol ) x
Now just the dreaded anxiety inducing wait for the results of my giant thumb top sized sample to be tested.
If you have made it to this point of the ramble I commend you lol x apologises again but talking/venting/ruminating is how I process things so even if I don’t get replies it’s helped trying to get it out my head.
@Emz87 Hey, seems like you’ve been through a lot all your feelings are 100% valid! I think the procedure is totally trivialised when really it think it is traumatic! I had the LLETZ 3 weeks ago today, got my results yesterday and thank god no cancer and they got all the pre cancerous cells so now just have to have another smear in 6 months!
In terms of the healing, feeling tired is so normal I could have napped for days, even now I still feel exhausted! I agree with you they don’t prepare you mentally for it, it really takes a toll, I was so emotional and drained!
The first week was hell for me as I caught an infection and the pain was unbearable, all you can do is just take it easy, dose up on painkillers, hot water bottle and try keep your immune system boosted with vitamins! If you have any worries about your pain or experience any other symptoms give your doctor a call!
I’m so sorry you went through this
I’ve had two LLETZ procedures, the first one I was absolutely fine during and afterwards and thought that would be the end of it all.
Four years later I was back in those stirrups facing the treatment again.
The second treatment was exactly as you’ve described. It burned. I could feel it. I was not numb. The consultant kept telling me off and to stop crying, and was visibly annoyed that I was making his clinic run late as I asked for more anaesthetic. My (now ex) partner was also literally holding me down onto the bed and telling me to stop being silly. I cried my heart out and felt suitably ashamed afterwards as I waddled into the waiting room with big red eyes and a snotty nose.
That was 2016 and I still remember it all like it was yesterday. I was and still am, traumatised by it all. He also told me it would be CIN1 at the most after he reluctantly took a biopsy and it came back CIN2/3 so I didn’t trust him at all after that anyway.
I was exhausted for several days and my ex had zero sympathy because all the medical people made out as if it’s such a breeze to have the treatment done, plus I’d had it before so I was just ‘trying to get out of doing the housework.’
Sometimes, I think it depends on the consultant and their technique. It must do, because I was numb the first damned time!
It has led to long term health anxiety in that area which is unsurprising and I’ve actually finally decided to seek help for that now! All the best x
Thank you for your response x more could definitely be done to forewarn about the possibly mental impact even if it is to point people in the direction of sites like this ( I found it via going down rabbit hole google searches trying to find out my own info on LLETZ and stuff ) x
Also given I explained to them my job role they could have warned me about the tiredness and the increased pain when being more active aside from rest and walking to the toilet etc lol x sooo glad i decided to take the extra day off as I’d have probably caused myself issues if I’d have gone into work.
My bleeding seems to be slowing now from heavy period ( passing fresh blood when ever I went to the loo ) to lighter medium flow more so just fresh red blood when wiping and the odd small clot and cramps have subsided and just getting random flashes of pain and odd feelings I’d like an electric shock in my cervix x it’s the headache, tiredness and feeling completely ran down and zero energy like when your coming down with something lol x
My main concern now is potentially ended up with infection due to the fact I had the coil refitted straight after as in hindsight it feels like I’m asking for trouble havinf a foreign object put into an open wound and keep panicking the strings will end up healed into the cervix as it scabs over as knowing my luck as unlikely as that probably is, it would be just my luck x
Is a heavy feeling normal? I’m presuming it’s possibly my cervix swelling x
Sorry I am a chronic overthinker and worrier lol x
No please don’t apologise I am also a chronic worrier myself
I had a cervical polyp removed two weeks ago and I had a heavy feeling in this general area after that, and that was nothing compared to the Lletz!
If you’re worried give your GP a ring and grab some antibiotics, I wonder why they don’t provide these post-operatively anyway to be honest x
Awww bless you. I went by myself as had no one else to go with me especially with it being half term so my sister who would possibly have come with me ( she thought it was next week and was planning on booking it off once she’d checked with me ) as she works from home but she ended up not having time to book it off and I also needed her to have my son. Not that it would have changed anything if I did have anyone there.
I was super proud of myself for not actually crying but I think a lot of that was down to shock but I did have tears in my eyes x thankfully the consultant was quick but she did look shocked and a bit flustered after. The nurse beside me was fab and kept checking I was ok.
I also think I told myself I was over reacting till I saw the state of my cervix on the screen ( was asked not to look at the screen during the procedure and they had a nurse stand in front of the screen for the LLETZ lol ) but when they were putting the coil in ( also didn’t seem to go as smoothly as they are used too as consultant flapped momentarily about only getting one on then suddenly it was sorted so assume something either didn’t attach straight away or didn’t come off like it should initially lol ) but caught a glimpse in the screen of her doing and having seen my cervix before the LLETZ when she was putting the solution on and talking the med student through what was showing and the aftermath was shocking but glad I saw it as makes me appreciate how important resting is and how serious what I had done actually is.
But I’m dreading my results and the prospect of having to possibly have it redone.
Especially as my inital smear ( admittedly I was about 3 years late having ) came back as HPV pos and low grade dyskaryosis. Colp biopsy came back as high grade changes equaling CIN2 diagnosis hence the LLETZ but MDT determined the inital smear was correct so leads me to believe the changes happened between the smear and the COLP so now worried in the 7-8 weeks since the biopsy and the LLETZ things have progressed again but time will tell lol x
I wondered this in regards to prophylactic antibiotics especially with the area it is x
I was given them after my coil insertion as a precaution as I’d forgot to do a STI swab and obviously they don’t check for stuff like that before LLETZ ( thankfully I’m not active else that would be another worry lol, started my new relationship just before I got my biopsy results so have abstained to reduce any risks of anything and will continue too for now as quite frankly I’m now scared to for fear of pain or triggering more cells as daft as that sounds )
It’s good your sis was able to have your son for you and yeah, in some ways I’m better off on my own in these scenarios!
You did really well, you should be proud! Gosh what a nightmare you’ve been through with all the coil stuff as well! especially when the consultants flapping as well, doesn’t inspire confidence does it! I’m too squeamish to have a coil altho my mum swore by hers, plus I’m celibate anyway nowadays
Thank God they didn’t let you look at the screen while they did it! I have never seen my cervix in my life, I was too scared to look at mine ever!
I hope you get your results swiftly and all is well, and that you avoid it ever again! Most women are done the first time
It’s weird isn’t it, I wanted antibiotics after my polyp removal because I assumed being such a damp, dark area surely the bacteria are living it up!? But they thought I was being dramatic lol. It’s amazing how your body can heal so well even down there!
Definitely not daft to abstain a bit longer, whenever you’re ready
x
and was told it shouldn’t hurt as my cervix should still be numb ……… WRONG!!! X
x more could definitely be done to forewarn about the possibly mental impact even if it is to point people in the direction of sites like this ( I found it via going down rabbit hole google searches trying to find out my own info on LLETZ and stuff ) x
x it’s the headache, tiredness and feeling completely ran down and zero energy like when your coming down with something lol x
and yeah, in some ways I’m better off on my own in these scenarios! 
especially when the consultants flapping as well, doesn’t inspire confidence does it! I’m too squeamish to have a coil altho my mum swore by hers, plus I’m celibate anyway nowadays 
