Ok, I posted last week after my colposcopy and biopsy...I got my results today and unfortunately it IS dysplasia. He did not tell me whether it was mild, moderate, or severe though and he did mention HPV. I feel horrible, guilty, and scared out of my mind!! I am waiting for them to call me to schedule the LEEP. If anyone could please let me know what to expect before, during, and after, I would greatly appreciate it. I wish there was some way I could have prevented this, I have always been SO careful...:(

Also, if anyone could help me understand how long this takes to develop, that would be helpful, I had a normal pap last year and now this, so it seems so unreal....

I'm so sorry that you have to go through this. From my understanding this can take years to develop, but not always. Like you I was always careful, but totally unaware of HPV and it's effects. I contracted it and like you I tested abnormal after years of normal paps. So I went through the colposcopy, biopsy, and leep. They found mild & moderate dysplasia in a years time! I came through with clear margins!

First, don't feel guilty, be glad that they found it before it could get worse. Also, don't be scared, as far as surgery goes this is mild. Being anxious is the worst part. I was awake for my surgery, I'm not sure if you will be or not but this is what I went through.

Take advil before you go in. Talk to the nurse and doctor about any questions you have once in the room. I felt more at ease when he took the time to make sure I understood everything that was happening. The leep took 10 minutes total! Set up and clean up took longer. I was in there for about 45 minutes.

It starts out like a normal exam, but the use a bigger speculum and put a sticky pad on your leg to ground you. My doctor also hooked up a tube to the speculum to asborbe the smoke. Then he applied the vingar solution to see and selected the leep tool. Gave me two shots, which did not hurt, but some people it does from what I read. Then he cut out what he needed to. I couldn't believe how fast it was done. Then he made sure I wasn't bleeding. I sat there for a few minutes to make sure my blood pressure came back down and then I was free to go. Other than being tired because it was early in the morning, I felt fine. I took the rest of the day and the next to relax and recover, it was nice being pampered! Other than a little discharge that lasted 3 days I was fine, but tt took me a few days to feel like myself again. I was back to normal activities a few days later. Good luck with everything and let us know how it goes.

I'm so sorry that you have to go through this. From my understanding this can take years to develop, but not always. Like you I was always careful, but totally unaware of HPV and it's effects. I contracted it and like you I tested abnormal after years of normal paps. So I went through the colposcopy, biopsy, and leep. They found mild & moderate dysplasia in a years time! I came through with clear margins!

First, don't feel guilty, be glad that they found it before it could get worse. Also, don't be scared, as far as surgery goes this is mild. Being anxious is the worst part. I was awake for my surgery, I'm not sure if you will be or not but this is what I went through.

Take advil before you go in. Talk to the nurse and doctor about any questions you have once in the room. I felt more at ease when he took the time to make sure I understood everything that was happening. The leep took 10 minutes total! Set up and clean up took longer. I was in there for about 45 minutes.

It starts out like a normal exam, but the use a bigger speculum and put a sticky pad on your leg to ground you. My doctor also hooked up a tube to the speculum to asborbe the smoke. Then he applied the vingar solution to see and selected the leep tool. Gave me two shots, which did not hurt, but some people it does from what I read. Then he cut out what he needed to. I couldn't believe how fast it was done. Then he made sure I wasn't bleeding. I sat there for a few minutes to make sure my blood pressure came back down and then I was free to go. Other than being tired because it was early in the morning, I felt fine. I took the rest of the day and the next to relax and recover, it was nice being pampered! Other than a little discharge that lasted 3 days I was fine, but tt took me a few days to feel like myself again. I was back to normal activities a few days later. Good luck with everything and let us know how it goes.


I myself have been wondering why some females only get the mild stage while other get more advanced stages after getting a normal pap every year... My guess would be whether or not they have the more aggressive strains of it like 16/18 or whether or not they smoke.

My Leep was NOT like that. I know some can be done in the office and others in the hospital. Mine was in the hospital and I was put out. I was brought in and had an IV which they put some meds in and it made me tired. When I went in they put me totally out. I remember waking up and saying "that was the best sleep I ever had" I was almost upset that they woke me up. I think they gave me Tylonol. I went in a recovery chair and sat there to totally wake up. I didn't feel any cramping if so it was like menstral cramps but not bad at all. I was hungry so they made me bread and jelly and offered me a soda. After about an hour I got up and went home. They said to rest so I did but I was still up doing normal things because it didn't feel like anything was done. My displasia was moderate to severe. Also HPV. Don't think of it as cancer of the lungs or brain. It's carcinoma cancer, like a mole on your skin. It's easily taken care of. Don't worry yourself sick. My FIL is a gynocological oncologist and he explained it all to me and said that it is really no big deal. The only thing that is bad the IV. Ya know, I explained to my friends that I felt like a scum bag because I had HPV and everyone of my friends had it!!! It is that common. 3 out of 4 people usually have it. You could have gotten it from your very first partner. There is nothing to be ashamed about or worry about.
Oh.....you may have a brown or black discharge which is the burned off tissue, this is ok also...I had some pink spotting also. You may even smell a bit wierd but it will all go away. Try not to be scared. I have had all my paps after come back fine. Good luck. Enjoy the best sleep you'll ever have!! : )

omg!! i have to go get a colposcopy pretty soon and my gyn who gave me the pap smear said that i most likely have mild to moderate dysplasia, and that i will most likely have to get the leep. im so scared, i hate the idea of FREEZING off cells down there i hope to dear god that they put me out for it,....in fact i will not even do it if they intend on keeping me awake. im also scared to get the biopsy because ive had skin biopsies before and they hurt A LOT. i also felt disgusting when the doctor told me that i had hpv...but thanks to the boards here i know that it is more common than i thought....my only problem is i dont know if i should tell my boyfriend, you see we have been together for 3 years, and i was HIS first but he was not mine....does anyone here think that it is absolutely necessary to tell him?...im more scared of that than even the LEEP prcedure because i dont think he will take it very lightly.

yes...I think it is very important to tell him. If you were to break up and he had intercourse with another woman afterwards then she would get hpv and very likely could develope dysplasia also. I know that I would not want to be responsible for someone else experiencing this. If you love him you should tell him...males can also develope problems from hpv so it is very important that you tell him. Also, if you have been dating for 3 years then you should be at the part in your relationship where you can discuss things like this. I told my boyfriend after 5 months of being with him and I have the visible kind so he even occasionally checks me to see if there are any changes I should be aware of. It is also extremely helpful to have him to talk to about it. I gave him the hpv also.

....oh yeah, with leep they use an electric wire....cyrotherapy is the one that involves freezing. I wish you good luck with everything.