Back from LEEP and some feedback for you all

LAgirl81

Hey k!

Congrats and going through your surgery successfully! I hope you heal quickly.

I haven't had a LEEP done, but when I talke to the different doctors about LEEPs, they told me quite different things than you doctor did!

I'm sorry she was rude to you. I really don't understand how some doctors think a LEEP is no big deal-- in the grand scheme of surgeries it sure isn't, but still, when YOU are the one with your legs propped up and getting ready for part of your cervix to be cut out, hey, that is a pretty big deal in my book!

DEFINITELY change doctors asap. Too bad you couldn't have changed your doc before the LEEP! Also, she definitely misinformed you about the scar tissue. EVERY doctor, nurse, etc I've seen that one risk of the LEEP is that the scar tissue can cause cervical stenosis. *Everyone* who gets a LEEP will have scar tissue-- in every surgery anywhere on your body, if you're removing tissue, there will be scar tissue forming over the area where the tissue was excised. The same goes for the cervix. That part of the cervix won't grow back, but will heal with scar tissue. Most women won't experience any problems with this, but 1-2% of women who get LEEPS will get scar tissue that closes off the cervical canal.

I'm very surprised your doctor misinformed you about this! So strange. It's funny you say that, because my friend who got the cryo, said her doc told her that it *didn't* cause scar tissue. Why are these docs saying different things???? Aren't they reading the same medical books?

Yeah I'd let your cervix heal for at least a month before sex. Awww sucks! Your bf will have a lot of catching up to do next month.

As far as exercise, I'd wait for a while before doing heavy exercise, too. Maybe some light exercise would be okay in a few days. But I think avoid anything heavy for a while (like leg workouts, squats, etc).

I'm glad it went ok!!! Now go rest and have your friends and/or boyfriend spoil you with chick flicks and ice cream. Feel better soon!

fluffybottom

I'm back as well. Ugh. Well .. that was fun. I must be very resistant to drugs because..

1. I took three pills of Valium and still no effect,
2. The anaesthesia didn't really work so well so I felt quite a bit of what was being done

But it's over, yay, and my doctor said no sex for four weeks instead of six weeks. She also told me that I could start using tampons again after two weeks and that I don't really need to limit my physical activity -- tennis, working out, etc.

I'm feeling kind of crampy and just generally icky so I'm going to lay down for a nap here in a few. However, I'm going over to a friends house tonight because she baked me 'SORRY YOUR JUNK GOT CUT UP' cake (hehehe) and another friend sent me the most gorgeous flowers that are just filling my apartment with the most beautiful fragrance.

Hugs for k2626! I was thinking about you..

Oh, and my doctor also told me that I need to come back in immediately if I experience bleeding that is heavier than a heavy flow period.

__________________
-n.

k2626

Welcome back Fluffy and congrats for getting this over with! That stinks that you were able to feel some of it. I really did not, in fact after the first test my doctor gave a "test" and because I felt the test she gave me another shot which I felt. Note: shots in "there" is NOT fun, BUT I felt nothing after.

LA- I agree, I do not think my doctor knows what she is talking about. She actually suggested two sites I go to for concise info on LEEPS so when I got home I went to one of them and it did say LEEP DO have a risk in potential pregnancy issues down the road. So weird for her to think otherwise. She works w CPMC which is so repubtable that it shocks me she said there was no risk! I am going to go back to my old doc who is in the same office after my follow up.

Anyway, Fluffy glad you are getting out of the house for yummy cake! My friend also sent me a huge thing of flowers which was a nice surprise. Are you cramping up at all?

So now we are in line for the waiting game....

kittycatjj

Hi K and Fluffy

Glad that it is all over for you. Now is the healing process.

Seems that doctors have different opinions about LEEP and the recovery process. My doctor told me no dancing/ exercise and no sex for at least a month. Maybe it's because I had quite a chunk taken out of me (one was 2.2 cm x 1.3 cm and two smaller ones). Actually, my doc said it wasn't that big as I haven't had babies and my cervix (ex-cervix =p) was small. I saw a few photos of other LEEPs that she did. Yeah, pretty big chunks.

K, I hardly felt anything the couple of days after LEEP. Very mild cramping only. If you are concerned, go find another doctor fast.

Any doctor who said that there is no scar tissue is b******t! I saw my cervix before AND after LEEP. Trust me, it looked radically different! It was black, with pus, like a blackhole after LEEP! The first thought was 'gosh, I have to 'regrow' my cervix'! I'll be going back for another check on 23 Jul. Will update if the 'blackhole' is smaller/gone.

Due to different time zones, I believe you must be sleeping now ... Sleep tight ...

k2626

The doc showed me what she took and she took two pieces that were the size of a quarter, and was as thick as about two quarters stacked. Prior to this she said it would be about 3 mm but it looked bigger.

Yay, it is so strange to me that she told me that there would be no scar tissue, I am so baffled by that. It is scary if she truly thinks that!

So you got to see your cervix? Did they take a picture or something? The "black hole" is probabley just scabing I assume?

LAgirl81

Ok girls now I'm confused!!! Did they take more than one piece of tissue out for both of you?! When the doctor told me about the LEEP, she drew me a picture and showed exactly where and how much they take out. It seemed to me that only one chunk is removed. But it did look pretty big on the drawing and it sort of freaked me out how much is removed! So why can't they take away the bad tissue with one excision? Isn't more than one tissue removal going to cause more of a risk factor with preterm delivery, etc?


Kittycat, the doctor told me that the area removed by a LEEP doesn't grow back, just forms scar tissue. At least that's what she told me. Hmm it seems the LEEP is very subjective depending on the doctor you see. I mean, one doc tells me to get a LEEP and the other tells me to wait! That's why I'd be nervous to go with an aggressive doctor-- it seems like they'd take more than necessary as they like to "err on the side of caution." My boyfriend (the PA) said that he's noticed while working in the medical field that a lot of medicine now is CYA medicine = cover your a** medicine, haha. I think they have to be aggressive with everything just in case they undertreat a patient and something horrible develops/happens and the doctor and hospital get sued. Interesting to know!

Anyway girls I hope you both heal quickly and have clear margins! Rest and relax these next few days.

kittycatjj

Yes, I have a photo of what my doctor took out. Freaked me out the first time I saw it.

My doc took out the main chunk of 2.2 cm by 1.3 cm, i.e. the 'cone' and two other thin pieces. Seems that there were 3 areas with abnormal cells. Docs do take out the abnormal and some normal cells. I asked my doc and she said it is a judgment call how much to take out.

K, you have a point there. What happens when the cervix heals? Will I see what I saw before LEEP? I will have to check with my doctor the next time I see her.

k2626

Hey Kitty. So you saw your cervix before the LEEP? That was not when you saw the "black hole" right? I assume that normal "skin" grows back, like when you have a scab, but I do not know if that part of the cervix actually grows back to normal size?

becks77

fluffy anmd k2626, glad its all over for you - just teh waiting game now. and sorry to hear k2626 about your docs knowldge of teh subject, and fluffy taht you felt it :-(


i didnt dare look at teh screen when i was at teh clinic, either at colposcopies, or when i had my leep...but the otehr half kindly informed me i had three "chunks" taken out, and tehy looked liek pieces of steak...lovely!!!!

i have nmo idea onm teh size of mine, as teh gyno didnt tell me much, i thinks he was trying to avoid making me pass out, as im not teh worlds best with blood etc.

anyway here's crossingfingers for us all now :-)

kittycatjj

K, yes, I saw my cervix during the colposcopy. It was nice and pink and looked very normal. In fact, my doctor told me that it looked really fine when she took 3 little pieces for biopsy. That was the first time I saw my cervix.

The second time was 1 week after LEEP when I went back for a check. That was the 'black hole'. My doctor took a photo but it turned out pretty bad so she didn't give it to me. I was thinking to myself, 'must be so black and bad that with the strong light, the camera couldn't take a decent photo!'. LOL!

Maybe we should start another thread on whether the cervix 'grows back' after LEEP. That's an interesting thought.

I'm having my period now and it is bad. So bad that the pad couldn't hold the flow and I had to make a dash to the washroom as the blood was running down my leg! Very very heavy flow, cramps, totally uncomfortable. When can I go back to tampons! (am venting here!) Sorry for the graphic description.

fluffybottom

I wasn't wailing in pain or anything. Just I definitely felt what they were doing here and there, enough to make me flinch. But I didn't want to say anything because I just wanted it over with -- I knew if I said something, she'd probably stop, hit me with a few more shots, etc.

I didn't see pictures of my cervix, either before or after, but I had to take my bag of stuff down to the lab. I peeked in and there were three containers -- she also did another coloposcopy prior to starting the LEEP so the other containers might have been that.

I've been feeling fairly crampy since the procedure but not in pain. Just kind of sleepy and worn out -- no doubt the result of the ZOMG adrenaline leaving me. I tried to be as relaxed as possible during the procedure but when they were done, I noticed how tightly I was holding all my muscles.

Did your doctor's give you any painkillers or anything afterwards? I got nothing! I was thinking about swinging by the store for some Motrin or something but considering that I am apparently impervious to anaesthesia, Valium, Restoril and Vicodin, maybe there is no point?

__________________
-n.

kittycatjj

Hi Fluffy

Gosh, you were brave! I'm the coward. I had general anesthesia. Was under for an hour and when I woke up, it was all over.

They made you carry your stuff to the lab?! Gosh, that's mean!

I was given painkillers but I never took any. The crampy feeling was bearable. I don't like painkillers anyway. They mess up my tummy and I get gastric pains.

It should be pretty late over at your side of the world. Good night ...

gorgikin

Hey, I am so glad you guys finally got the LEEP over with!!! I just realized I forgot to warn you about your heart rate going up...but too late. I was meaning to say something since noone told me until it happened. I remember laying there thinking this feels really wierd and scary...and oh gosh..is this normal. About that time the doctor's stopped talking about the Padres long enough to say, oh by the way you may feel your heart rate go up....

Anyways, so glad this part is over for you both. Hope you are recovering well, and I am so sorry to hear they had you carry your tissue down to the lab. On one hand, I guess you know it got there, but on the other....jeez....talk about surreal.

Hugs to you both!!!!

k2626

Ha yeah my doc asked if I wanted to see what she took out and I was like you bet I do! It was strange seeing it though. LOL.

No they did not give me any pain killers. I have been taking advil and actually only had cramps for about two hours on and off after. It felt like a bad mix of period and gas cramps, I could not even stand up at one point. I feel a wee bit crampy now but not a big deal. No bleeding yet.....

Oh yeah, the shot did not make me feel too dizzy (though the doc said it could) just made me feel a bit "out of it".

Cant wait to get the results back!

Becks, have you gotten yours?