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Original poster

LLETZ advice

10 replies

gessami · 13/10/2015 12:01

i'm having a LLETZ tomorrow after my 3rd bad smear test (CIN3 high grade dyskaryosis) in just over a year.

does anyone have any advice on how long recovery takes? one or two people i know have said they were back at work the next day. reading others' stories online, some people were off for a month!

also did you take someone in with you?

thanks

OP posts:
spacechimp · 13/10/2015 15:30

I had a LLETZ in 2007 for CIN3. I took that day off work, but went back the next day. I felt a bit shaky due to the local anaesthetic and wouldn't have wanted to drive myself home, and DH came with me to the appointment. But that might just be me. You feel period-type pain as a result of the excision treatment, and then be prepared for on and off light bleeding for the next few weeks. I think they like you to not do anything strenous for the week or so afterwards so as to give the treatment site time to heal. I guess its a bit like a scab forming on a cut or graze, if that doesn't sound too weird.
The nurses were lovely, and tried their best to make the procedure as easy as possible. They know people will be anxious. If it makes you feel any better, LLETZ is around 95-98% effective. I have had clear smears since, so far
Hope it all goes ok tomorrow

nephrofox · 13/10/2015 15:39

A month?! Yes you may experience some bleeding for that long, but nothing that would prevent working in my experience.

I had the procedure at 11am I think. I went alone. I had a cup of tea & biscuit for half hour afterwards and then drove myself home. I looked after a baby and toddler as normal from 5pm onwards. It was fine. You will be fine.

SewingAndCakes · 13/10/2015 15:42

I went on my own but Dh picked me up and drove me home. I was ok, just rested more than usual for the rest of that day and I was fine after that. I can't remember whether I bled afterwards. The nurses were very good and reassuring. It'll be fine Flowers

mollyonthemove · 13/10/2015 15:42

I had one in 2003. As far as I can remember I took about week off. It wasn't bleeding for too long but I just wanted to rest really. My dh came in with me (as I am a wimp!) and it was fine. No pain, the worst bit, not even bad, being the local anaesthetic. You'll be ok.

twirlypoo · 13/10/2015 15:47

I took the day off, I felt very wobbly (from the anaesthetic) and a bit emotional too. I was in the room alone but my ex dp took me and just waited outside. The nurse was brilliant and held my hand the whole time though.

I had the rest of the week off through luck rather than design, and was glad of it. My recovery took 6 weeks for sure but I got an infection which hampered things. I felt like I was walking like john Wayne a bit, but it wasn't awful just uncomfortable. Does that make sense? If I knew I needed the procedure again tomorrow I wouldn't be worried. You will be fine, good luck Flowers

Original poster
gessami · 13/10/2015 15:56

Thank you! I feel much calmer now.

I think the people who took a month off had infections after the LLETZ or had very physically active jobs.

I think my mum is going to pick me up afterwards.

OP posts:
SprinkleBlushes · 14/10/2015 19:03

How did it go today OP?

I had this a couple of years ago with almost exactly the same circumstances as you.

I went with a friend who waited outside. The nurse held my hand the whole way through and I could watch what they were doing inside me on a screen although I chose to turn my head the other way as I really didn't feel the need to get that up close and personal with my cervix.

When they injected the local anaesthetic it caused my heart rate to speed up and as I suffer from panic attacks that sent my anxiety through the roof as I thought I was going to embarrass myself by having a panic attack. It also made my left leg shake uncontrollably and I started to cry but the nurse continued to reassure me and kept passing me tissues. It was all over very quickly.

When it was over I felt very weepy and shaky and demanded that my friend call a cab to take me home. Instead she took me outside and sat me down in the fresh air with a cigarette and within ten minutes I felt OK enough to make the ten minute walk back into town to sit with her outside Costa and drink a hot chocolate with another cigarette.

I took two Ibuprofen whilst we were at Costa and an hour later I was fine to walk home from town.

I had booked the next day off work as a precaution but to be honest I could have gone in and would have been just fine. I had very mild period-type pains and some light spotting. I also lost some darker blood that looked life coffee grounds over the next few days but apparently that is totally normal.

As an aside, all my smears after that were completely normal.

Original poster
gessami · 14/10/2015 22:35

lol sprinkle

so I finally got home an hour ago.

I bled more than usual during the procedure so it took longer than it should have, and then I had to stay there for a while so they could keep an eye on the bleeding.

by the time I was finished the hospital pharmacy was closed so my poor parents took me on a wild goose chase round the late night chemists to get the right antibiotic!

anyway. in bed now with a cup of tea. feeling a bit shivery and weak but fine really.

I also watched it all. the pieces of cervix she took out looked like tuna sashimi. ugh!

OP posts:
mollyonthemove · 15/10/2015 13:29

I meant to come back and ask how you were too Flowers. I couldn't bear to watch it - though dh did, and kept saying he could smell burning! reassuring....

Original poster
gessami · 15/10/2015 21:04

yes I could smell the burning too. that was actually the worst bit!

OP posts:
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