LEEP procedure ..anyone ever have one?

i had to have one yesterday. while i feel fine, body wish, i feel like i am never going to move from my couch again. i dont get it why do i feel like someone shot my dog or something. for the most part i understand why i would have my worries, what if the abnormal cells keep growing after this, what if it was cancer and it spread already? i uinderstand that for most people these are normal things to think at a time like this. but i feel like i am getting depressed..like really depressed.

also on a side note...i read that most people just get a numbing agent when they have a leep procedure..but my docter put me under, i can seem to find why he would chose to do that instead of numbing only. whe he told me i was going to be put under i did not think much about it at the time because i did not get a chance to do to much research before hand, but when i was looking up side effects today it said that they dont put you under? nay ideas?

and thanks you guys for reading and giving me your thoughts. while i was looking at the sites for such procedures i saw that they had their own comments page like this one but they did not seem to get anyone to answer them on their questions. and anytime i put something up here you guys always get back with me with your thougts and ideas..so it felt much more comforting to post here instead of there. 

thanks again.

love, rose

i had one, a few years ago.  and yeah its hard.   i just had a local but thats because i refused any more than that.  it was one of the scariest things i had to have done ( i was.... 19 at the time).

since then, i have had 2 more colposcopies with full core biopsies.  and they have mostly come out ok. 

if it was cancer, full on cancer, the colposcopy would have shown that.  the leep procedure is in general extremely safe and extremely effective.  the only thing is knowing the risks... they use it a lot for women of childbearing age b/c it has less likelihood of causing problems with the cervix.  for me, i beat the odds and am now high risk... have to have my cervix stiched closed and be high risk if i get preg.

look, i know its hard, its terrifying.  and the last biopsy i had, they could barely do it i was screaming so much from being so scared.  cervical cancer is the single most curable cancer that there is.  it grows slower than just about anything else.  even if, by some twist of fate, they find that its cancer, you have over a 90% shot at a normal life, normal recovery, and normal female parts.

**if you want to chat, feel free to come visit me in my journal.  ive been there, am still there, and am perfectly willing to ... commiserate**

Your feelings are completely normal when dealing with something like this.   About 5 years ago I had some abnormal paps, a laser procedure and two LEEP procedures.  It wasnt until later did I find out that at least 4 of my friends have experienced similar things as well as my mother.  I am not down playing it by any means but for your own mind, it is more common than you think and there are plenty of people to look to for support....especially this site.  I wish you all the luck and know you are doing what is necessary to control the situation and catching these things before they get more serious is great!!  chin up....

by the way, I ended up having two very normal pregnancies without being 'high risk' considering my cervix so everyone is different....

that was my point, im an outlier with the cervix stuff.... the risk is very low of having enough damage to ur cervix to have problems.  i just happend to have a large area of bad cells that were rather deep... so its just my luck lol.

my experience is more extreme than most, and maybe i didnt communicate that.  i am SURE that you will be fine.  keep up with your followups, take ur vitamins, and my dr says if you smoke quit smoking cuz it makes it easier for the cells to propogate.

((hugs))  and really alysia is right.... you will find a lot of support here.

thank you again guys....this is why i post here and not some where else. no matter what i need to talk about there is someone here to help.

most of my frineds are guys so they dont tend to get this kind of stuff. they worry about me and care but dont really know what to say or what its like. they mean well....but its not something they have to think about. most of the time if i talk about overly "girly" stuff they get that creeped out look because they dont know that much stuff about it...lol.

so its nice to know that there are people out their i can talk to....thank you.

mine came back, but it took years. i had a leep done last summer and a cryo about 18 years ago. im 44. thank god for the leep! maybe you are experiencing side effects from what they gave you? be sure to keep up with your paps, then you dont have to worry. which reminds me, i need to schedule one... :)

I had all that done last spring and finally ended up with a hysterectomy Aug. 23. I was just numbed for the LEEP and colposcopys, cone biopisy, etc.  Perhaps it is the after effects of the drugs effecting you also. I did have weird emotional feelings at times though. All my Paps have always been ok so I put off my annual for an extra year and ended up with all that.

On the happy side I have no more cancer or worry of cancer. It is good you are following up on this, I had a very large area of severly changed cells, thus the hysterectomy. I am 43 and have three kids so I did not think twice about it. I do still have one ovary so that is good. There are all kinds of options so be sure to talk to your doctor.

Hope you are feeling better.

Rose-

I had one in 1996 after my annual Pap showed carcinoma in situ, which is, from my understanding, basically a Stage 0 cancer, meaning found in the top skin cells only.  They only numbed me and I wish they HAD put me out because it was VERY painful and they also cauterized me so I had to actually smell my own flesh burning.  Sorry, I know that's really gross, but I mention it only to explain why I wish they had knocked me out! I am happy to say that so far, my Paps have all been normal since then.  I had to go every 3 months for a year and then every 6 months for 2 years after that, but now I am back to annually.  Stay on top of it with your OB/GYN - that is the best thing.  And know that you have a very large sisterhood of women that have had this same thing done and we are all here if you need us!

I hope you are feeling better.

Blessings

K-

I an going for a LEEP on 2-3-09. Does anyone know or have ask their doctors, if sexs feels the same after a LEEP?

it doesnt change a thing but, and this is a strange but, the leep can leave the cervix more vascularized, leading to easier bleeding if you are um having energetic sex.

It didn't change anything for me, either (in regards to having sex)...I had a LEEP done in July 2006, and I did notice that {after the two - three weeks the doctor said to wait) my cervix was more 'sensitive' during more vigorous 'activity' with my husband.

Also, the OP mentioned having some weird emotional stuff, and general anesthesia - I had both also. The day of and the day after my LEEP I spent in bed. I wasn't really in much pain, just a little crampy, but I was really lethargic and kinda weepy. I was really nervous before the procedure, so I think all the emotional build-up contributed to my mood, and I'm sure the general anesthesia had a lot to do with the lethargy as well.