LEEP Complications

I'm in my late 20's and at the beginning of Oct I had the LEEP procedure to remove abnormal cells. I did not have my scheduled period after the procedure but only assumed it was because my body was healing. Now it is January and I still have not had a period. Although I get cramping when I'm supposed to be having my period, I do not actually have one.

Yesterday I went to my Gyno and he said that it looked like my cervix had healed up but scarred so much that it completely closed up. They said there seemed to be some fluid in my uterus and that I was most likely having my period but with no way for the fluid to exit. Argh!

He tried to reopen my cervix in the office, but it was too scarred (and it was very painful!!) and now I have surgery scheduled for next week to recreate the opening.

Has this happened to anyone else? The doctor said he has never seen this before and is dedicated to repairing the damage, but I am really scared since the complications of the surgery are bad (blood loss, possible hysterectomy).

What worries me more is that after my LEEP the results came back with not clearn margins, so my Gyno has let me know there is a chance he might have to do a second LEEP. With the complications from the first I feel like I am in for a roller coaster ride of horror and discomfort. I have already had an ovary removed when I was in my early 20's due to another issue and additional joint surgery last year so I am really feeling like something is out to get me. :-(

Thanks for listening to my ramble, makes me feel better to write it down.

I am so sorry you have cervical stenosis. That, unfortunately, is one of the risks of these surgeries. However, your doctor should have known about the possible risks and told you. When he saw how scarred your cervix was, he should have also scheduled you for a specific time to reopen it rather than try to do it in the office without any kind of block. Please fire him and get a different one, immediately, and don't let him do any further surgery to you, especially if he's talking about something as extreme and more than likely unnecessary as a hysterectomy. Good healthcare is a right, and your body is too precious to be trusted with just anyone. You want a doctor who cares enough and is ethical enough to want you educated enough to make an informed decision. Again, I am so sorry he put you through all of that. It's difficult enough when we are feeling so vulnerable. But to be hurt by the doctors we trust makes it harder to focus on healing.

Insofar as the unclean margins are concerned, did the doctor tell you where they were located, what grade of dysplasia they were, if they were in the endocervical canal, and they were in the endocervical glands?

In the meantime, please get copies of all of your lab reports, as that will be the first step in uderstanding what has happened to you so that your next decisions will be informed. When you have another PAP smear or a biopsy, make sure the doctor gives you a copy of those results, too. By being educated, it will get you involved in what is best for your health. That way, the new doctor will be working with you in a partnership.

If you do require and choose additional surgery, you don't have to have another LEEP. See if you qualify for something less invasive, such as cryosurgery or laser. Bear in mind that cryosurgery also has the risk of cervical stenosis and that you need an expert doctor for laser. But you do have choices, which your doctor was required to tell you. What you have always determines what is best.

Right now, there is a lot you can do to boost your immune system, so let me give you links to help you to both heal your body and fight off HPV.

This is from Tany01, who used a vitamin regimen to clear up dysplasia. Chemiszt24 did the same thing.

http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,25090

This is the homeopathy thread. Tumor posted the Green Drink, which I enjoy daily.

http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,24002

Tre has also has valuable information and also posts articles and links on her blog, so I will give you her link.

http://motherearthtreasurechest.blogspot.com/search/label/ab

Is there anyone in your family or any friends you can ask for support? I have learned loved ones want to be there for us, but sometimes they need us to tell them the best way to give us that support.

I feel so badly that your ordeal doesn't seem to have stopped, and it would help so much have somebody to even just hold your hand.

Thank you so much for your response! Initially when I heard I needed the LEEP I was too emotion to probably understand everything, that I why I'm glad fourms like this exist. The doctor said I had severe dysplaisa and there was about a 90% chance of needing to revisit to take away the lingering margins. The hysterectomy is a complication from the surgery to reopen my cervix, scary but he did inform me of this.

Unfortuatnly I don't really have anyone to discuss this will, most people I have do not know anything about this and just offer a hug. I also have Lupus so I am not sure what that has to do with cervical dysplasia, but right now I'm seeing it as 2 separate issues. I will speak with my doctor about the vitamin regime, thanks again :-)