I have read so many comments and stories on this site for months now... ever since I was diagnosed with stage 3 dysplasia roughly 6 months ago. It's my turn to tell my story. Just an FYI for all of you out there - you have every right to request a second or third pap once you are diagnosed with displasia if you don't feel comfortable jumping right into the LEEP procedure. I requested a second pap, it came back even more abnormal than the first one, so I had a colposcopy and biopsy done in the office. It was uncomfortable, but very quick, which is great since I have no tolerance for pain at all. The results came back as stage 3 so I knew I had to move forward with the LEEP procedure asap, which I'm so glad I did.
Since I have no tolerance for pain, I elected to go under general anesthsia in the out-patient ambulatory center, in a hospital my doctor is affiliated with. I must admit, it was an extensive process... I had to avoid eating or drinking anything for at least 12 hours, I had to go through pre-surgical testing, and the day of my procedure, the room that was booked for me had a prior surgery that ran late, so guess to had to wait!! I sat there for 2 hours wearing a cap and gown, watching crappy tv shows with an i.v. hanging out of my right arm. It was annoying, to put it politely.
They finally walked me into the room, which looked a bit scary. It was a very large, bright white room with a bed right in the center. When I laid down they strapped me in and asked me to relax. The staff were so professional, thank goodness my doctor knows how nervous I get so he kept making me laugh. Once they administered the anesthia I was out like a light. When I woke up, my mom and fiance were there with me. I felt FINE!! A little tired and groggy, but they give you food and drink to help you along. I had some cramping and discharge for a few days, but with a little bit of over the counter meds I felt fine. To be honest, getting my wisdom teeth removed was a HECK of a lot worse. If the LEEP procedure is the worst thing anyone ever has to go through, you should consider yourself a VERY lucky woman.
It has been roughly 6 weeks. I went for a check up with my doctor one week after the procedure and he said I'm healing just fine. He also got my results back from the lab pretty quickly, and he said all of the pre-cancerous cells are gone. Obviously there is always a risk it will come back, but what are the alternatives - risking your life? It's not worth thinking that way. And, miscarriages are scary, obviously, but this is a slight risk when dealing with any type of cervical cancer, and anyone avoiding the LEEP procedure for that reason needs to get over that fear. Early pregnancies are ok as long as the baby comes out healthy... Some women have said they worry about not being able to deliver normally due to scar tissue build-up... so, you'll have a c-section. It's not the end of the world.
All in all I had a fairly good experience, and I feel fortunate that this procedure even exists so that my dysplasia did not turn into full blown cancer. The rest of the risks can and will be dealt with. I hope reading about my experience helped someone get over their fear of having it done. Oh and by the way, I just had sex with my fiance for the first time in 6 weeks 2 nights ago, and it was fine. No pain, no bleeding, everything was perfect. Next pap in 4 months! Cheers to happy vaginas =)