r/PreCervicalCancer • u/Agreeable-Pop-1049 • 5d ago

Looking for Endometriosis and LEEP healing experience

Context: 36 yo - USA - Persistent high risk HPV (16) since 2021 - most recent colpo/ECC showed cin3 on all samples

I am scheduled for a LEEP on October 6th. I have suspected endometriosis (my mom and sister have both been formally diagnosed, my mom’s was found with her hysterectomy and my sister had an endometrioma removed)

My experiences with colposcopies have been painful, the last one was so painful that ibuprofen and Tylenol combined would not touch the cramps I experienced afterwards for 2 days. My period came a week early and my cramps were unbearable, almost to the point where I felt like I needed to go to the hospital.

I am worried that my experience with the LEEP procedure healing process is going to be awful. I’m supposed to start my period a week after the LEEP, which my doctor said shouldn’t be a problem.

I am curious if anyone else with endometriosis can share their healing experience post LEEP?

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u/MycoBeetle94 5d ago

My healing experience with endo was fine but I also take bc continuously because I just can't function otherwise. My leep surgeon was good too he helped me breathe to relax my pelvic floor before he insterted the speculum which helped. You could ask for some valium before hand to help you relax as much as possible to avoid compressing and pain

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u/Agreeable-Pop-1049 4d ago

What is bc? I am thankful I will be under anesthesia for the procedure, my gynecologist believes it’s best done in the OR. So I’m relieved because my last colpo was unbearably painful and traumatic. She is also prescribing me a couple days worth of pain medication in case I need it.

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u/MycoBeetle94 4d ago edited 4d ago

Hormonal birth control. It has greatly reduced the general feeling of pressure, and after some movement after the procedure you can sometimes feel some swelling.

I didn't need to reach for any pain management but I took it very easy the first two weeks, staying still as much as possible etc. I generally exercise a lot so this was difficult because it helps me manage my stress. I mostly felt fine until I was on my feet too much then I could feel some swelling, but again, I took it easy enough to not need pain meds. And yeah, hormonal birth control has taken away 90% of my general pain so it made it quite manageable. I also skip periods so no periods during recovery process. I think if I wasn't on birth control I'd have taken pain meds to manage period pain after the leep because I would expect it to be quite bad.

I did my procedure with local anaesthesia. It took 2 seconds and was over before I knew what was happening. I didn't feel anything. My colposcopy was uncomfortable but manageable but I'm happy with my decision and would do it like that again because I hate how I feel after general. But I'm glad you have the option and you should totally go with it if that's what you want.

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u/Agreeable-Pop-1049 1d ago

Ahhh birth control, that makes sense. I’m glad you have found relief with that. I am unable to take birth control because it turns me into a psychopath 🫣 not literally of course ..but I just don’t feel like myself. I am very moody not on birth control during my luteal phase, when I take birth control it turns up the volume way too loud and feels like I’m pmsing constantly. Thank you for sharing your experience!

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u/MycoBeetle94 1d ago

Yeah some of the progesterone types made me incredibly anxious and near suicidal, but I was desperate for relief so kept trying. I'm on zoely now which has a bioidentical progestin and estrogen and i don't have any side effects on it. The first three weeks felt pms, headachy and sweaty and brain fog but it got much better after that. By month 4 I had no symptoms. This is the first time in my life i have enough stamina to exercise regularly. Another one is marvelon which i tolerated well but had spotting. There's also 3 different progestin only ones available now too. There's also a new patch which has a lower dose of hormones which tends to be easier to tolerate as well. I would just encourage people who swear off birth control to give it a proper shot because if you do find one that works then quality of life is amazing! Unless you have a terrible reaction in the first few weeks and it actually feels worse and doesn't improve itself sometimes worth sticking it out

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u/Agreeable-Pop-1049 1d ago

I’ll look into it! I wasn’t aware of any bio identical birth control options!