Leep

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Specializes in critical care.

Hi I havent posted in a while .Just kind of lurking lately.I have a question that is personal and I am only looking for personal experiences, NOT advice. I am going in for a LEEP.I have High grade cells. first pap that has been abnormal in 18 years(I had cryo 18 years ago) I am really anxious over this procedure.The colposcopy was bad enough, cryo wasnt a cake walk either. and honestly pap smears cause anxiety in me. Any hoot I just want to know :What should I expect out of this .I have done some research .This will be done in the office and I was told I could go immediatly back to work .yet the info out there says no heavy lifting(ICU nurse here) No heavy exercise(step aerobics queen here) .When I questioned the office nurse She said "oh no dont worry you can work" So I have made an appointment to speak with the MD, weeks before I am to have this LEEP. Who has had this procedure? Was yours in an office or in a hospital? Did you get sedation? did you need sedation? Post procedure: Did you bleed alot? have pain? crampy? Fatigue?

If any one would share there experience with me I would be very greatful Thanks

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Tele, IM, OB/GYN, neuro, GI.

I used to work at a OB/GYN office and we did this procedure. The patients were given an injection of lidocaine on the cervix before the procedure and the leep itself cauderizes as it gets the sample. Most patients bleed more from the colpo than the LEEP. Most patients said it felt like period cramps afterward.

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Hey, personal experience here. I had a LEEP procedure done about 3 years ago. It was done inside the office. My OB/GYN gave me a script for Darvocet 2 weeks prior to the procedure, and told me to take 1 before the procedure to calm me down some. There was a nurse in there to talk to me about during the procedure, which helped a lot. Afterward, I was tired (probably from the darvocet) and crampy. It felt like really bad period cramps for about a day or two afterwards. I was not allowed to have sex, take a tub bath or wear a tampon for about 6 weeks afterwards. I took a couple days off of work and afterwards I went back to work as an STNA. No other problems. Hope this helps some!!

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Specializes in critical care.
Hey, personal experience here. I had a LEEP procedure done about 3 years ago. It was done inside the office. My OB/GYN gave me a script for Darvocet 2 weeks prior to the procedure, and told me to take 1 before the procedure to calm me down some. There was a nurse in there to talk to me about during the procedure, which helped a lot. Afterward, I was tired (probably from the darvocet) and crampy. It felt like really bad period cramps for about a day or two afterwards. I was not allowed to have sex, take a tub bath or wear a tampon for about 6 weeks afterwards. I took a couple days off of work and afterwards I went back to work as an STNA. No other problems. Hope this helps some!!

Thanks so much for getting back to me! I am really having a lot of anxiety over this( if you couldn't tell) I plan on asking for a script for Valium when I go in to speak with the doc prior to this whole procedure. Pain is a huge factor . I remember my cryo and that was just awful! Thanks again!!!

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Specializes in critical care.
I used to work at a OB/GYN office and we did this procedure. The patients were given an injection of lidocaine on the cervix before the procedure and the leep itself cauderizes as it gets the sample. Most patients bleed more from the colpo than the LEEP. Most patients said it felt like period cramps afterward.

YIKES!! the lidocaine into my cervix is a scary thought!!!!! Did you happen to have any very anxious women? Lol I know I sound like a huge chicken ! I am really not I had 2 baby's natural .My second was precipitous and I had a hard time with a "boggy uterus" that required methergine while I was breast feeding (now those were some cramps!) But there is something amnesiac about child birth and child care. Thanks for replying!!!!!

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Tele, IM, OB/GYN, neuro, GI.
YIKES!! the lidocaine into my cervix is a scary thought!!!!! Did you happen to have any very anxious women? Lol I know I sound like a huge chicken ! I am really not I had 2 baby's natural .My second was precipitous and I had a hard time with a "boggy uterus" that required methergine while I was breast feeding (now those were some cramps!) But there is something amnesiac about child birth and child care. Thanks for replying!!!!!

Some patients would be a little anxious I would explain what was going to happen before the procedure step by step and tell the patient if she had any questions that she wanted answered to ask the doctor before the procedure was started. I would also let them know that the machine had a vacuum so there would be a noise and that they would have to sit on a pad to ground them out. If I was the one that assisted the doctor with the procedure I would just talk to them about anything to take their mind off of the procedure. Then I would go over the post care with them and answer any question which like the above post was no tampons, sex, baths, douching, or swimming for six weeks after. I would also let them know that they could have a slight discharge from the Monsel that also helps with bleeding. It looks like mustard. I found that just by them knowing that someone would be in the room with them to talk to while this was going on would calm them down.

Here's a website that has some good info on what to expect in case there is anything that I forgot to mention. www.colposcopy.com/leep.html

I hope everything turns out fine for you and that it's nothing too serious.

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.
YIKES!! the lidocaine into my cervix is a scary thought!!!!! Did you happen to have any very anxious women? Lol I know I sound like a huge chicken ! I am really not I had 2 baby's natural .My second was precipitous and I had a hard time with a "boggy uterus" that required methergine while I was breast feeding (now those were some cramps!) But there is something amnesiac about child birth and child care. Thanks for replying!!!!!

I've heard pts. describe the injection as feeling like the Pap test scraping.

Taking relaxing deep breaths slowly in and out will help. And if our pts. seem very anxious, we'll ask if they would like a hand to hold. I've held hands before. No broken hands or fingers, either.:)

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