Healing after LLETZ advice please

Hi, I’m after some advice please. My most recent smear came back hpv positive and high grade severe changes. Two weeks later I went to colposcopy and had the lletz procedure there and then with local anaesthetic. My results came back as CIN3 but no info on clear margins. Right from the next day I bled. Like a really heavy period but not bleeding through pads every hour. I’m presuming it was my period starting as I just constantly normally bleed for weeks which gyne have done nothing about. Roll on 3.5 weeks later and still bleeding and now passing golf ball size clots. Rang colposcopy to be told they’re not worried about clots and to contact Gp. Gp gave me antibiotics which I’ve been on 6 days but now I keep passing clots then filling a pad. Then it slows down, then another clot sometimes every half hour if I’m moving about. I had a 10 minute walk around town yesterday and by the time I got back to my car I’d had a clot and bled through my pad and all down my trousers. I’m not sure what’s going on it’s like it builds up with a clot then comes away and I bleed heavily a few times a day. I feel like I’m being fobbed off by colposcopy has anyone had this? Is this normal will it go as I’m now over 4 weeks post lletz. Any advice would be great thank you 

  • Hi L-smi, 

    I am so sorry to hear you have been bleeding so much after your LLETZ and you did well to flag this immediately. The situation you describe where you went to town and had a clot and bled through your pad and all down your trousers definitely warrants medical attention. Given you are bleeding heavily a few times a day and it has now been over 4 weeks post LLETZ, I would definitely get back in touch with the colposcopy department and explain the situation. If they tell you again to contact your GP, it might be worth getting a second opinion and mentioning that you have been taking antibiotics but that you are still bleeding and filling a pad. 

    If you read our information on what to expect after a LLETZ, it is mentioned in there that "you might have bleeding lasting between 2 days to up to 4 weeks" but  "it is important to act if bleeding is soaking through your sanitary towel every hour. Call the number your colposcopy team gave, call 111 out of hours or go to accident and emergency (A&E)." So don't hesitate to call 111 over the weekend for further guidance on this or to visit A&E if the bleeding gets very heavy. In any case, I think it is important to get in touch with someone just to  make sure this is to be expected and don't hesitate to give them all the details you have outlined here. 

    Feel free also to give our nurses a call on this free number 0808 800 4040 - their helpline is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm. 

    I hope that the bleeding lessens very soon as poor you it must be rather unpleasant to experience all these clots for such a long time. Hopefully it all improves soon and you can get some medical advice quickly. 

    Best wishes, 

    Lucie, Cancer Chat Moderator

  • Thank you so much Lucie for the advice. I will definitely contact the colposcopy department again tomorrow. Thanks again for replying and being so kind.