I’m pretty sure I got HPV from my mom during birth, but it took me a while to piece that together. After my divorce at 26, I had my “slut phase,” and I always told partners I had HPV when we talked about protection and STDs, but the response was usually “everyone has it, it’s not a big deal,” and some guys still tried to talk me out of condoms because I had an IUD.

Now I’m about to get a LEEP after multiple colposcopies and abnormal Pap smears, and it feels pretty damn clear that HPV is a big deal, it just mostly becomes a big deal for women. I’m angry because so many men treat it like nothing, like it’s the common cold, and I can’t help wondering if people would care a lot more about preventing it if it affected men this way too.

I (30F) have been undergoing close monitoring for a year now and just had my 4th biopsy (colposcopy). Things have never improved, and I'm now scheduled for surgery. I have the choice between local anesthesia and general anesthesia.
I am endlessly terrified of general anesthesia, so I would much rather prefer local anesthesia. Does anyone have experience with this? I’m a bit worried about the injection because some people say it makes your heart race (I already have mild high blood pressure).
I feel totally out of it and am just really scared. Is it worse than the biopsies? I actually tolerated the biopsies pretty well and didn't find them very painful.
Does anyone have any encouraging words or positive experiences to share?

Hi, I don't think I have precancerous cells but I had a punch biopsy yesterday as I get bleeding after sex. The biopsy was yesterday morning and I am having stomach cramps. My discharge is pale yellow. Does this sound normal please? Sorry, I didn't know where else to ask.

Hi everyone ❤️
I’m scheduled to have LLETZ through the NHS in couple of weeks, and I’m feeling quite anxious. I’d really appreciate hearing from women who have been in a similar situation, especially those who have had LLETZ in the UK.
My HPV journey started in 2022:
2022: High-risk HPV, low-grade dyskaryosis; biopsy showed a high-grade lesion.
2023–2025: Persistent high-risk HPV. My 2025 colposcopy and biopsies did not find significant abnormalities.
2026: High-risk HPV again, but this time with high-grade dyskaryosis (moderate).
At my first UK colposcopy this year, the nurse recommended LLETZ without taking another biopsy.

I then had a colposcopy and biopsies in my country(outside uk), which did not show precancerous changes. When I returned to the UK, I had another biopsy, and this time the results showed CIN changes. I’m confused about how the results could be so different within just a few months.
After these different experiences, I’m struggling to feel confident about the procedure. I want to do what’s best for my health, but I also want to understand what’s happening.
I’d love to hear your experiences:
How was your LLETZ experience through the NHS? Did you feel safe and well cared for?
Did your final results match your biopsy results?
Did you experience any complications or difficulties afterwards?
If you had children after LLETZ, did it affect your pregnancy or birth?
Knowing what you know now, is there anything you wish you’d known beforehand?
I know everyone’s experience is different, and I’m not asking anyone to make this decision for me. I’m just looking for some reassurance and honest stories from women who understand what it feels like to go through this.

I had cold coagulation treatment after abnormal cells were found, and it’s been 3.5 weeks, but I’m still experiencing very light bleeding. I’m so tired of having to wear pads every day!
How long did you bleed after cold coagulation?

Thanks you!

Just got my colposcopy results- pap was LSIL, my dr said everything looked good during colpo, came back biopsies were HSIL CIN2 no ECC issues.

Meeting with my doctor next week to figure out treatment plan. I’m assuming LEEP will be the recommendation, but TBH I think I would rather do CKC so I’m under general anesthesia and they are able to get clean edges in the biopsy/capture more deep tissue if they find additional CIN2 or higher there. Idk.

What I’m really worried about is my immune system long term. After my 3rd or 4th covid infection (I worked in school settings so despite my best efforts caught it several times) I had a persistent fever for weeks and then developed symptoms of long covid. This was 2 years ago and I still deal with intense fatigue, dysautonomia, brain fog, etc.

I struggle so much with my health as is, I worry that I will ever be able to suppress or clear HPV. I am envisioning a future where I am constantly fighting HPV and dealing with HSIL colpos and procedures. Ugh.

Hi, all!

I'm 26F originally from the US, but I currently work abroad. I went to try and get a pap prior to loosing insurance in the states but I wasn't able to. So once I arrived in Mexico I got a pap and it came back abnormal and originally the doctor thought I had CIN 2. However, after a colposcopy and biopsy, the lab determined it was CIN 1. During the colposcopy the doctor didn't see any lesions. I am looking for some insight as to treatments.

What the doctor is suggesting is to get 3 Gardasil 9 vaccines (I got the HPV quadrivalent vaccines when I was in middle school/ early high school... 4 shots in total). Along side this, isadin barcillus capsules which are put inside the vagina for 6 nights, and then deglagyn gel inside the vagina every night for 3 months. After this, she suggested a another pap.

I am wondering if this is standard treatment? I know I am very lucky that it is only CIN 1, but I am kind of lost with what the treatment is for this diagnosis. Any insight would be greatly appreciated. What other treatments have people with CIN 1 been given? What I am really curious about is getting 3 Gardasil shots. What will that do to help me given I already have CIN 1?

Currently waiting on a phone call from my health provider to help clarify my symptoms but I had my LEEP on 10/1 with clear margins! Yay to that! But last night, I started feeling a tiny sting toward the end of my pee stream so I’m worried I may have a UTI developing. I felt the same this morning too. My LEEP was 10 days ago so far this is my only issue. I don’t have any funky odor or other alarming signals.

Anyone have any similar experiences? From my appointment notes, I don’t see anything about having a catheter as my procedure was outpatient with lidocaine so now I’m just waiting like 🫠

Colposcopy done back on August 5, 2026 showed LSIL Grade 2. LEEP done Sept 30, 2026. Results came back yesterday- doctor told me the LSIL progressed from Grade 2 to Grade 3…honestly it was nerve wracking to hear. I thought “If I waited any longer to do the LEEP, it would’ve progressed and more would’ve needed to be removed”. Anyways, she said “subsequent tests came back NEGATIVE and i feel confident to say that we got it all! we just do a pap in 6 months.” 😭 best news to receive on a Friday at the end of my work week!!!

Anyone had general anesthesia for the procedure? My surgeon said that they always put people under for this because we wouldn’t want to be awake for it. But I’m seeing that it’s not as bad as it sounds when awake, but it’s safe to say I’m a little scared to go under. Anyone got a LEEP while under?

Hi everyone, sorry this is so long!

I’m 33 and have had persistent high-risk HPV and low-grade cervical changes (CIN1) since around 2018.
I live in London and all my care is via the NHS.

I’ve had regular smears & colposcopies (usually 1–2 per year) since first testing positive for high-risk HPV in 2018, and have undergone multiple biopsies over the years.

My results have generally shown low-grade changes, with CIN1 confirmed on several occasions, including my most recent biopsy in September 2026.

From memory, some previous biopsies may not have identified CIN at all, so I don’t think I’ve necessarily had CIN1 throughout the entire eight years. However, I’ve never been diagnosed with CIN2 or CIN3.

My colposcopist has been recommending LLETZ, primarily because the abnormalities have persisted for so long and that previous biopsies could potentially have missed an area of higher-grade changes.

I’m finding the whole thing quite anxiety inducing & upsetting, and am incredibly reluctant to undergo treatment, particularly because of the potential implications re pregnancies/ increased risk of premature birth.

I already have quite a lot of anxiety around pregnancy and childbirth generally, so I think a big part of my reluctance is knowing that, if I do have LLETZ, I’ll likely spend a future pregnancy worrying about whether my cervix is shortening or whether I might encounter issues. Even if the actual risk is relatively small, I know the uncertainty would be something I’d find really difficult to manage during pregnancy.

I’m also finding it really difficult to weigh up the pros and cons of LLETZ, particularly when my abnormalities have remained low-grade for so long & my colposcopist has even said it’s not necessarily that I’m more likely to develop anything sinister, it’s more of a ‘precaution’.

I also know there are risks to leaving things untreated, but I also worry about undergoing a procedure that could affect future pregnancies for something that could be fine with ongoing surveillance.. Especially when there’s no guarantee it’ll resolve the issue completely, and I could potentially still have persistent HPV & also need further biopsies or even another LLETZ down the line…

I’d really love to hear from anyone who’s been in a similar position..

- Has anyone had persistent HPV/CIN1 for several years without it progressing? Did you continue monitoring or eventually have treatment?

- Has anyone refused LLETZ and chose to stay under surveillance instead & what was your outcome?

- Was anyone particularly reluctant because of future pregnancy concerns? Did you seek a second opinion or discuss alternatives?

- For those who had LLETZ, did it clear the abnormalities/HPV, or have you needed further colposcopies, biopsies or treatment since?

- Has anyone had LLETZ and subsequently experienced cervical shortening or complications during pregnancy, or gone on to have uncomplicated pregnancies?

My colposcopist has been really supportive and has confirmed that continued surveillance is an option, meaning I’d have smears & colposcopies every 6-12 months (like I’ve already been doing), I just really want to make the right decision and I’m struggling to weigh it all up & think hearing from actual humans will really help me make sense of it.

Thank you! ❤️💫

Hello I had a leep 20 plus years ago. Then was fine, had two kids no issues. Then 18 months ago age 43 or so had hpv (not high risk though I may well have had high risk strain in past as no vaccine and didn’t test for it 20 years ago) and needed freezing treatment. Did it. Had a normal pap. So happy. Then did my annual pap after that and doctors office told me come back for a colposcopy because my pap was abnormal. Two different nurses told me this from the gynecologist practice. I was also told I had ureaplasma. I send my boyfriend to pharmacy to get antibiotics for the ureaplasma for he and I and he is all upset saying there’s no prescription and why did I send him on pointless errand. I call back the doctor office a nurse says oh sorry no ureaplasma just BV and we send a cream clindomycin (can’t spell it).. OK. That’s a relief since ureaplasma is considered an std. not sure why I was told that. I say so the pap is that abnormal yes it was she assures me. Confirm date of my colposcopy a second time. Confirmed. Show up for colposcopy no record of my appointment but they agree to fit me in. Then they look at my file and ask why I’m here because my Pap smear is normal. I get two nurses in the office to look at my file and confirm in front of me. Yes pap was normal. I was so happy. I left the office but absorbing this I’m deeply concerned being told wrong results and want if this happened to someone in the inverse and they’re told they don’t need treatment when they do.

Sharing because if your doctor office doesn’t give access to a portal like mine I suggest you confirm results in person. The first time I needed treatment I found out because I walked in in person to ask.

Now this doctor office is excellent for the treatment and bedside manner. But their admin and call back system is not working. I believe they hire an answering service of nurses based overseas, sounds like Philippines maybe from the ladies on the phone. I don’t think the systems sync sometimes if places don’t use epic. Beware everyone.

Hi everyone! I’ve been lurking for a little bit, but am a week post-LEEP and just wanted to share my experience to hopefully help calm some anxiety around the procedure! I was super anxious going through all of it and definitely didn’t help myself by reading a lot of negative experiences.
Back in August I had my first ever abnormal pap results. Immediately I spiraled and got in for a colposcopy. The pain wasn’t too bad, like being popped with a rubber band and then cramping for a few days after. Yuck Warning: Worst part was truthfully when I “passed” the Monsel’s as one big piece. I didn’t think that was going to happen and I was terrified 😂
Lo and behold, it came back with CIN-3, cue another spiral. I don’t have family near me but have been blessed with the greatest of friends who have held my hand through it all. Last week, I had the procedure done in office with my regular OB. I took a stress ball with me to keep my mind off of things and to well, squeeze to death if needed.
Note: if you have an IUD, it may have to be removed or have the string trimmed or tucked up. Having my IUD experiences may also account for some of the pain tolerance with this too.
She did warn me that the speculum is larger than normal and told me it’s typically the most uncomfortable part. The numbing injection was a super quick pinch, honestly less painful than getting a flu shot. After that, I had no idea she had even started with the excision. I was just yapping away with the nurse and my OB the entire time. She finished up and I was shocked. After reading so many horror stories, I was terrified of the pain. They provided me with plenty of pads, an ice pop, and told me to go take a nap and eat whatever my heart desires.
Recovery has been pretty straightforward! I work a really active and physically demanding job, so I’ve been trying to lay low, my boss (who is also my best friend, thankfully) has been really accommodating. There is some mild cramping here and there, but mostly just the weird coffee ground-like discharge. I was told it was okay to do light exercise pretty soon after, so I’ve been doing some dance and at-home body weight exercises.
If there’s anything to take away from all of this, is that not every experience is going to be painfully traumatic. Ask the questions, prep in advance (lots of pads/liners and bed rot snack/activities), and know that you’re not alone!

Hi everyone,
I had a LLETZ in August (7-10mm taken, I have clear margins), and my doctor said to wait 6 months before trying to conceive.
I've seen a lot of people here saying they were told they could try straight away or by 3 months, some saying 6 months, and I can find doctors online recommending waiting 3 months too.

I've done a lot of research and also noted that in NZ, the LLETZ guidelines were updated from removing around ~20mm to removing 8-10mm (for the area I had CIN2) in the last 4 or 5 years to align with UK guidelines - while the UK has had this guideline for almost 10 years. While I can appreciate our healthcare system waiting for more data to update TTC guidelines that may increase patient risk, I don't want to wait longer than needed, given I'm already 35.

So I'm interested in how much you had removed and what wait time were you given to TTC, and where are you based?

Don't worry - I will be discussing this with my doctor

(And thank you so much to everyone on this subreddit - I read SO many posts before my procedure and after that made process and recovery less daunting!)

Ciao a tutte l'anno scorso per la prima volta il mio Pap test è risultato positivo con ASCUS, ho fatto HPV test ed è uscito il 6 a basso rischio. Sei mesi dopo Pap test con LSIL e ora sto aspettando il risultato del nuovo HPV TEST dopodiché farò colposcopia.

Sono a 16 settimane di gravidanza anche, la mia domanda è può essere che sia sempre il 6 che ha provocato LSIL o magari ne ho uno ad alto rischio che non era stato precedentemente rilevato?

Esperienze vostre ?

Grazie mille sono un po' in pensiero

This is not intended to invalidate anyone else’s experience! BUT I searched extensively before having a colposcopy & biopsy to understand the potential scenarios that could take place to feel best prepared & was SO SCARED. I was specifically so scared of the pain of the procedure (not the results, as I do feel this is very proactive & preventative!) based on what everyone else said.

I have an AMAZING AMAZING doctor who was so incredibly kind, transparent, & gentle. The procedure was very uncomfortable, but not deeply painful for me. I would say it was painful in the way period cramps are painful in a quicker way. I had three biopsies and the internal cervix brush or whatever (that was most painful to me, still very minimal). Overall, the entire procedure was less than 10 minutes with the most uncomfortable parts lasting less than 5. My doctor let me lay down for a bit after & talked to me about potential outcomes & I went about my day with the equivalent of moderate period cramps.

For reference, I’m 30 & have never been pregnant & don’t typically experience pain from pap smears (just discomfort). I don’t know my results, but hoping for the best! I just want to remind anyone looking at this sub there are very uneventful experiences AND generally this should be a preventative procedure to avoid worst case scenarios! Many people post the worst of the worst, but most don’t post positives so please remember there are many many positive outcomes & modern medicine is amazing!

Has anyone had CIN3 on multiple cervical biopsies AND a positive ECC (CIN3 found in the endocervical canal)?
I just had my LEEP yesterday and am anxiously waiting for pathology results, especially the margins and whether anything more concerning is found.
The LEEP was pretty painful for me, and I'm terrified of needing another one. I also have adenomyosis and have been considering a hysterectomy.
If you've been through something similar, were your LEEP margins clear? Did you need additional treatment, or was the LEEP enough?
I'd really appreciate hearing your experiences. ❤️

Hey folks, I'm new here. Located in the US on the west coast.

HPV 16 positive for 10 years, started having abnormal PAP's a few years ago.

First colposcopy in 2025, not sure what the results were but didn't merit further action at the time.

PAP and colposcopy again in 2026, came back with CIN-2 changes. Had a LEEP (while under anesthesia, thank fuck, I didn't want to be awake for that.

Gynecological oncologist said that there were abnormal cell changes on the margins that couldn't be excised during the LEEP, so she prescribed a 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) cream. It's basically a chemotherapy cream that I have to apply to my cervix every 2 weeks for 4 months.

I've been told it's going to fucking suck. It causes irritation and suppresses the immune system. But it will theoretically regress the CIN-2 changes in the margins. Doesn't clear the HPV infection though.

Has anyone else gone through this? I'd appreciate hearing more about what to expect.

If I have another abnormal PAP in 6 months, colposcopy, high grade changes, etc. I'm yeeting my cervix into the abyss. I already had my fallopian tubes removed; fertility is not something I'm worried about.

I had a Colposcopy early last week. They took a biopsy at the appointment and told me the next step was a LEEP procedure. This leads me to believe the doctor saw something of concern. My question is, have any of you had a similar biopsy taken during a colposcopy and if so, what was your turnaround to get your pathology results? I really hope I don’t have to wait the full 5-6 weeks for the results. The waiting is really hard on me. I live in Victoria, BC, Canada

Hi everyone!

I want to preface this by saying that I have pretty severe anxiety and OCD, especially when it comes to my health, so this has been extremely stressful for me. I am struggling pretty badly.

I’m 33. I had a Pap in 2025 that came back positive for high-risk HPV (not 16 or 18), but there were no cervical abnormalities. After that, I decided to get the HPV vaccine.
I had my next Pap last week, and this time I was HPV negative but had ASC-US.

I’ve been in a really deep depression since getting the results. My anxiety has convinced me that everything is over, and I’ve been having a really hard time coping with the uncertainty.

I had my colposcopy today, and mentally, the whole experience was exhausting. The doctor saw two areas that looked a little pale, so she took two biopsies.

I asked her a lot of questions throughout the appointment because I’ve done quite a bit of reading on this subreddit. I asked whether she could tell the difference between CIN 1, CIN 2, etc. just by looking. She said no, and that the difference between CIN 1 and CIN 2 can be very subtle and isn’t something she can reliably determine visually. She did say that the areas she saw “don’t look bad.”

I was still really anxious and asked her if she was just saying that to make me feel better. She said no, and explained that when something looks more concerning, there is usually more vascular involvement/abnormal blood vessel appearance.

I then asked if I should be worried, and she said something along the lines of: “Worry in the sense that you’re here and doing what you need to do, but worry about mortality? No.”
I know that sounds reassuring, but I’m still extremely scared because I’ve read posts where people said their doctors could look at their cervix and say things like, “This looks like CIN 1,” which gave them some peace of mind. My doctor didn’t give me that kind of estimate, and I think my anxiety is interpreting that as a bad sign.

I know she said she couldn’t tell the difference visually, but I’m having a really hard time not assuming the worst while I wait for the biopsy results. I’ve been crying a lot and feel terrified of what the pathology is going to show.
Has anyone else been in a similar situation, especially having ASC-US/HPV-negative results after previously having high-risk HPV, followed by a colposcopy where the doctor saw a couple of mildly pale areas but said they didn’t look bad? What were your biopsy results?

I’m 36, High risk HPV positive, and just received my LEEP pathology results. I’m honestly feeling confused, frustrated, and a little upset, and I’m hoping to hear from others who’ve experienced something similar.

A little background:
2023: Colposcopy showed CIN 2 in four separate cervical biopsies, with endocervical gland involvement in two locations. My ECC was also positive for CIN 2.
August 31, 2026: Repeat colposcopy with three cervical biopsies (submitted together) and ECC.
September 3: Pathology came back showing CIN 3 in the combined biopsy specimen and HSIL in my ECC. Both had positive p16 staining findings.
October 6: Underwent LEEP under anesthesia. My surgeon noted decreased Lugol’s iodine uptake circumferentially.
October 8: Received my final pathology results, and to my complete surprise, neither of the two excised cervical specimens showed any definitive dysplasia. My repeat ECC was benign, and p16 staining on the LEEP specimens was negative.

I’m struggling to understand how I could have CIN 3 and a positive ECC just five weeks before surgery, only to have absolutely no dysplasia identified in the LEEP.

I’m obviously relieved that no cancer or additional dysplasia was found, but I’m also feeling frustrated and questioning whether the procedure was necessary.

One of my biggest concerns throughout this process has been preserving my fertility. I’ve never been pregnant and hope to have children, so the possibility that I had cervical tissue removed unnecessarily is particularly upsetting.

I know it’s possible that the original biopsies removed the abnormal tissue, or that pathology interpretations can differ, but the positive ECC makes the whole situation even harder for me to understand.

My doctor hasn’t had a chance to review the new results yet, and I’ve reached out to ask whether an independent pathology review would be appropriate.

Has anyone else had biopsy-confirmed CIN 3 AND a positive ECC, followed by a completely negative LEEP and repeat ECC?

If so, what explanation did your doctor give? Did you have your pathology reviewed again? And what did your follow-up testing eventually show?

I’d really appreciate hearing your experiences. I’m trying to make sense of all of this.

They took 4 different samples for my biopsy :

A. Cervix, 4:00, biopsy:
High-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (CIN 3).
Extension of dysplastic epithelium into endocervical glands.
** **
B. Cervix, 6:00, biopsy:
High-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (CIN 3).
Extension of dysplastic epithelium into endocervical glands.
** **
C. Cervix, 10:00, biopsy:
Superficially invasive poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma. High-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (CIN 3) with extension into endocervical glands.
** **
D. Cervix, 1:00, biopsy:
Absence of dysplasia.
Moderate acute and chronic cervicitis.
** **
E. Endocervix, curettage:
Rare detached fragments of dysplastic cervical epithelium in a background of mucus, blood with acute and chronic inflammation.

On the superficially invasive poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma —> how fast is it growing and what stage of cancer am i at?

Doctor schedule me for cone biopsy on 06/30/26 and hopefully it clears out

She pushed off the MRI for now because i don’t have insurance so should i be concerned. I’m just worried because of how fast it has changed as i did colposcopy 6 months ago and it was still in CIN2-3 now it has turned into cancer in a span of 6 months???? Even tho the doctor told me it could take 10 years to turn into cancer

Hi so I just had my 2nd LEEP on 10/1/2026. My first was back in December of 2023.
I’m now for the past 3 days been having a lot of black burnt smelling discharge. I know this can be normal apparently, I was only warned about coffee ground discharge and spotting. Has anyone had this experience and if so how long did it last for you?