Post-colposcopy cramps - what is going on?
August 30, 2016 8:55 AM   Subscribe

I had no cramps immediately following my colposcopy, but they've started 5 days later. Is this normal?

YANMG. I had a colposcopy, biopsy and LLETZ treatment on Thursday. Since then I have experienced no bleeding, minimal discharge and very mild cramps (a few hours after the procedure). The nurse told me to expect both bleeding and cramps for a few days.

Today (Tuesday) I am experiencing what feels like menstrual cramps and the discarge has slightly darkened. My period is due in 9 days. My periods are fairly regular, quite heavy and my cycles are between 30 and 37 days long.

My questions:

Is it possible that my period will be early this month due to the procedure? Or is it possible that I am experiencing the cramps that I was expecting a few days ago?

I will phone my doctor in the morning, but hoping someone can shed some light on this for me. Colposcopies are scary!
posted by drunkonthemoon to Health & Fitness (2 answers total)
 
Best answer: Is it possible that my period will be early this month due to the procedure? Or is it possible that I am experiencing the cramps that I was expecting a few days ago?

Both things are possible. Since the cervix is a moving changing thing all the time, if it's just now starting its pre-period procedures you're probably getting some uncomfortable movement of the LLETZ site(s) with the increased pain. You may have also had a good bit of swelling at first that is going down now, with similar results.

I don't know that I'd make an urgent call to the doctor, but then I had a much more primitive version of this procedure 20 years ago and it was 6 weeks of discharge and cramps. If you were told a few days, I would consider this still in the "few" range and not be too stressed if ibuprofen is sufficient to control the discomfort. Do make the call if you feel like this is outside what you were told to expect, but don't panic.
posted by Lyn Never at 9:21 AM on August 30, 2016 [1 favorite]


I am not a lady but have had similar procedures. This would have been in my do not panic but do call the doctor list, given the advice I received at the time.
posted by deadwax at 3:03 PM on August 30, 2016


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