Okay friends, let’s talk straight about what happens after you leave the doc after a LEEP. Seriously, nobody tells you the nitty-gritty, but I just went through it myself. Here’s my real-deal journal of the messy, boring, slightly gross but totally normal recovery.
The Immediate Aftermath: Heading Home
Walked out feeling kinda… empty? Not pain exactly, more like deep period cramps low in my belly. Doc said it would feel like that. My legs were shaky too, but that was probably the nerves finally settling. Grabbed a ride home – do NOT try to drive yourself, seriously. Got straight on the couch with a heating pad on my stomach. Lifesaver.
The First Few Days: The Bleeding Drama
Doc mentioned spotting. Ha! For me, it wasn’t dainty drops. Day One and Two were like a medium-light period flow. Bright red blood mixed with that weird saline stuff they use. Changed pads every few hours. Here’s the funky part:
- Day 3: Flow slowed down. Good sign, right?
- Day 4-5: Plot twist! Noticed this weird brownish stuff. Not liquid blood anymore, more like thick, old-blood gunk. Freaked me out! Turns out it’s totally normal – just the burned area shedding and healing underneath. Gross, but normal.
- Day 6-7: Brown gunk mostly gone. Hallelujah! Now it’s just watery, tan or clear discharge. Annoying, not painful.
The Cramp Saga & Feeling Run Down
Those low cramps? Hung around for a solid 3-4 days. Like a constant dull ache. Popped ibuprofen regularly those first few days, stuck to the heating pad. Honestly, the fatigue hit harder. Felt drained. Like I’d fought a battle. Listened to my body, napped a LOT those first weekdays. Did absolutely nothing strenuous. You gotta rest. Your body’s busy healing.
That Weird Smell & Discharge Situation
Okay, nobody warned me about the smell. Yes, it happens. Around day 5, there it was – kind of medicinal, maybe a bit like burnt hair? Sounds awful, but it’s just from the scab dissolving down there. It DOES go away after a week or two. Promise. The watery discharge stuck around longer though, sometimes tinged pink if I did too much.
The Waiting Game: Getting Back to “Normal”
The doc said nothing inside the vagina for 4 weeks. Minimum. Four. Whole. Weeks. Seemed forever.
- Light Activity: After the first week, walked slowly around the house more.
- Back to Work: Desk job? I went back after 3 days (still tired!). Anything physical? Give it at least a full week, maybe two.
- Exercise: Walking slowly after a week? Maybe. Anything that makes you sweat or strain? Nope. Pushed it once around week 3 – hello cramping and fresh spotting! Lesson learned. Took the full month before even thinking about my usual workout.
So the timeline cheat sheet from my real mess?
- Heavy spotting/Bleeding: Up to 2-3 days
- Brown “Stuff” (Scab shedding): Days 3-7ish
- Funky Smell: Peak around days 5-10, fades by week 3
- Significant Cramping: Eases off noticeably by day 4-5, gone by end of week 1
- Serious Fatigue: First week is key
- Watery Discharge: Can linger annoyingly for 3-4 weeks
- Truly Feeling Normal: Like yourself? Honestly, for me, it was the 6 week mark.
Look, it’s a process. It’s not glamorous. You’ll bleed weird colors. It’ll smell strange. You’ll be bored and tired. But it passes. Listen to your body, rest more than you think you need, and don’t panic about the brown stuff. That’s your body doing its job underneath. Go slow getting back to life, especially the fun stuff – rushing it only sets you back. Hang in there, it gets better!
