Silver Nitrate? Why do this?

I had my one year hysterversary and had to see my dr. today. I've been bleeding off and on for the last few months and recently have started bleeding every time DH and I are intimate. When I went in today the dr. said I needed Silver Nitrate cauterization. Is this normal for those of us that still have our cervix? He said that it would form a scar and that I should stop bleeding. Oh my goodness! I am in so much pain right now. I'm feeling really bad cramps and my lower back hurts. Also, I'm bleeding again. Is this all normal? Help!

doxa

I'm so sorry you're having such a hard time, doxa...

What does your doc think is causing the pain and cramping? I wouldn't say that this is "normal" for a woman with a cervix, but it sounds like your doc isn't too worried about it. You may have granulations--areas that haven't healed--where the uterus was detached from the cervix. These areas tend to bleed.

My doc calls silver nitrate "a surgeon's best friend." I've had a lot of trouble healing in various places, and several applications of silver nitrate. It ususally works, but sometimes you'll need more than one application. Why didn't your doc do it at your appt?

Try not to worry too much. I hope you feel better soon.



Margot

Margot,

Thank you so much for replying. My dr. did do the treatment today - that's when the cramping and bleeding started. He's a busy guy so he doesn't really talk too much (unless I ask a question). Is it normal to have pain after this treatment? He said that he did it because when he scraped my cervix it started bleeding. He said that's not normal. I'm just confused why he didn't do it before. I've been bleeding almost every time my DH and I are intimate. Any thoughts?

doxa

(((doxa))), I'm sorry that you aren't feeling well after your silver nitrate treatment. I had more than a few of them starting around 7 months post-op and I do remember that I felt achy and crampy afterward for a few days. I also spotted some and had a discharge that was blackish/silverish. After each treatment my doctor's orders were to abstain from sex for a week.

I don't have a cervix but the vaginal cuff is where my granulation tissue was and there was a lot of it. (I also spotted when my husband and I were intimate.) The first treatment of silver nitrate didn't help nearly as much as my doctor hoped and he ended up doing a minor surgical procedure in his office at my followup visit to remove the tissue, followed up by more silver nitrate treatments. The good news is, eventually it did all clear up and heal and I have had no problems with it since.

According to my doctor, it isn't known why some of us have granulation tissue and others don't. I'm sorry that you're having problems but stick with the treatments and eventually you should be all cleared just like me!

To read more about silver nitrate and granulation, you can click here.

I'm sending s!!

doxa, If you kept your cervix and ovaries, then you are probably having mini periods. Is this the first time you had bleeding? If not, check if the bleeding was cyclical. I am sorry you are going through this but as far as I know this is normal for some ladies who had a SAH. I would ask your doctor if this is possible and I am not sure if silver nitrate is the answer. From what you have posted it really sounds like you are having your period not just unusual bleeding from granulation, etc.

Emily s

doxa...

Do you mean you've told your doc you've been bleeding on and off and he didn't do a treatment until now? Is that why you want to know why he didn't do one before? If so, I can only take a guess that may he or she thought that you might heal on your own. But, clearly your problem is getting worse if you bleed everytime you have sex. Your poor cervix just doesn't want to be touched!

And, yes, it is perfectly normal to have pain, cramping and bleeding after this treatment. It doesn't hurt every woman every time...it sounds like you are already pretty tender there, so scraping and putting a burning chemical on *you* would really hurt! When I had pain and cramping after a treatment, it usually only lasted a few days. But, the blood and discharge April Dawn was talking about might last a little longer.

I have to say that I *don't* think this is a mini period. The fact that you bleed whenever you are initimate, and when your doc scraped you, sounds to me more consistent with granulation tissue. If you were having a mini period--which, like Emily says, is possible in your circumstances--your bleeding would be light. It would come once a month beginning your first cycle after the hyst and would only last a day or two. And sex would not make you bleed. Just my opinion!



Margot