Can anyone tell me what colonoscopy is really like?

I have had several colonoscopies. The sedation does not put you to sleep and you are generally fully alert. I would say they are tolerable, with mild discomfort and compared with an upper endoscopy a piece of cake. Everyone has a different experience.  The only benefit of not having sedation is that you can go home immediately after. But having the sedation you are usually out after half an hour, after they give you something to eat and drink. I hope everything goes well for you. Angelmae

Everyone is different so don't let me put you off. My first colonoscopy was very painful as the cancer was so near the opening it hurt as soon as they tried to insert the camera. I had the maximum amount of sedative and gas and air and they still had to stop.

My second one through my stomach was a piece of cake as they could enter further up the bowel and bypass the cancer. I didn't have so much sedation as I remember being transferred to recovery.

Good luck I hope all goes well for you.

Hi

My colonoscopy was fine, I had sedation for mine and was given the option of whether I was knocked out for it. I chose to be knocked out only remember tugging feeling when biopsy was taken. Absolutely no pain afterwards. 

I have heard recently heard of a hospital  that does not give sedation which I found appalling. 

Do not know whether it can be done not on your side, just tell them.

Good Luck

Jerry

After all the advice I have received trawling thru various forums like this, the least I can do is add to it, to reinforce the positive aspects of having a colonoscopy. Remember this: some people volunteer for these procedures and others pay large sums for colonic irrigation too!!!

I felt I benefitted the most from in depth replies, so here goes:

I am a male, aged 64. October 2019 - went to A and E with bleeding from rear passage. This was a first for me. The doctor did a DRE and found nothing (which was the reason for a referral to the GP. Apparently, if no-one can find the cause of bleeding - provided you are over 50, you automatically go onto ther "urgent bowel cancer screening treadmill"??)

70 days after A and E (NHS wales target is 62 days), It was time for the procedure.

I was sent a pack of Laxido laxitives to be taken twice a day for 6 days - resulting in nothing really??  Apparently they simply make your stools softer??

I followed the instructions for Moviprep cleanser to the letter and the day before - ate very little. No more solids after 6pm. Appointment was for 1.45pm:

On the day and at 5am I was told to drink 1lr of movieprep. I had read horror stories about this preperation. So the best tips for me were: make it up the night before and chill it overnight. I also added elderflower cordial. These two things alone made it absolutely palatable. No problems at all. I drank a 250ml glass every 15 mins easily (and thru straws). Read a funny book and 45 mins after starting the prep, my bowels opened (big time). Tap On...tap OFF!!! for about an hour. First session lasted between 5am and 7am.

Then 1 hour respite (in bed).  Stage 2 was a repeat of stage 1 between 8am ish to 10am ish.

In between and after stage 2, I drank a glass of 250ml of water with electrolytes in it (diarolyte) to bolster my system.

All done by 11am.  Drank water till 1pm (on and off).

Arrived as appointed @ 1.45pm.  VERY friendly staff dealing with a production line of similar cases (20/day, 7 days a week).

Asked if I wanted gas and air or sedation.  I asked the nurse what was her experience and she said women usually have the sedative and men the gas and air. She found this strange as she thought women endured pain better than men! I asked her what she would do in the circumstances and she said sedative - I took her advice.

Needle into arm (painless), 15 minute wait and consultant comes out for a chat:

Men are simple he says! Take us 15 minutes, job done. Women are more complex plumbing and take around 30 minutes.I'll tell you the results immediately.

Went in, hooked me up to O2 monitor / oxygen temporarily / blood pressure monitor / sedative (one off shot through IV).

Don't remember being woozy/out of sorts. Felt completely "with it". Watched everything and it seemed over in a flash - didn't feel anything  at all!! Lots of explanations from consultant and lots of piccies. From arriving @ 1345, procedure complete @ 1450. Into recovery room for 30 mins for a gorgeous cup of tea and biscuits and bags and bags of TLC.

I love the NHS.

Fear factor leading up to prep and op: High.

Prep pain: Nil.

Prep discomfort: Nil.

Colonoscopy pain: Nil.

Colonoscopy discomfort: Nil.

All clear, no polyps, no biopsy.  But found diverticilitis in several places (lifestyle ailment based around diet). Easily remedied.

Overall:  Much ado about nothing!

Any questions?

Firstly, have the scope - secondly the worst you have to fear about the procedure is fear itself  (thanks FDR)  The prep is the 'worst' aspect - I just gritted my teeth and downed it in one, others have offered more sensible suggestions.  I opted for no sedation and found the procedure alot less intrusive than a prostate biopsy.  I was involved in a serious discussion about football with the nurse, who was a blue - I'm red; not an unusual occurrence in Liverpool.  Talk was terminated when the Dr found a tumour. 

Thanks to that scope I've seen my team become champions of Europe and now champions of the world.  Have it done - the cost of not having it done is incalculable 

YNWA

Mike