colonscopy pain. experience

I had one about 3 years ago without sedation as I needed to drive so only had gas and air it was somewhat painful but more pressure and pain . The prep the night before was the worst thing for me but by the morning there is nothing else to pass hope this helps .

Hi- I opted for no sedation as always want to be awake and in control! 

It wasn’t too bad at all - could talk through most of it- just a couple of times when they put more air in- I breathed through the pain- this only happened a couple of times. 

I agree the prep is the worst- was retching towards the end. 

Afterwards - I had no issues the rest of that day so you should be fine on the bus. Good luck😊

I think that question is difficult to answer because two types of pain are difficult to compare. The vast majority of people feel no pain during this procedure whereas the vast majority of people would feel pain if they had a tooth filled without anaesthetic. A lot of people (myself included) feel pressure as the scope passes the first bend in the bowel after which that feeling stops and does not return. The pressure is not pain but a strange feeling. A minority of people feel real pain. Many of them can nevertheless continue so that it is bearable if not pleasant. A smaller group feel pain up to the point where they have to ask for the procedure to stop. The pain can be caused by different things and that may affect the type of pain you feel. Sometimes it can be the shape of the individual’s bowel (because we are all a bit different) and sometimes it can be caused by the condition from which you are suffering. Once the scope has passed up from the rectum the bowel cannot feel pain in the usual way and that is why they can remove polyps from the colon without you feeling a thing. But, the bowel can sense stretching, which is necessary for it to move food along by peristalsis, so gas in the gut can sometimes be extremely painful (as we all know) and it can cramp. The problem in saying more than this is that we all feel pain differently from each other and even within ourselves can stand different types of pain better than others. I had to have a biopsy last year in my back which is generally considered very painful and I didn’t feel a thing, before during or after. Yet I really feel dental pain very badly and have to be anaesthetised up to the hilt! The sedation when you have a colonoscopy is less than when you have a stomach camera and only once did I not know what was happening. By the way, I always attend by myself too and have the sedation. I think they fuss unnecessarily about this unless sedation is known to affect you. I have had many colonoscopies with sedation and I am by myself (I tell them someone is coming or get a cab) and have some food in a cafe afterwards. I have never had someone stay with me overnight which I personally think is just ridiculous and more to do with hospital insurance policies. I find the sedation wears off almost immediately. Even if someone did stay they would presumably be allowed to sleep so what good would that be? That’s not advice, to you, just my personal views, but I have now been sedated over fifteen times (five colonoscopies, six stomach cameras and the rest dental) over twenty-five years  and it has never affected me afterwards to the extent that I can’t function properly. However, I wouldn’t drive with it in case it affects driver reaction times, even slightly. If the hospital is that worried, why don’t they keep people in? Well we all know the answer to that one!

thx for replies.

having a weak bladder, taking anything that makes me want to go to the toilet worries me :] but i think my mind is at rest.

even given the choice I wouldnt want sedation, I have a fear of being put to sleep and not waking, i want to know when i die

sounds like the pain/discomfort wont be anything i couldnt bear.

I do feel its unfair that single people dont get the option of sedation. surely we dont need a bed just somewhere to sit for a while.