whats the difference between colonscopy and flexible synogophy

Never heard of synogophy. There is flexible sigmoidoscopy which is the first section of the large bowel (the colon is the large bowel) on the basis that either they know the trouble is in that segment or because it is more usually the site of trouble. Personally I find sigmoidoscopy more painful than colonoscopy because it is the first segment until the bend that is most uncomfortable. Once past there the discomfort eases. With sigmoidoscopy you never get past the bend! No idea what synogophy is.

A flexible sigmiodoscopy is a procedure where the doctor feeds a small, flexible, steerable tube that contains a bundle of fiber optic strands into your anus to look at the anus, rectum, the sigmiod bend, and part of the left colon.  The doctor will insert the the tube into your anus and he will then examine the anus (the opening area), the rectum(a part of the bowel that stores, you know, for later elimination), and then the doctor will push the tube deeper into the colon until he reaches the first major bend, the sigmoid bend.  The sigmoid bend is kind of a double bend that the doctor has to naivgate the sigmiodoscope through.   The doctor will then guide the sigmiodoscope up into the left colon.   A colonoscopy is similar except that the doc will use a colonoscope, which is nearly the same but much longer, instead.   The process is the same but the doctor using the colonoscope will guide the scope further into the colon, through the left transverse bend, which is fairly tight, across the transverse colon, then the right transverse bend, then down the right colon down to the caecum, which is where the small intestines empties out into the "start" of the colon.   This is where the entrance of the appendix is.  I had both without sedation and I found the colonoscopy to be more uncomfortable.   Fortunately many places that do colonoscopies offer sedation or anaesthesia.   The prep was more involved with the colonoscopy.  It was a several day process of incresingly lighter diet and other liquids to aid in cleaning the colon out.  The prep for the sigmoidscopy was simply two enemas (one small and one deep) to clean out the sigmoid bend and part of the left colon.

People seem to experience these procedures differently.  There are many like me that forego sedation or anaesthesia and only experienced discomfort.  Others have had sedation and most of them have had a good experience, which most do not remember.   Then there are other people have had a horrible experience with or without sedation.   I had my unsedated colonoscopy in the states, which seems to be the rare exception.   I did it to see my colon in real time.   If polyps are found I would see them removed as it is happening.

Thank you for all your replies regarding the sig cosopy it all sounds horrible i am due to have one but very frightened

hi dont be scared ive had both types and due another sig next week you wont have the prep with a sig so thats a good thing less to worry about.it is very uncomfatable for me but we are all differant.i shut my eyes dont look at the sreen and say nothing its over before you know it let us know how you get on