Colonoscopy - is it ok without sedation?

[Peonytimeguys]

I have to have one next week and I really don't want sedation. It's early morning, and I'm hoping I'll be back at my desk by 1pm. They've offered gas and air, or even sedation mid way through.

Wld love to hear if people have gone through it without, but perhaps its a person to person thing.

I’ve had a few without and wouldn’t again , it’s very painful when they go around the loop in the bowel from my experience and now feel it’s better to be sedated than for them to be struggling with my struggling

No. You need sedation. You will be aware but very calm and with reduced sensation. I went through a very uncomfortable few minutes towards the end, it was manageable but gas and air would not have been enough.

I had one with just gas & air and it was horrendous. I have diverticulitis (didn’t know beforehand) and apparently that makes it more painful. I usually have a pretty decent pain threshold (I had all 3 DCs with only gas & air).

I have to have another next month & will 100% be having sedation. It wears off quickly but you can’t drive yourself home & you won’t be up to working the same day.

I did mine without sedation, small bit of pain but manageable and was fine after and did go back to work, the prep was absolutely awful though.

And just to add, the recovery was quick and easy with sedation, it wore off quickly with no issues. The prep beforehand takes hours and you are home bound, recovery afterwards is no big deal.

Thanks everyone! A mix of views, which is good. I will see how it goes. I am having it as a result of the routine bowel screening - threw up a marker - but I have absolutely no symptoms or concerns.

i could really do without it but I felt obliged to accept the colonoscopy- the prep looks like a pain

I was fine. I dont think i even had gas or air and I was pleased to be getting the reassurance in real time. I cant remember how I felt afterwards but clearly not bad as I would remember it.

What if you don’t have anyone to drive you home

Hey @Peonytimeguys I’m in exactly the same position for exactly the same reason, so thank you for this thread! Still awaiting my date, should be in next 10 days apparently. Sending you a virtual handhold.

I've had a couple and all without sedation also wit out gas and air (because that makes me.vomit which would not be good half way through a colonoscopy).

It is doable but isn't easy ( if your intestines are tricky to navigate). I focus on controlling my breathing to stay relaxed or focus on planning something to distract me.

The prep is awful (I think worse than the actual event but that may be just me).

Completely understand wanting to get back to work but bear in mind that you can (may) be quite uncomfortable afterwards and may not feel like sitting at a desk or joining meetings.

Take the sedation. It takes away the fact that you have a team of people around you with a massive screen of up your bum! 🤣

Those of you who have had one- can you have someone with you?

Good grief, the more I hear and read about colonoscopies, the more determined I am that I will NEVER have one. I know a woman who was told she needed one (after blood in poo) and she refused it, (for several personal reasons,) and had a CT scan with contrast.

If I ever need my bowel/intestines looking at, it will be a CT scan for me. I know a few people have come back with 'it wasn't too bad' stories, but too many have come back with 'err yeah it was.' There is an alternative to this.... Why are more people not asking for CT scans instead?

Ive had 3 without sedation no issue but I think it depends how bendy your colon is but I certainly wouldn't go back to work after also remember you won't of eaten for a long time.

I have them regularly, and tbh, it varies! After the first, I wouldn't have one without sedation again, but how much I need, and how bad it is, has really varied. I have one corner which is particularly difficult to negotiate, and most of them have stopped there because too tough. I really needed that section checking, so got scheduled for a doc who is just very good at them- she managed to negotiate it, and overall it was way less painful than usual. So I think there might be quite a bit of variation between doctors.

I never have but I don't know if your actually allowed if you ask but you have a nurse with you just chatting to you the whole time or I did

After an awful one without sedation I’d much rather have a ct instead if I ever need screening again. I didn’t realise that was an option!

I agree with this i had a student dr do part of mine and the other dr took over as it got painful because it looped or something and then it was completely fine when the original dr took over again

You don’t need to be collected or driven home if you don’t have sedation. I had it by myself and drove myself home

Same i went onto this ward thing after but pretty much left straight away as the people with sedation needed longer recovery I just got dressed they gave me some paperwork and I left and drove home i think I stayed for a biscuit

I'm not a Dr but would a CT scan show up the exact same things?. I have had a colonoscopy (sedated) and it was much easier than I thought. They also took a small biopsy at the same time which was necessary for my diagnosis , and a CT scan couldn't give you. I'm with others who say the prep is far worse than the procedure. If at all possible I would have the sedation and not expect to be back at work in the afternoon. (BTW I had a friend who I was all lined up to pick up after one and she cycled home 😂)

I have t1 diabetes so they did make me have a sandwich before leaving

Everyone is different but I have had two 18 years apart without sedation or gas and air and I was fine, no pain and was fine for work which is a night shift job. Both colonoscopys were done first thing in the morning so afterwards I rested for the day and evening before work. Hope it goes well for you.

Without sedation yes it’s doable, back at your desk? Absolutely not for about 48 hours to allow yourself time to settle and your stomach to pass the air which honestly can be excruciating

At CT scanning they can't take biopsies or remove polyps so quite a few people then need a colonoscopy as well. Plus it is a reasonable radiation exposure which is OK if you have only 1 or 2 but not lots.

Lots of people are fine with gas and air although good to have a back up in case you have a loopy colon.

I've found that invariably everyone who says they have a high pain threshold doesn't!