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 had sedation, but I don't feel it did anything for me. It was uncomfortable and apparently I have a long colon so that wasn't great, along with the first camera failing halfway through!

Still, the prep was the tough part for me. It's difficult to get all the liquid down and I didn't get much sleep. I wouldn't count on working afterwards.

It isn’t a straightforward choice for the patient to make. A colonoscopy gives a direct view of the interior of the bowel which is always going to be preferable. If anything is found that needs a biopsy or if polyps need to be removed then it can be done during the procedure. A CT colonography may be preferable from a patient point of view but it doesn’t give as good a view and obviously any intervention that’s required ie biopsy etc can’t be done at the same time. At which point an actual colonoscopy will be required.

Why the fuck wouldn't you be taking the day off?

Next you'll be saying women shouldn't have pain relief for getting a coil. Raw dog it. Sedation should be offered because why should it.

Oh don't worry it still hurts with sedation.... You are just sort of interested in the screen lol

I’ve had it done without sedation and it’s absolutely fine. The staff made a huge fuss about it as if I was crazy to consider doing it without sedation, but I stood my ground. I’m glad I did because it wasn’t a big deal at all. You might be better thinking about trying to wfh rather than going into the office though- I’d be surprised if you could do that by lunch time.

If they are offering me Midazolam and fentanyl you can bet my last cent I'm having it. Why breathe through it etc ? 🤷‍♀️

I didn’t have sedation, didn’t have the day off but WFH. It was extremely uncomfortable and/ or painful but I hadn’t anyone to collect me so had no choice. The advantage was that I was totally fine afterwards, straightaway IIRC.

Didn’t find the prep too bad. Diet Coke was a lifesaver while fasting. Really fills you up.

Fasting? It's just not eating from midnight isn't it?

@soleenq Mine was a few years back but I seem to remember a day of low fibre foods, then a day of fasting before all the laxatives the evening before the procedure. Maybe the protocol has changed.

@soleenq current NHS guidelines seem roughly the same as what I did
www.nhs.uk/tests-and-treatments/colonoscopy/getting-ready/

I've had loads and always been a white diet which is low fibre. They just don't want to be getting confused with red food in your bowel. No need to fast, just eat crap

www.nhs.uk/tests-and-treatments/colonoscopy/getting-ready/

No, it doesn't state fasting but you need to stop eating at some point before. Which I guess is fasting

@soleenq I’ve no idea why you are challenging me about this. I’ve now checked and yes indeed, I had to fast from noon the day before the procedure. I was hungry. And Diet Coke was helpful!
www.stmarkshospital.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/BCS-05-Bowel-Preparation-instruction-Moviprep-AM-appointment-v3-October-2024.pdf

Why do you have to be so aggressive?

Thanks everyone. I didn’t realise so many people would have been through it - so it’s brilliant to hear so many views. I will allow the possibility of sedation and see how I get on once it starts. I work for myself, from home, so I don’t need to go to work per se, but I would like to work if possible that afternoon as I’m hugely busy. Again, we will see. DH is dropping me off and I can get a taxi home if I get sedated. The area we are in means these procedures get farmed out to a private hospital so I have no idea what that means for doctor quality but I’m not one to suffer in silence - I just don’t want to start with sedation if I can avoid it.

In my case the prep was the worst bit and the after effects lasted several days. Couldn’t have been at my desk, was still running to the bathroom 24 hours later 😢

Really? I’m going to a big gig three days later - is this going to be an issue?

I’m in hospital at the moment and have had an OGD and colonoscopy. Couldn’t have done the OGD without sedation but could have done the colonoscopy. I was fasted spart from clear fluid (water, black tea, non cloudy apple juice) from midnight the night of both and had to wait to eat for two hours after the colonoscopy. If you have sedation my hospital want you to wait for their transport, you wouldn’t be allowed to leave in a taxi.

I think I was a bit of an exception to the usual rule, as the stuff lingered longer in my system than in most people’s (I asked a pharmacist). In the end I took some meds to “slow things down” and that seemed to restore order. I’m sure you’ll be fine 3 days later though!

For anyone reading this who is also waiting for a colonoscopy.

Last year I had three. The first one the prep was so bad I was crying and then I threw up. They could only see half of what was needed so I had to have the second.

They put me on a 1 week 'low residue diet' which is basically eat all the things we have been told are unhealthy like white bread.

They did this again for the third.

I had it without sedation and was absolutely fine, in fact I went for a pizza and glass of wine afterwards, your recovery is much quicker without sedation, my sister had hers without sedation as well

Yep I have them every few years and do them on gas and air. No problem at all and am back to normal within an hour or so after having some tea and toast!

don’t be stingy with the gas and air and you’ll be high as a kite and having a great time!

Can you work from home? My experience was that the prep was ok - not nice but managed ok and I could work up until about 3.30 at which point it started working. I then got a few hours sleep. Despite having what they called sedation it did nothing for me and I was quite traumatised. It sounds like this is quite a personal thing. My legs felt a bit weak walking out of the hospital but that was about it and I was so relieved it was done that once I was dropped off at home I was fine and worked the rest of the day (late morning onwards) from the comfort of the sofa. By the next day I was back to myself. Being at home was important as my stomach was sorting itself out that day so didn’t have to worry about running to the toilet or being around people!

I had one without sedation and it wasn’t painful, just uncomfortable. I had a couple of puffs of gas and air when they took the biopsies, and one bit where they went round a corner.

But you’ll be exhausted after the bowel prep, and full of wind. I don’t think work is advisable until the following day. I was also really hungry afterwards, so take a sandwich or something with you for afterwards.

Our hospital won’t allow you to go home in a taxi if you’ve had sedation. You have to be collected by a relative or friend.