Colonoscopy

[Buzzer3555]

Im booked in for a colonoscopy next week
I have the option of (a) sedation (b) gas and air or(c) no pain relief. Do any of you with experience of the procedure have any advice?

I'd recommend sedation, know a few people who have had it and they said sedation made it more bearable and you can hardly remember it afterwards. Good luck with whatever you decide, you can do it.

I have had experience of both sedation and no pain relief. Personally, if they have offered sedation I would have it, but it does mean a longer stay and you need someone to take you home and stay with you.
I have a very high pain threshold, but I had such horrendous inflammatory disease that I was already in a lot of pain and my consultant didn't want to put me through any more.

@upset2021 thanks for the advice and your good wishes

I've had six or seven colonoscopies. Never been sedated. The procedure shouldn't be painful although it might be uncomfortable. I've used gas and air twice.
The worst bit is the prep!

I did one recently with very mild sedation. It was a breeze, in fact the hardest part ( which wasn't really hard) was the prep for it. I watched mine too, fascinating and 100% painless!

@endofthelinefinally thanks for that. My husband is bringing me home so i think i will go for sedation

If you have sedation you’ll need someone to collect you and you shouldn’t be alone for 24 hours. Also not meant to drive, operate heavy machinery, be in charge of kids, sign legal papers etc for 24 hours.

Make sure you follow the prep guidelines thoroughly as if your bowel isn’t clear enough you might need a repeat procedure

I had sedation, anf would chose that option again. Felt a bit woozy after but not much and I was allowed to leave fairly swiftly as I was being collected

Another vote for sedation. Make sure you read the instructions thoroughly as you don’t want to have to repeat the prep. As others have said the prep is the worst bit

Had gas and air but hardly used it. I thought it was like a bad period pain but the pain was only short lived as the camera went round the bends at the top iyswim? The prep drink was vile and I was scared I would be sick (I'm an emetophobe) but I wasn't. I found the tip I read online to suck a piece of lemon after the drink like you would with tequila and it helped a lot. The procedure was over in 15 minutes and I was on the bus home within the hour. Good luck x

Light sedation and watched it on the screen . Fascinating.
Good luck OP . Hope everything is ok for you .

Take all the drugs! Don't be a hero!

I had just gas and air and apart from a few uncomfortable moments generally it was ok and I was happy I could just leave after being checked over rather than a longer stay waiting for sedation to wear off. Worst bit was the prep! (The prep wasn't nice but not painful just inconvenient)

I would go for sedation, the last little bit you might feel a bit of (painless) pushing and if you are all woozy you won’t care. Also you won’t feel embarrassed at all because everyone will be your friend and you won’t mind about the paper knickers........

If they ask you if you want to want to watch then do so, it’s really interesting as you see bits of you no one else has .

Thanks all for the great advice. Very reassuring

This article has been shared on mumsnet before but I shall share it again here for you op as it managed to make me laugh when I was doing my colonoscopy prep, hopefully it can take the edge off the unpleasantness for you too.

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.miamiherald.com/living/liv-columns-blogs/dave-barry/article1928847.html

The prep is the worst bit imo. Use vaseline from the off, not when your sore. Tena nappies on the way and from the hospital give a bit extra confidence with that constant feeling of needing to go.

I have them without sedation, lying on your back after the camera goes in helps. I like to watch and be able to leave when I'm done. The next day I felt bruised inside though.

Good luck OP.

*you're

Prep is the worst part.
Definitely sedation. I had that and gas and air