Would you have sedation for sigmoidoscopy?

[theferry]

I am due to have a sigmoidoscopy on Tuesday at a private clinic. They offer sedation and seem to assume that I will take it up. Is this normal? I don’t really want it as it will mean hanging around for a while after, but I’m not sure. What have others done?

Have the sedation. It's like a twilight anaesthetic. You will be awake and be able to speak to people but you will feel very relaxed and your recollections of the procedure will be hazy afterwards.
Generally, it goes more smoothly when you can relax and sedation will help that greatly.
Good luck. Hope it all goes well and that your results are clear.

I’ve only had a endoscopy, I was sedated, but was walking out the hospital an hour after the procedure. You’ll need someone to drive you home but I’d recommend it.

My experience is that sedation is not needed for a sigmoidoscopy (but would be advisable for a full colonoscopy).

I've had both procedures without sedation. Colonoscopy was difficult and I will always take sedation from now on but the sigmoidoscopy is easy.

If you take the sedation you have to have someone to collect you from hospital, take you home and keep an eye on you for 24h which may or may not be convenient depending on your circumstances.

If it's the flexible sigmoidoscopy, you are unlikely to need sedation, it is a pretty minor procedure. My private consultant used to occasionally offer to perform one during my routine appointment, to check on the bowel disease progress. I accepted and it was done immediately with no issue.

I do have sedation for the colonoscopies though.

Take whatever you’re offered. I have a sigmoidoscopy once a year and I take the sedative or gas and air whatever they offer at the time.

I have either a colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy each year (Crohn's) and always have sedation.

Endoscopy is down your throat, so doesn't compare to a sigmoidoscopy through your anus.

I had sedation for Endoscopy plus Colonoscopy at the same time. Sigmoidoscopy, is a walk in the park in comparison.

I have had a few of these and not needed sedation - have had gas and air on standby if needed but was able to get through it ok- it’s not painful as such, just feels weird!

I'm of the belief that if something is going into my body where it doesn't normally, I will take the sedation.

it's often not needed for sigmoidoscopy. If you're keen to avoid, you could go in fasted etc and ready for sedation but see how it goes without? If it's uncomfortable then they can just pause and give you a bit of whatever they use, but if it's isn't then you can carry on without and go straight home. [sigmoid- is different to colon-oscopy (usually no major bends to negotiate) and both are different to an upper GI endoscopy (OGD)]

If they're offering it..take it

Many thanks. No real consensus. It’s the waiting around afterwards that I’m keen to avoid as we ideally need to be back to collect DDs from school and I believe you have to hang around afterwards if you have sedation. It’s an hour’s drive home (DH will be with me).

How did it go op?

I went with the sedation, which completely knocked me out I went private so I’m not sure whether it’s the same sedation under the NHS. Anyway, everything was fine apart form a bit of inflammation.