I am really thankful that i found this thread.  lots of people told me this procedure is just uncomfortable not painful. I had mine carried out yesterday in a private hospital paid for by NHS due to being on a waiting list for 18 months.  the laxative treatment you take the day before is something else.!!! 5 hrs sitting on the toilet..!!  For the procedure itself I was given an injection of pain relief and also mild sedation immediately before the scope was inserted.  The pain was horrendous and i yelled out asking the consultant to stop. he said he just needed to get onto the straight part of the bowel. I was pleading with them to stop.  he did eventually and then said he would try a smaller scope which wasn't any better at which point he asked if I had  had a hysterectomy, seems that can cause problems and extra bends in the bowel... I told him if he wanted to continue he would have to knock me out completely which they thankfully did and I rememebr nothing more about it.  If i ever need one again it will be under a general anesthetic, i would not suffer that pain again.