I recently had a colonoscopy. While the treatment and service I received was absolutely superb, I truly can't fault it, or the staff, at all, it's an excellent hospital), the procedure was a nightmare for me.  This has absolutely nothing to do with the excellent skill of my surgeon, but on the basis of the pain in the absence of General Anaesthetic (GA). From what I remember, the bends in my large intestine were difficult to manoevre, causing extra pressure by the endoscope.  At one point during the 50 minute procedure, (nearing the end, I believe), I remember the surgeon saying, that I might get teary.  He was spot on!  Floods of tears began wetting my cheeks and I remember actually fearing I was going to die. The gas and air were doing there best to dull my senses, but I had a huge fear of dying and it felt as if my life was ebbing away. I momentarily took the gas and air out of my mouth and said, "please someone go and rescue my puppy, he's at home alone. He's only 9 months old and he will starve. Please get the RSPCA and save him". I was terrified of leaving him behind.  I was being reassured the whole time, but I just couldn't stop the fear. I must be honest and say, I had never been so scared in my life.  The up-side though, is that a 14mm (sizeable) polyp was found. I remember the surgeon telling me at the end of the procedure that is was successfully removed, and no cancer was found.  Although the procedure without GA was a nightmare for me, (incidentally, I couldn't have it because there was no one to stay with me overnight), I'm glad I had it done. I couldn't have lived my life with continual diarrhoea.