Had my first ever colonoscopy today. Been having pain and changes to bm, family history of Bowel Cancer at young age. So today was to have a look and I'll be having screening every 5 years now and then annual q-fit tests from age 50.

anyway, I'm a breastfeeding mum so unfortunately sedation isn't recommended unless you are able to go 24 hours without feeding your little one. You could express before, use formula, etc. My little one has never accepted a bottle amd has allergies etc so sedation just seemed like a non option for me practically. 
advised I could use gas and air. Decided I'd give it a bash without it and I'd let the nurses know if it was too much and they'd have the gas at the ready. 
Ended up using no entinox at all. There were 2 periods during the procedure navigating a turn and one point I got moderate pressure on my diaphragm that were moderately uncomfortable but with some breathing in through the nose out through the mouth, they passed before it became too much.

I will 100% attempt future colonoscopies without sedation and have gas and air on standby just in case. 
 

nurses and doctors were lovely and there was zero awkwardness or embarrassment at all. I got a wee pain question at the end for them to log how my experience was without any pain relief and I scored this a 3 which was "2 or more periods of discomfort" (I had 3 and they each passed in 30-60 seconds) 

I found this forum last week after I was referred for a colonoscopy. I'm not a huge fan of canulars and I have a habit of faiting/ vomiting whenever I have blood tests or an IV. 

I decided I would go ahead with the procedure without sedation, but I was told there was another option for pain relief. When I arrived at the hospital, I was told that the pain relief was also through IV, so I opted to do it without anything. Gas and air wasn't an option either, so a few of the nurses seemed a little confused by my decision, but we went ahead with it anyway. 

I have to say, the procedure was absolutely fine. Given the choice, I would 100% have a colonoscopy without sedation. Afterwards, when I was wheeled through to the recovery room, the other patients on the ward were drowsy and made to stay for 1-2 hours post procedure, and only allowed to leave the hospital if somebody had come to collect them. Meanwhile, I sprang out of bed, got myself dressed and took the tube home. I've now worked all afternoon as normal and experienced zero side effects. 

I know everybody's different and our pain thresholds differ, but I found the cramp that came with the bowel prep to be just as painful (if not moreso) than the colonoscopy itself. There were a handful of times where I felt cramps, but I just took a deep breath and powered through, I wasn't screaming in pain or anything like that. It just felt like trapped wind. 

Hopefully this helps if somebody is considering going through the procedure without any medication. If it helps, I'm a 30 year old male.

Hello,

I just had colonoscopy yesterday. I opted for sedation with painkillers. And without going into details, this was the most painful experience I ever experienced. At some point I told them to stop procedure, but doctor said that we are almost at the end of the colon and if I can endure pain for little bit longer, he will be able to finish. I agreed and he managed to complete examination. He was great and did everything he could to make it as little painful as possible but it just did not work for me. But anyway thanks to his efforts test was finished. All personnel was great and so carrying. 
summarising. If I ever have to go through this procedure again, I will ask for full anaesthesia. 
I am sure that some. Many people will not feel anything, and some will have this as I had. It depends on the individual. So till you got your own colonoscopy done, you will never know how it is. 

I have just read your'e post after having a Colonoscopy yesterday. I opted for sedation,with gas & air & can honestly say it was the most excruciating pain I have ever felt. The sedation had absolutely no effect at all & the gas & air was just the same,useless. The sedative was Midazolam 2mg & Fentanyl 100ug. They wheeled me into the recovery room & I was in total shock I couldn't tell them the sedation hadn't worked but,they must of known as I was howling in agony & the nurses had to pull me back down the table. They took 5 biopsies & found 7 Polyps,none of which have been removed & now I will need another Colonoscopy. I felt traumatised & violated,the pain keeps coming back in my mind today & I am petrified at the thought of having another Colonoscopy. I pray I will be able to have a general anaesthetic 

I'm sorry to hear this ,were they not able to complete the colonoscopy is that why they didn't remove the polyps bcauce they usually do remove them ,I had a colonoscopy a few months ago and never felt a thing I had sedation ,it makes you wonder why some feel so much pain and others don;t amyway I hope they can give you a general for the next one there's obviously a reason why it caused so much pain let us know how you get on .

I did a lot of research before I had my Colonoscopy & felt quite confident any Polpys found would be removed during the procedure. I asked the surgeon if he'd removed them & he just said "No" & walked away. I am a very strong woman & have had minor procedures performed with sedatives & have only ever felt minor discomfort. The pain yesterday was off the richter scale,absolutely no Sedative effects. Sedative administered & not even 2 minutes later the procedure commenced. No sleepiness or groginess & I remembered everything after being told I wouldn't.

Its strange you should say that because despite the fact I never felt pain I didn't feel like I'd been sedated I watched the screen the whole time and didn't feel sleepy dizzy or whoozy nothing and it seemed like it was over in minutes despite the fact they said they did biopsies and removed polyps ,they wheeled me back to the ward and I went and got changed straight away they called my hubby in we had a cup of tea and left within half an hour ,very strange .

Its strange you should say that because despite the fact I never felt pain I didn't feel like I'd been sedated I watched the screen the whole time and didn't feel sleepy dizzy or whoozy nothing and it seemed like it was over in minutes despite the fact they said they did biopsies and removed polyps ,they wheeled me back to the ward and I went and got changed straight away they called my hubby in we had a cup of tea and left within half an hour ,very strange .