Thank you for putting your post on here, it's give me comfort for getting mine done on the 7, of February, I only want the gas and air, but I'm really stressed out with it all and scared. 

Ps I'm so pleased yours went well for you 

Hello,

I came across this post a week ago where I had the appointment for my first colonoscopy for today and it did help me a lot to make me an idea on how could a colonoscopy be without sedation, so I though to post my experience here instead creating a new post about the same subject and also try to help to some else in the future. 

I'm 42 and I've been suffering for a few weeks a mix of loser stools and constipation and an intermitent disconfort (like gas) in my abdomen so that plus a family colon cancer history my GP referred me for a colonoscopy.

The trubble is that this week I'm on my own and didn't have anyone to pick me up and stay with me overnight also I didn't want to bother friends with this, so I decided to don't have sedation and drive in and back myself. I have to say that all went fine, better than expected I had mild disconfort sometimes (wouldn't call it pain) I think, apart the corner turns, is also because when they pump sometimes CO2 to be able to see inside increasing the preassure and that causing disconfort....anyway it was fine in this sense and they didn't find anything too worrying apart a few diverticula around the colon which it'll mean a radical change in my diet increasing the fibre in order to try to avoid getting worst, aparently it is very common disease where most of the time don't give any synthoms and people live with this all their live without knowing it.

I would have much preferred to have nothing (like is normal) but after my week waiting for this test and worried about the issues they could find I consider it good news and quite positive experience.

I think the message here is that (on my view) the colonoscopy is a really good and valuable test no only to detect cancer but to detect many other possible issues at time and be able to treat them before it's too late. It is performed by fantastic and very professional people, it is not painful (I had not sedation) of course it is a bit uncomfortable but I would do it again in future without any problems. 

I thought I would share my experience, to help ease anyone's mind. I understand everyone's experience is different however after reading multiple posts I was terrified. I am a 27yo female with severe anxiety who had been experiencing symptoms including passing blood, mucous and cramping pain for about 3 months. tests showed inflammation, h pylori in my stomach and blood in stool. I was referred, and received my appointment for a week and a half later! 

I started kleanprep at 1300 the day before (I found it's definitely better by putting some lime cordial in it) having read previous posts suggesting this was the worst one, I honestly did not find it tooo awful, just keep some sudocreme and wet wipes handy! I definitely found it easier drinking it when I was in the bath (as the bubble bath masked the smell!)

my appointment was at 0800 the next morning and being terrified of sedation I opted for gas and air only. The NHS were fantastic and even suggested my mother accompany me as I was so terrified! Overall, I found the procedure fine, it is a bit unusual feeling however the only pains were when going around the bends of the colon however the endoscopist would stop to allow me to take some gas and to release some air! (even then I have had worse period cramping) the whole process took around 30-40 minutes with 25+ biopsies taken (no polyps found). 
 

The main upside I found to the Gas was being able to go home straight away while everyone else on the ward was still recovering. I am waiting on biopsy results with suspected IBD. I would definitely opt for gas the next time too.

hope this helps x 

I have joined to thank everybody and also share my experience. I had my colonoscopy yesterday (16.7.21). I wanted to have no sedation and found this forum last week and it immediately reassured me. I wanted to do the same for others. So here is my journey. 
 

I had my first Moviprep at 4pm. It was lemon flavour but I added some lemon cordial and used chilled water. I drank the first litre over the next hour and waited. It was tolerable but would not be my beverage choice of the future! At around 6pm I sensed I needed the toilet and it carried on until around 7pm. At this point I was passing water so sensed I had already cleared the majority. At 8pm my second litre and about 9pm my toilet adventures started again but it remained water based. I finally stopped needing the toilet about 11.30pm. As already mentioned on previous advice I had pre bought wet wipes and sudocrem. 
 

My procedure was planned for 8.30am but after the normal paperwork, getting changed and waiting around it was about 9.15 when I walked into the treatment room. The staff were amazing and made me feel at immediate ease. I lay on my left hand side, knees raised and held the gas and air ready to go. I was told to take 2 breaths and they began. In honesty it was fine and if anything I didn't really use the air unless they told me to. I found it easier to watch the screen as the explored my bowel as the sensation I felt  made sense. They went all the way to the opening of my small intestine and then slowly moved the camera backwards and explored and took biopsies as they progressed. It was fascinating! I asked questions and learned a lot about how my bowel works. I had lots of reassurance from staff that everything looked fine and no uncomfortable silences. I feared that! The procedure lasted around 30 minutes and as I had no sedation they said to have 15 minutes whilst they did my obs then brought me a very welcome cup of tea ginger biscuits. I messaged my wife and children to say I was all done and very much ready for breakfast. 
 

The results on the day showed no evidence of cancer and biopsies taken will be a few weeks but I'm very reassured from the feedback and also watching the screen helped as I could see it all myself. 
 

I know we are all different but I honestly felt no pain. I could feel a numb sensation at times but my brain made sense of it as I was watching it on the screen. I think that is a key to allowing your brain and senses to process. 
 

Within an hour after procedure end I was on route for breakfast and on the phone to work. I felt reassured and if you have any doubts don't hesitate and don't worry. My best wishes to all..

Hi, 

It's some time since you posted but its good to read your account. It's made me a little more relaxed about the procedure as I'm not taking sedation. 

Good health to you.

Julian

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.

I had the colonoscopy today I won't got into too much detail but it felt like having an anaconda pushed around my colon......I'd seriously rather give birth lol.......I had gas and air which was fairly pleasant took me away somewhere but I could still feel the pain......at one point I remember saying to them 'if you push any more air in I'm going to burst'  the wind pain was super uncomfortable......I'm home now feeling sorry for myself but grateful that the procedure went well and two polyps removed.....I'd probably say that sedation may have been a better choice in hindsight but ah well it's done now.

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