I had my colonoscopy a few days ago and overall the procedure was easy enough. The prep, which most people say is the hardest part, was easy for me but perhaps that’s due to the type I had to take (picolax and senna tablets). I was very nervous for the exam itself and chose to be sedated with some pain relief. The sedation worked but the first half of the procedure was extremely painful for me regardless and I was awake throughout. I was crying and the doctor asked me if I wanted to stop but I chose to continue with some gas and air and more sedation. The next half was relatively painless. The benefits of sedation are that I have forgotten a lot of what actually happened and the memory is very hazy but I do know that it was very very painful and I personally would choose to be put to sleep if I had to repeat this again. There were no side effects after it was finished and I left the hospital an hour later which is why despite the pain, the procedure wasn’t too difficult overall. From reading reviews online and speaking to friends who have also had colonoscopys, it seems that it really is different for everyone and most people in fact do not find it painful and many fall asleep! I cannot stress the importance of this procedure and it was definitely worth the short amount of time I was in pain for.
