Colonoscopy without Sedation

I had my 2nd one last Sept after dealing it for 6 yr because I was afraid of the drugs. I decided to suvk it up and do it without sedation. Except for pain in a couple places it was ok. The biggest sensation was the feeling I had to poop really bad.

The doc removed 8 polyps, but one was too big so had to get it removed surgically. Did that in Oct. Was supposed get that done robotically, but he found a section of cNcer nearby that was cancerous so he yook the whole section out. Wasn't a fun recovery as he cut me from above my belltbutton, all the way down. Heave to get scoped yearly now.

@Public Enema - Sorry about the outcome and good luck for the future. But on a lighter note, I did have a colonoscopy a few years ago without sedation…watched the whole thing on CCTV…all I can say is that it was the dullest damn TV I've ever watched!!

All of my colonoscopies have been done without anesthesia. The air inflation distention is less than the distention that I get from a gallon enema, so almost no discomfort. A big advantage of no anesthesia is that I can drive home immediately after, and there is no risk of any anesthesia complications.

I've had no luck at all finding anyone who will do a colonoscopy w/o sedation in the greater Kansas City area.

Anesthesia adds a thousand dollars to my bill and necessitates my wife being able to drive me home.

I've had 2 colonoscopies. But to clarify someone's earlier post: doctors most certainly will do the procedure if the patient stipulates mild or no anesthesia. At my first one, I asked for neither the anesthesia, (which, until recently, was fentanyl citrate) nor the amnesiac (versed). Fentanyl is an analgesiac for pain and I wanted to go through the procedure 'au natural'. I told the nurse to hold both, unless I asked for the pain killer. The last foot of the 4 ½ ft insertion of the tube was pretty rough, with the doctor seeming to ram it hard enough to shake my whole body. I felt that I was holding the doctor up by asking him to pause every minute. I asked for the fentanyl. I did watch the whole procedure on the monitor, though and remembered everything, so I was partly successful. My second one had me determined to go the distance without either drug. I did manage it by again making it clear to the nurses and doctor that I wanted to be alert and not groggy afterwards. This one went better for some reason, perhaps because I may have been more relaxed and confident. These things are not intolerable without being knocked out and the first part of ‘the entry’ is actually erotic. Given the circumstances of being half under a gown, on a table with a crowd around you, erections are not something I could muster. Nowadays, I understand that other drugs are used and being masked up is more the norm. I did have an endoscopy a week ago and was told emphatically that anesthesia prevents the gag reflex that would interfere with the scoping of your stomach.

I had a colonoscopy at age 10. Without anesthesia. Some children with anesthesia. I think it depends on the diagnosis. I didn't have much pain. Like gas in the intestines. In general, they are familiar to all children. Preparation only with enemas.