I didn’t have pain with a colonoscopy, a lot of discomfort but I did have it with an endoscopy, had maximum amount of sedation and it still hurt like hell. Totally lucid during the whole process, felt the scope go down, actually had to swallow the damn thing, no throat spray. Had another endoscopy last year, totally different, absolutely no problem.

I’ve had various tests and biopsies over the last few years and the effectiveness of the anaesthetics seems to be variable. 

Hi Ellie 

my thoughts are with you my partner had one a few years ago with 2 lots of sedation and he said he still felt something his was ok nothing bad 

I've got one on Monday and I'm dreading it bigtime  I'm so nervous the now getting in a state 

how did u find moviprep we u going to toilet constantly or not to much how was the taste  

my thoughts are with you I hope u get scan sooner 

I have just recently had a colonoscopy. I was offered gas and air or sedation. I chose the gas and air as its something I was in control .It  was uncomfortable because of swelling but the gas and air helped a lot.

Thanks was it horrible taste or not to bad I'm getting in a state 

have baby wipes and cream ready I have a pile so I will be bigger time I finish I've not been eating much 

we're u ok after the colonoscopy or were u sore I hope u get a answer soon 

take care 

So sorry to read about your horrendous experience.

I'm not surprised that you felt stressed out and anxious, almost anyone would be after being kept waiting for so long. I've had umpteen colonoscopies over the past 25 years and have never had to wait more than a couple of hours, normally I've been seen within 15 minutes of my appointment time and luckily have only experienced mild discomfort.

I'm no expert but I did once read that a small percentage of people don't receive the expected pain relief from fentanyl. You may be one of those unlucky people. On the other hand, being stressed out may have made you to be physically tense and caused the pain you experienced.

Clinicians are encouraged not to give GA because of the small risk of complications arising. There were some very high profile cases a few years ago where NHS patients having fairly routine tests or procedures unexpectedly died as a result of the GA, so this reluctance is understandable. 

You could write to the hospital describing the horrendous experience you have had, to help them learn lessons from this. It would definitely be worth contacting the CT unit ahead of your scan to warn them of your anxieties which are not uncommon. 

I hope you manage to get through all this OK - I'm sure dozens of us on here can empathise with what you are going through.

Best wishes

Dave

Hi Dave

Thanks a lot for your reply. I think the trouble started with them struggling to find a vein for the cannula. I was getting pretty stressed by then and my blood pressure, which is normally low, was 137/90. It definitely doesn't help being left in a small, cold and pretty grubby box rom for over two hours on your own, with no way of communicaing with anyone - you can't use your phone or see anyone you have with you in reception. I have decided I will write to the hospital and maybe contact the CT unit. For the CT I won't need a sedative so at least I won't need a cannula again, I should feel fine.

Best Wishes

Elly

I had an aborted colonoscopy yesterday, i am so disappointed. I didn’t feel anything from the sedative at all and I was given gas&air which I don’t think I was using properly. I has some cramping pain at times but when they got to the transverse colon the pain was continuous, I couldn’t access the g&a properly as I was laid on my stomach with my arms out sideways and the nurse holding the mouth piece. I have not had g&a before and wasn’t shown how to use prior to procedure only given instructions when I needed it. I felt that the situation became chaotic, medical staff seemed to be all speaking at once, I was in pain and the colonoscopy was quickly aborted. Now I’m awaiting a ct (bowel prep to look forward to again), wondering why it was painful when others say uncomfortable and why I didn’t feel any relaxatiofrom the meds. It would have helped if someone had talked to me after the procedure. There was a nurse in the exit lounge, where I sat alone to have tea and toast with my husband sitting in the adjoining room, she was chatting to her colleague and glancing over to see if I was finished. She then rushed through the exit paperwork and shoved it in my bag. I must say before this I did feel very well looked after. I am so disappointed by this experience and am dreading the thought of having this test ever again. I wouldn’t let my experience put anyone off though as most get through it without any problem.