Question Colonoscopy without Anesthesia?

[Akimbo]

I have to get a colonoscopy late this year and have read that a few people refuse anesthesia. This will my 4th colonoscopy. It would be nice not to have driving restrictions after the procedure since I live hours away and will be 75 years old. I recently read that some people have the procedure without anesthesia and it's not "that" uncomfortable. I have had a two bone marrow and two prostate biopsies without anesthesia and was fine with them so seem to be reasonably pain tolerant.

Comments and suggestions?

Ping: @rsingler and @Compressor

 

[Rick Brant]

I had one done with anesthesia and I did not like the after effects, basically a very fuzzy memory for more than a day. The next time I mentioned that to the anesthesiologist and the doctor and they said they could dial it way back. I was awake and watched the procedure on the monitor but had no sensation of being on drugs and felt only very mild cramping. It's actually good as your doctor can tell you exactly what they are seeing.

 

[CathyE]

I asked to be unconscious and they nodded and smiled. I was in agony, even tho they said they were giving me anesthesia. I had three babies without so much as aspirin, 7 1/2 lb, 8 lb, and 8 1/2 lb. I had tears running down my face, it was excruciating! I told them never again, unless it was on my cold dead body. It has been 12 years, I am adamant, totally out of it or I am getting off the table. We are still in talks (family history of ulcerative colitis and bowel cancer).
Kudos to those of you who are fine without it. I am forever traumatized.
Also pisses me off that hubby has had three (or four) and NEVER been awake.

 

[MB NZ]

The take home message from this thread is that everyone is different which is kind of where we started