Colonoscopies

I am 5’ and have never had pain during the msny colonoscopies I have had over the years. Did they have any explanation for your pain Exdancer?

I don’t know why it should be agony as the nerve endings in the colon are below the surface. That’s why the biopsies are painless. You can watch the implement grab a piece of tissue and draw blood but no pain.

The width of an adult coloscope is less than 1.3 centimetres.

I’m small and I have regular colonscopies without sedation. The only discomfort I sometimes feel is when the tube goes around the bend from the descending into the transverse colon but it’s no more than a temporary griping pain like gas. A gulp of Entonox and it’s fine.

My husband has had several, without sedation and says it doesn't hurt.
I've had just one, with sedation, and it was agony, I had to ask them to stop and they were very cross with me (understandably).
My husband is a big man 6ft 2in and weighs 16 stone, I am 4ft 10 and weigh 6stone 8lb. I wondered whether they used the same size instruments for us both.
I'm not especially sensitive to pain (I have regular injections into my eyeball with no trouble) but this procedure was intolerable.

If it's a child having this then they always use a GA for them.

My youngest has had many colonoscopies over the years due to have crohns disease and was always give a GA.

Its very tiny. Not a box Brownie!!

I dont know how big a paediatric one would be. Minute I should think.

I had a sigmoidoscopy with no sedation and there was only a short period of a few seconds when it was painful. The cup of tea afterwards and biscuits were the best I have ever had. Only equalled by the shepherds pie I had after the birth of my DC1.
Sedation is more usual with a colonoscopy as it goes further rou nd tge 2nd bend of the colon. With sedation I am assured you feel nothing and often you dont even realise its over.

I have had about 9 of these. You won’t feel anything, especially if you get sedation. You will be awake and able to converse etc, watch the tv screen (fascinating) and they give you the result immediately.

You don’t need recovery time, as it’s not an anaesthetic though you may get offered a cup of tea/ coffee and a biscuit as you will be hungry. Really no need to worry.