these days, they put you completely out for the Colonoscopy, and you wake up none the worse for wear.
As has been commented before, what sucks is the “cleansing” beforehand. Argh.
I asked if I could watch, and they moved the monitor so I could see it, and did not sedate me enough to knock me out. She said it actually makes it easier if the patient is awake and cooperative. The closest thing to a “bad moment” was when she had to go “around the corner” from the colon into the beginning of the large intestine. VERY peculiar, but not really painful, just kind of uncomfortable. All clean and good. No polyps, a couple of areas that were different colors from everything else, and so biopsied, but all clear. That was 2 years ago.
My family depends on heart attacks to save us from cancer. It doesn't always work.