Fifteen of the 17 readers who tried the unsedated option said the pain was minimal--in the words of one, “totally bearable.” Two said they had intense pain, but even those two would do it again. One had already had seven or eight unsedated colonoscopies, and only the last one was excruciating.

Is unsedated colonoscopy painful?

Further, it found that post-procedure, unsedated patients were willing to return to the same physician for additional colonoscopies at the same rate as patients who received sedation. Perhaps that's because unsedated colonoscopy is not painful for the majority of patients.

What does it feel like to be sedated for colonoscopy?

Some people may have a headache or feel nauseated after being sedated. In general, people usually feel very sleepy after a colonoscopy. Someone will need to drive you home after the procedure because you'll be too drowsy to drive.