[gchappel]

Like anything else- pick your doctor carefully. There are doctors that are good at it, and those that are not. There are those that follow recommended guidelines- time to withdraw, etc and those that do not. Just like painting your Porsche- the preparation is the worst part. The better the prep, the better the exam. Sedation is, for the most part, up to your doctor- talk to him/her about it. If you don't like his answers, find someone else. My guys knock me out- I know nothing. The vast majority are a walk in the park- but stuff can happen. You are safer than your car ride to the facility.
By the way- they found a large- tennis ball can size- colon cancer in me 7years ago- at the age of 50. No symptoms, no family history. (I was found to be anemic.) If you poke around enough you will hear horror stories, but those are not the norm. Mine saved my life. I have had 5 colonoscopies in the last 7 years- and need to schedule another soon. No, I am not worried about the test- maybe worried about what they find, but not the procedure itself. The prep sucks- drinking a gallon of dishwater while spewing out the other end does not make my day.
So you need it, but don't worry about it.
Gary