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Comment by y-c-o-m-b | Hacker News Reader

Which state did you have it done in if I may ask? I'm in Oregon and haven't been able to find a doc that does it without sedation. I can't be put under sedation for medical reasons, but I definitely need this procedure done sooner than later due to new GI problems.

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I had a colonoscopy and esophagogastroduodenoscopy (thankfully not in that order) without sedation. Had it done in D.C.

My doc looked at me like I was crazy when I asked if it could be done without sedation, and reminded me that it would be uncomfortable, but otherwise didn't have any problem with it. I've endured 50k runs, brutal workouts, and traumatizing childhood neglect - I really can't see what the fuss is with mild discomfort that, by comparison, barely registers, and for such a short amount of time at that.

I too had esophagogastroduodenoscopy and the "sedation" I received as a barely noticeable dose of fentanyl. It was unpleasant to feel like I was drowning in saliva but it was quite bearable.

If I ever receive that procedure again, I will ask to skip the fentanyl microdose. The anesthesia and the buzz were not only underwhelming but for some reasons I started to feel the typical opioid warmth when the procedure was almost completed. Had they waited a few minutes after the IM injection I might have had another opinion on the usefulness on fentanyl during endoscopie because the last 30s were almost pleasant!

FYI, there is an alternative, depending on what you need it for: https://jamiekoufman.com/tne-transnasal-esophagoscopy-is-the...

However, doctors who do it are a bit hard to come by.

With a esophagogastroduodenoscopy, I think the main issue is the gag reflex, not necessarily the pain.

Yea most of the time it was discomfort but the turns were pretty high up there in pain. But that was only 3 times.

I don't really mind the pain itself, but I could see myself thinking the worst in that situation and imagining the strong pain meant the probe had punctured my colon.

I assume that's not actually a realistic risk, right?

> I've endured 50k runs

Did you see this? https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/19/health/running-colon-canc...

But I agree with you, I would only want this done if I could get it without sedation.

North Carolina. And I wasn't actually aware that some doctors wouldn't do until after I had it done (reading about it online). I just called before my appointment to say I didn't need sedation. They said ok and wrote it down. They weren't really pushy during the appointment other than asking me why I didn't want sedation.

I thought it was going to be awkward but wasn't at all. We just chatted. It was him and an assistant. I was able to watch the TV of my colon while he was doing it.

For people who might be interested in following your advice, the conventional wisdom is that you should definitely look around when choosing the doctor. I.e. do not use a regular gastroenterologist who primarily does sedated colonoscopies, you want one who has experience with non-sedated ones. They have a better idea of what hurts and how to mitigate that.

Yea good point. My doctor said he would see a non sedated like once every 2 weeks or so. Would be better to go to one that does it more frequently.

"They weren't really pushy during the appointment" (:

haha, didn't catch that

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