The colonoscopy itself is a huge nothingburger. You’re asleep so you don’t feel a thing. The bad part is the prep and having to live on the toilet for a night. It’s worth it for the peace of mind.
Amen to that last sentence.
I've had 4 or 5, and even the prep isn't as bad as it was when I first started. For the last one, my doc prescribed SuPrep. I was disappointed because he'd done so for a previous procedure and it tasted horrible. Had to drink a large volume and it was all I could do to gag it down and suppress the vomit reflex.
This time, though, the volume was less and the taste wasn't so bad. Still not something I'd drink voluntarily, but not nearly as awful as the previous time.
One nice point is the sedation. My doc uses propofol, and it's the best sleep of my life.
Yeah, the first one is mildly embarrassing. But you get used to it and come to realize that you've built it up in your mind to be something far, far worse than it really is.
I have a tendency toward polyps, so I have a colonoscopy every 3-5 years. I have no doubt that if not for the procedure, I'd be a cancer statistic.
If you love your family and living life, just do it.