I think they are well able to remember - and perfectly capable of understanding the process (one of them is a doctor herself)! And had they been given rohypnol then it would have been criminal to allow them to get into a car and drive an hour later!
Morning Scrawford
Due to having a history of colon cancer in the family, I have colonoscopies every 5 years.
AS previous posters have said the worst bit is flushing out the system before the procedure.
I have mine at Avranches. Polyclinic.
I have a sedative, but remain awake for the whole procedure. I would say it is uncomfortable, but no more than that. You can watch the whole thing on a big colour telly !
I will never forget the first time I had one and I saw the equipment the Doctor was going to use, a thought crossed my mind that it looked identical to the bit of kit the chimney sweep
uses but with a different fitting on the end.
AS said by another poster, it’s not much fun but the consequences of not having it are far worse
Good luck
Andy
Picolax 
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I have to say that this has been a mighty impressive and active thread and hopefully @scrawford500 does feel a little less nervous.
(@james & @cat - you should be proud of this thread that SF has facilitated - I know it is all talking shite but still impressive by the community).
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Having been in and out of hospital more times than I can count [would need extra fingers and toes] absolutely NO probs with French hospitals, public and private.
The pre-op assessment with the Anaesthetics dept is SOP - because it is an anaesthetist who is responsible for your overall state: awake / not / pain relieved / full compos recovery etc.
In the UK, the ward [or OP unit] does most of the prelim checks - weight / height / diet / general health / allergies etc which are listed on the “theatre sheet” when you are wheeled away. Or scrutinised by the consultants in advance if it’s a “big op” likely to last several hours with, eg, lots of transfusions, implants etc.
Here the anaesthetics dept do all the checking directly. Not necessarily the doc who will deal with you “on the day” – in larger hospitals IIRC they tend to rotate between “bloc” and “consult” duties. But your info is in their system – not least so they know in advance what type, quantity and flavour of knockout juice to use – and how you are likely to react during and after. In some places the recovery area is supervised by the anaesthetists, in others you can be handed straight to the recovery or ICU team.
Meanwhile I’m also in the queue for a routine colonoscopy in March, with the routine visit to the Anaesthetics dept a couple of weeks before. Fingers crossed, but no symptoms so no worries.
Ken
I had a cytoscopy ladt year with only a local an anaesthetic cream. The equipment used did also resemble a mini chimney sweeps brush and rods. The whole thing was super quick fortunately and a little uncomfortable for a few seconds but no more than that. The doc inserted a tube, shot water into the bladder had a look with the camera and announced my bladder, ureter etc was in in good nick.
Deffo worth the discomfort to get the reassurance.
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Just remembered, baby’s wet wipes are very useful for the preparatory stage.
Just don’t flush them!
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Ohhhhh 
Thank goodness they’re giving you an anaesthetic! I had one done in the UK and I wasn’t offered anything - not even a relaxing tablet. It was unbelievably painful (during the procedure, nothing afterwards).
Good luck and hope your health issues are sorted out soon xx
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Good afternoon lovely people
Thank you so much for your very helpful and constructive feedback. I am known for starting conversations that lead people down many rabbit holes before we all pop back up and breathe a sigh of relief 
I was still having a few moments of mental “EKKKK”, but after chatting to a friend in the Ville, who used to be in the healthcare industry, my worst fears have been calmed down. Thankfully, we are experiencing an early spring like sun every day, so I am now getting on with prepping the seed trays and went to the local centre de jardinage and picked up a few vege plant plugs to plant out in pots. So, at least I can distract myself with outdoor chores on our 1642 square metre land area. We have been here just over seven years, but we still have several projects to complete before my body goes “Enough - stop right now”. I shall provide an update after the procedure has been completed, to complete the loop, so to speak. Ya all have a great day/week/month! Cheers - Steve
Now have three people saying no sedation in one thread, so quite possibly this is the norm now and it’s a lucky minority who live in well-heeled places with staff and budgets for sedation. But I don’ wish to find out so will stay in France!
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Lets hear it for Guy’s & St thomas’s two of the UK’s finest hospitals
Tots agree C. My experience with the NHS when I lived in the UK was just exceptional people doing their best to make sure that your needs were catered for in a timely manner
Now remind me…which hospitals are the ones that ambulances from the House of Coomons, House of Lords and Downing Street go?
I am huge supporter of NHS, but it is starved of funds and haemorrhaging staff so many places can’t operate they way they want to.
London teaching hospitals are the jewel in NHS crown
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Our chimney sweep attaches a drill to the brush when he does ours - so hooefully not exactly the same!
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Mat, I have to admit to being s4it scared for a few weeks leading up to the cytoscopy with sleepless nights etc but actually there was no pain just discomfort for about five seconds.
The endoscopy was ten times worse than that.
Steve, there is nothing to worry about. I’ve had 2 colonoscopies, the last one here in France a few weeks ago. The meeting with the anaesthetist is just routine stuff - allergies, past medical history, etc. I was treated extremely well and was very grateful to all the medical staff.
David
IN the UK you have the option to have an anesthetic (local I presume) or gas or nothing. I opted for nothing with gas available and got through the procedure with nothing. It was uncomfortable at times but not that bad. It means that you can get dressed and leave straight away rather than wait in a recovery bed. Everyone’s different.
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So in some places in UK you get an anaesthetic routinely, in others you are given an option (not sure how you give a local anaesthetic to a colon 
), and in other you get offered sweet FA. Postcode lottery at work it seems.