I talked to some friends who had the colonoscopy procedure and described it as very painful. I was scheduled for it, so I made an appointment with the doc ahead of time. I told him that I had a very low threshold for pain and that if he hurt me, we were going to have a serious problem with each other after the procedure. I think he was visualizing a gasoline fire by the time I got through. I asked him if I had scared him and if he wanted me to find another doc. He said no, that he was able to do the procedure without any pain whatsoever. When the day arrived, he had two nurses standing alongside him administering happy juice into my veins. Just enough so that I was still conscious and could move around as per his instructions, but felt no pain at all.

If you're scheduled for the procedure, go and have a sit-down with the doc like I did. Although they are exceptional and highly regarded individuals, they are still only humans who put their pants on the same way you do. Talk with him eyeball to eyeball and make him understand that you will not tolerate pain during the procedure. If he balks or hems and haws, find another doc.