HP, FWIW, I have to get an endoscopy every year to monitor a condition known as Barrett's esophogus (basically pre-cancerous mutation of the stomach lining at the esophagus due to acid reflux). It is similar to a colonoscopy except they go in from the other end. They do administer some sort of anesthetic for it that makes so I can barely remember the procedure. The scoping only takes 5 or 10 minutes. Not sure if they do the same when sticking it in the other end or not (perhaps not, I think they may do it to suppress the gag reflex). The worst part of the whole thing is the doctor's bill.
