sigmoidoscopy and sedation?

Yes it is perfectly normal. I had one yesterday and emphasized to the anesthesiologist just how little of the experience I wished to remember.

I think my exact words were "please make me go away while this happens," which he did.

i've never had sedation for a sigmoidoscopy. it was fine and didn't hurt at all. the nurse didn't even mention it and i was so young so i didn't know it was an option. she just said it would take less than 10 minutes and i'd be done.

Me too...I had my very first scope (sigmoidoscopy) done without sedation and nearly died from the excruciating pain, but then my perianal crohn's skin tags were in quite a severe state at the time as it was only about a month and a half after having them banded because they were mistaken for hemmies and I was flaring terribly in my colon, rectum (and small bowel) as well so I was in way too rough of shape to be getting any kind of scope done with no sedation...that GI should have known better, especially when he saw my anus with the flared up tags before he even put the scope in....he was a total a-hole...needless to say he wasn't my GI for long after that.

If there is any sort of inflammation, get the sedation, believe me, you'll regret going into it without anything to ease the pain.