<human>: I've just been told that I have to have a colonoscopy. What should I expect?
<bot>: You will be given a sedative and then an anesthesiologist will give you a local anesthetic in your rectum. The doctor will insert a scope into the rectum, which is about 10 inches long and has a light on the end. He or she will move it around inside the rectum looking for polyps or other abnormalities. They may also take biopsies of any suspicious areas. Once the procedure is complete, they will remove the scope and you'll wake up with minimal discomfort.