How do you not emotionally stress over an upcoming colonoscopy/endoscopy?

You're YOUNG! - you've just turned 50. I'm 77 and I've had both procedures done more than  once, and there's absolutely nothing to be anxious or worried about. Just relax - there's nothing to it. 

You won't feel anything going into your throat/stomach  and you won't feel anybody 'touching' you. You won't know a thing about it. You'll be given a light anesthesia and you'll be 'out'  before they insert either tube. It only takes a few minutes, and when  you wake up, it'll be all over.  You'll get dressed, and go home. 

Neither your throat (where they insert the endoscopy tube) nor your butt (where they insert the colonoscopy tube) will feel sore afterward.

You don't have to fast before either a colonoscopy or an endoscopy. (I've never had to). The WORSE thing about a colonoscopy is that they give you 2 small bottles of a foul-tasting, laxative-like liquid that you have to drink 24 hours before a colonoscopy (in order to 'clean you out'.) You'll spend most of those 24 hours sitting on the toilet at home. Believe me - you won't want to get too far away from the toilet!

After they're both over with, you'll wonder what in the world were you worrying about.  

because it is a non-issue. I have had one done.

Drinking the prep is the thing most folks remember most..

The sedation also causes amnesia, so it is very likely you will not remember anything about either procedure.

If you think having a colon/EGD done is hard.....try treating / beating colon or esophageal cancer!!

No wonder you have anxiety problems.  It seems like you don't like anything that you can't control.  Apparently you are going to get through it with a lot of anxiety, or maybe not go through with it at all.  Its unlikely you are going to resolve control issues that have probably been with you most of your life.  You could ask your doc for a sedative to take the day before. 

I just had one a month ago. It was my third (I get frequent reruns because my mother died from colon cancer.) With the two gallons of laxative I had to drink before hand I did not feel hungry. They don't stick something in your stomach with an endoscopy. You drink stuff and basically they take an X-Ray. For a colonoscopy you are put out and they run a tube up your butt to see what's there. You won't feel a thing.

Had both in the U.K. no probs whatsoever. I was sedated for both and remember nothing.

Better than undiagnosed cancer

Yes ??

Would you rather have undiagnosed cancers that could have been cured easily durin the procedure? Surgical removal of part of your digestive system, limiting what you can eat for the rest of your life and potentially changing how your body rids itself of solid waste?

The preparation for the procedures is unpleasant, but nothing compared to the diseases they can detect and treat. Turning 50 puts you at greatly increased risk, so it's good your doctor is pushing you into taking proper care of your health. (My sister resisted her doctor's efforts. Her colon cancer went unknown and untreated. By the time she had symptoms bad enough to see a doctor, she needed a colectomy and her life is substantially worse for it.)

Make sure your doctor knows about your health anxiety. S/He may opt to prescribe a short-term antianxiety medication.

Oh, and be aware the drug most often used is *excellent,* and you will be conscious but not present during the procedure, with little to no memory of it.

1. Give me a break. You'll survive just fine without stuffing two dozen donuts into your mouth first thing in the morning.

2. You will be mildly sedated and calm. Damage is actually possible, but rare. These procedures are extremely common, and your doctor has probably done this thousands of times.

3. You have the right to refuse ANY recommended treatment or diagnostic testing. Stop acting like a helpless victim. 

If you do not have predisposition for colon cancer get one of those screening kits from your Dr, type you see advertised on tv.

Don't eat red stuff, spaghetti sauce, ketchup ect. for a few days. Put some poop on the supplied stick and mail it in.

you can't worry about things you can't control, this is one of those things