1. Minimal sedation (anxiolysis) 1. 2. Moderate sedation (conscious sedation) 2. 3. Deep sedation 3. 1.You will have a small amount of a sedative 2.You will have a little more sedative 3.You will have a higher dose of one or more sedatives 1.You will feel relaxed and less worried by what is happening around you 2.You will feel very relaxed and sleepy 3.You will sleep during most of your treatment 1.You will be awake and able to talk normally 2.You will be sleepy but can talk normally and follow simple instructions if asked 3.You will sleep and be unlikely to talk during most of your treatment 1.You are likely to remember having your treatment, but not all the detail 2.You may remember some parts of your treatment 3.You are unlikely to remember much of your treatment – the level of sedation will be adjusted as needed 1.Minimal sedation should not affect your breathing 2.Moderate sedation should not affect your breathing 3.Your breathing may slow down. Your sedationist will monitor and help if needed. What are the benefits if sedation is an option for your treatment? Sedation works quickly and the dose can be adjusted so you get just the right amount. It allows you to be relaxed during your treatment. You may not remember much about your treatment afterwards. For some procedures, it is possible to give sedation instead of a general anaesthetic, which may be helpful for patients with some medical problems. What are the alternatives to sedation? A general anaesthetic: you will be fully unconscious throughout and will have no memory of the procedure. Local anaesthetic without any sedation: you will be fully awake during your treatment, but will be comfortable. A screen can be placed to stop you seeing the procedure. When we asked some patients what it felt like, some answers were: ‘I felt very spaced out and dreamy.’ ‘I thought I had been awake during it all, but I must have drifted off at times as suddenly it was an hour later.’ ‘I felt really relaxed and happy.’ ‘It was weird – I felt very detached from what was happening around me.’