People really shouldn't get tested unless they meet several criteria. Obviously any bleeding from your rectum should get checked out, and if hemorrhoids are rules out, a colonoscopy is probably the next course of action. And around 45, you should have one since that's the most likely age for colo/rectal cancer occurring.

Family history can also affect this timeline. My kids are now stuck having colonoscopies five years earlier than the normal recommendation since I had rectal cancer at 40.

And while I've found colonoscopies to be uneventful, they can have side effects. A perforated colon can happen in the worst case, or bleeding and infection. These are considered rare though and colonoscopies are considered pretty safe overall. But this doesn't mean you should get one just because you like getting high...