Expert: Dr Ian Jackson - please note UK based - 9/6/2008

Question
Yesterday I had a Hysteroscopy, and was put under General Anesthesia.  The Anesthesiologist injected Valium into my IV, and following the procedure I was unable to wake up for more than about a minute at a time.  I could hear people talking to me, but just couldn't keep my eyes open, and I could only slur one or two words.  I was given the injection at about 1:00 p.m. and was generally out of it until 8:00 the next morning (I was able to walk out of the hospital by 6:30 p.m., but when I got home I went straight to bed).  I've had this procedure twice before, and I was wide awake very quickly afterwards.  I'm not sure if the other procedures involved Valium, but I do know that I was given Valium when I went into labor with my daughter (12 years ago) and I had a similar reaction.  Does this mean that I am having an allergic reaction of some sort to the Valium?

Answer
Hi there
I am surprised that an anaesthetist used diazepam (valium) as part of a general anaesthetic for hysteroscopy. I suspect you must have been having a sedation technique but that makes little difference to my answer.
People handle drugs differently and it is well kown that certain people are very slow to metabolise benzodiazepines such as valium. This is controlled genetically and there is nothing you can do about it and this is why we seldom (read virtually never) use valium as part of anaesthesia in the UK.
So this was not an allergy so you do not need to be concerned.
Kind regards
Dr Ian Jackson