How Long does Valium Stay in Your System? Know Some Secrets!
Well, you are taking Valium already. You might know about the logic behind taking this medicine, side-effects. Obviously you do!
Now question is, how long does Valium stay in your system?
You don’t have to worry about it. Because this article will answer all the question you have in your mind.
Before proceeding further for all those who are new to this term, let me tell you what Valium is?
Valium or diazepam is a benzodiazepine commonly prescribed to treat:
- Anxiety Disorders
- Restless Leg Syndrome
- Insomnia
- Seizures
- Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome
It is also used by the doctors to calm people before surgery or other aggressive and painful medical procedures.
Do you still doubt? You don’t need to! Trust me.
The effects of Valium are so influential and powerful, that it has been classified as a “controlled-substance” in the United States.
So now you agree? It is actually an effective medication.
However, one thing to look upon is:
Benzodiazepines can also be abused, which may lead to addiction, eventually leading to severe health issues.
Different ways to take Valium:
- Valium is generally taken as an oral tablet. But some people also inject it using a syringe.
- If you take it orally, it is rapidly absorbed in the intestinal tract.
- On the other hand, if you inject it into your body. It is absorbed slowly and unpredictably.
- As prescribed by the doctors, you can take it in dosages of 2-60 mg per day.
How to figure out if you have Valium addiction?
Is it possible for you to get addicted to Valium?
Yes! It is.
Do you want to know the signs and indications of Valium addiction?
If Yes, then have a look here:
- Valium is addictive if you take it for more than 120 days or without any non-medical reasons.
- But as a Class IV drug, there is a comparatively low risk of addiction if compared to other drugs like Vicodin, Codeine or Oxycodone.
- If you take a heavy dose of Valium than prescribed or more often than your doctor’s prescription, you may land into drug tolerance.
- Excessive or long-term use of Valium might result in withdrawal.
- It might result in a sign of dependence on other people if you stop taking the drug.
Points to be focused on before taking this medicine
This is very important to note that if you are allergic to diazepam or similar drugs (Ativan, Klonopin, Restoril, Xanax, and others), you should not consume this medicine.
You should not take this drug if you have:
- Myasthenia Gravis (a muscle weakness disorder.)
- Severe liver disease.
- Breathing problem.
- Sleep apnea (breathing stops during sleep).
- High alcohol consumption.
- Addiction to drugs as diazepam.
- Muscle spasms.
How to confirm if Valium is safe for you or not?
In order to be sure enough if Valium is safe for you or not, inform your doctor if you have any such conditions:
- Glaucoma.
- Asthma, Emphysema, Bronchitis.
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD.
- Breathing problem.
- Kidney or liver disease.
- Epilepsy or other problems related to seizure.
- Any history of mental illness.
- Depression or suicidal thoughts.
- Any history of drug or alcohol addiction.
- If you use a narcotic (opioid) medication.
Everyone wants their baby to come safe and healthy in this world. I’m sure you want that too. Right? So, if you are expecting a baby it is very important for you to focus on following the points:
- Without the permission of your gynecologist, do not start or stop taking Valium during your pregnancy.
- Diazepam may cause harm to your unborn baby.
- If you have seizure issues during pregnancy, it could be harmful to you and your baby.
- Tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant while taking this drug (diazepam) for seizures.
- If you take Valium while you are pregnant, your baby could become drug dependent.
- This may cause life-threatening symptoms for the baby.
- Babies born dependent on habit-forming medicine might need serious medical treatment for several weeks.
- Always tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant
- Diazepam can break into breast milk and may harm your baby.
- You should not breast-feed if you are taking this medicine.
It not only affects unborn babies, infants, and pregnant ladies. Even young adults face many problems if taken in large amount for a long time period. The sedative effects of Valium lasts longer in older adults.
Accidental falls are common in elderly patients who consume benzodiazepines. You should use caution to avoid falling or any kind of accidental injury while you are taking Valium.
- Valium is not approved for use by anyone younger than 6 months old.
- Do not give this medicine to a child without a doctor’s advice.
- Excessive intake of this medicine can cause addiction, overdose, or may be death.
Shall I mix Valium with other drugs?
No. A big fat NO
You SHOULD NOT take Valium with any other medicine, drug or alcohol.
Why?
Because Valium is interactive in nature, this simply means it might interact with other substances to increase its effects.
This can result in staying of Valium in your bloodstream for a long period.
Let’s discuss the side effects of Valium
Rush to your doctor if you experience any following signs of an allergic reaction to Valium.
- Hives.
- Difficulty in breathing.
- Swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Give a call to your doctor if you have
- Confusion and hallucinations.
- Some unusual thoughts or behavior.
- Unusual risk-taking behavior.
- Serious decreasing inhibition.
- No fear of danger.
- Depressed mood.
- Frequent thoughts of suicide or hurting yourself by any means.
- Hyperactivity or agitation.
- Frequent occurrence of seizure.
- Muscle twitching.
- Loss of bladder control.
- Urine related problems.
Some of the most common Valium side effects are:
- Weakness in your muscles and body.
- Feeling of tiredness.
- Drowsiness.
The effect of Valium can be decreased by the use of caffeine or cigarettes.
How long does Valium stay in your system?
Now the delicate question arises!
How long does a dosage of 5 or 10mg Valium stay in your body? I know how important it is for you to get an exact answer.
Look
You should know that Valium has completely long elimination half-life – the amount of time required for exactly half of the drug to be eliminated or disintegrated by natural processes from your body is 20-80 hours.
- This time period can last for 30-56 hours.
- It takes an average of 10 days for the drug to leave your system.
- Valium stays in your system and can be detected in the urine for about 5-7 days after its therapeutic use.
- If you use it chronically (say more than one year), its detection in your urine screen is up to 4-6 weeks.
- The half-life of Valium in a young, healthy person is about 24 hours.
- This is due to the nature of the medication.
Drug Testing for Valium
Do you avoid a drug test?
Look
If you are avoiding a drug test or think that you might have a problem.
You probably do!
Do you wanna know long does Valium stay in your system for a drug test?
- If you are worrying about the detection of Valium during drug test, the best way is to wait for 2-5 days before taking the drug test.
- You can also go for Urine test. It detect the presence of Valium in 24-96 hours after the last dose.
- One can opt for Blood test as it is similarly effective. But it is prescribed for long-term users.
Most reliable test is Hair Follicle test. It detects the presence of built Valium in your system up to 12 weeks.
<i>Waiting for 5 days is a total precaution to make sure that the drug is totally out of your system. </i>
One more thing you should know!
If you have a prescription for Valium with a doctor’s note to the supervising Medical Officer. Even if Valium is detected in your system, you will test negative because you are taking Valium as prescribed. You knew it before? I bet you didn’t!
Factors affecting the outstay of valium in your system
How long it takes for Valium to be flushed out of your system includes on different factors:
- Age
- Weight
- Body fat content
- Amount of the drug taken
- Any other drug in your body
- Liver and kidney condition
- Ingestion rate
- Metabolism rate
Some unknown facts about this drug test:
- This is possibly shocking but saliva test can detect Valium or its metabolites for up to 5-9 days after the last dose of the drug
- People who take this drug chronically can go for Blood tests
- Urine tests are the most commonly used drug tests
- Hair follicle tests can detect Valium for up to 90 days, though this test is not reliable as compared to others
If you feel you are getting addicted to Valium. You really need to look after this matter quickly, as it might lead to serious health issues or life consuming as well.
It should be treated as soon as possible. Long-term use of Valium has been linked to dementia and other brain disorders and can lead to depression.
However, detox from Valium should never be attempted alone. Especially in the case of chronic use, withdrawal symptoms can be dangerous and life-threatening.
At The End
In the ending words, I would like to inform and bring to your kind notice that
Medical help is provided to the addicted individuals by the professionals. You just have to slowly dwindle the drug until it’s safe to completely stop it.
Was this article helpful? I hope I answered all the questions you had in your mind related to this drug. Please like, comment, share and subscribe if you got all the answers to your questions. Also feel free to ask any further queries in the comment section.
Just finished reading your blog post. Thanks for the valuable info!