Diazepam, also called Valium, can stay in your body for a long time. Things like how old you are or how much fat is in your body can make it stay even longer.
Article at a Glance:
- Diazepam can stay in your body for about 10 days or more.
- Your body changes Diazepam into smaller parts that can stay even longer.
- Age, body fat, and other medicines can change how long Diazepam stays in you.
Half-Life of Valium
Valium is a medicine that helps with things like feeling very worried or having seizures. It works longer than some other medicines like it. That’s why doctors sometimes use it for serious problems.
But because it lasts a long time, you need to be very careful if you’re also taking other things like alcohol or pain medicine. These things together can make you too sleepy or even stop your breathing. So it’s very important to know how long Valium stays in your body.
How Long Does Diazepam Last?
Valium Diazepam can make you feel calm or sleepy for up to 12 hours. But even after you stop feeling it, the medicine is still inside your body.
That’s why it can be dangerous, especially if you take it with other medicines. For example, if someone takes Diazepam and pain pills like opioids together, the chance of getting very sick or even dying goes up a lot.
Compared to some other similar medicines, Diazepam lasts longer. For example, Xanax only works for about 6 hours, but Diazepam works much longer.
How Long Does Valium Stay in Your System?
Every medicine has something called a “half-life.” That just means how long it takes your body to get rid of half of the medicine.
Valium’s half-life is about 48 hours. That means after 2 days, your body gets rid of half the medicine. It takes about 5 half-lives to remove the whole thing. So Valium can stay in your body for up to 10 days.
But that’s not all. Your body turns Diazepam into other tiny parts called “metabolites,” and those can stay even longer. One of those parts can stay in your body for up to 35 days!
Factors that Affect How Long Valium Stays in the System
Some things can make Diazepam stay in your body longer. Let’s look at those.
Body Fat
Diazepam likes to hide in fat. If you have more body fat, Diazepam might stay in you longer. That’s because the fat keeps it stored away, and it takes longer to leave your body.
Drug Interactions
Your liver helps clean Diazepam out of your body. But if you’re taking other medicines, they can slow down or speed up that process.
Some medicines that can change how Diazepam works include:
- Pain medicines like fentanyl or oxycodone. These are very dangerous with Diazepam.
- Alcohol, which makes Diazepam’s effects stronger and riskier.
- Antacids, which can make Diazepam take longer to start working.
- Some antibiotics or antidepressants, like fluoxetine, can also change how long Diazepam stays.
Always tell your doctor about all the medicines you’re taking.
Dosage and Frequency
Even though the half-life of Diazepam doesn’t change much, taking it often can make it build up in your body.
So if someone takes Diazepam every day for many weeks, it might stay in their system longer than someone who only takes one pill.
Age
Older people usually have more fat and less muscle in their bodies. Because Diazepam likes to stay in fat, older adults may keep the medicine in their system longer than younger people.
Find Treatment for Valium Addiction
If someone uses too much Valium or takes it the wrong way, they might need help. There are places and people who can help them feel better and learn to stop using it safely.
Doctors and nurses can help with treatment, and they can also help with problems like anxiety or sadness that might come along with it.
