How Long Does Valium Last In The Body?
Key takeaways:
Valium (diazepam) is a benzodiazepine prescribed for short-term anxiety and alcohol withdrawal symptoms. It can also help manage seizures and muscle spasms.
Valium’s effects last about 12 hours. However, the medication can stay in your system for up to 21 days. Exactly how long Valium stays in your system depends on factors such as your age, liver and kidney health, and how often you take the medication.
If you’re taking medications that interact with Valium, become pregnant, or experience side effects, you may need to take a lower dose or avoid Valium altogether.
Table of contents
Valium (diazepam) is a benzodiazepine that’s FDA approved for the short-term treatment of anxiety and alcohol withdrawal symptoms. It can also help manage seizures and relieve certain types of muscle spasms.
As a brand-name product, Valium is only available as an oral tablet. But the generic version, diazepam, also comes as an oral tablet, oral liquid, and injection that’s given into a muscle or vein.
Valium can stay in your system for up to a few weeks. The type of Valium you take doesn’t change how long it stays in your body, but it can affect how quickly it starts working. Keep reading to learn how long Valium stays in your bloodstream and what factors affect how your body clears it.
How long does Valium last in the body?
Valium can last in your body for 10 to 21 days after taking a dose. But this doesn’t mean its intended effects (or side effects) last that long.
How long Valium lasts in the body is based on the medication’s half-life. A half-life refers to how long it takes your body to remove half of the medication. It typically takes about 4 to 5 half-lives to clear most of a drug from your bloodstream.
This timeframe stems from how Valium is broken down after you take a dose. Valium is processed differently than many medications. After you take a dose, its active ingredient is broken down into several byproducts. So it has 2 half-lives — one for the active ingredient and another for its byproducts.
Diazepam’s half-life is about 48 hours (2 days), but the byproducts have a half-life of about 4 days. This means that diazepam itself lasts about 8 to 10 days, but its byproducts can linger in your body for almost 3 weeks.
How long do the effects of Valium last?
How long the effects of Valium last is different from how long the medication stays in your system. After taking a dose of Valium, you may feel its effects for more than 12 hours.
Valium’s effects last longer than other benzodiazepines. For instance, midazolam, a short-acting benzodiazepine, lasts for about 1 to 2 hours. Lorazepam (Ativan) typically lasts about 6 to 8 hours.
What are benzodiazepines? Valium (diazepam) is a benzodiazepine. Learn more about other medications in this class, including what they’re used for and common side effects.
Other anxiety treatments: Valium is a short-term treatment for anxiety symptoms. In this guide, experts discuss alternative treatments for chronic anxiety.
Should you take Valium for sleep? Valium can make you sleepy. But that doesn’t mean it’s safe to use to help you sleep — here’s why.
Are there factors that can affect how long Valium stays in your system?
Yes, several factors can affect how long Valium stays in your system. These can include your age and how well your kidneys and liver work. How much Valium you take also plays a role.
1. Age
Your age can affect how long Valium stays in your system. This mostly applies to older adults and young kids.
Valium’s half-life increases by 1 hour per year as you get older. So it takes older adults longer to clear this medication from their bodies than younger adults.
By comparison, it generally takes young children about 3 to 4 days to eliminate Valium from their system. But this process may take a few days longer for newborn babies.
Keep in mind: The oral forms of Valium aren’t approved for children younger than 6 months old.
2. Kidney function
Your body eliminates Valium through your kidneys. So if you have kidney disease, it can take longer for your body to get rid of Valium. This can cause the medication to build up and increase your risk of side effects.
Let your prescriber know if you have kidney problems before taking Valium. They may prescribe a lower Valium dosage for you to play it safe.
3. Liver function
Your liver also plays a significant role in how long Valium stays in the body. This is because your liver processes Valium as it travels through your system. Having mild-to-moderate liver disease increases the time it takes for Valium to be eliminated from your body — by up to 2 to 5 fold.
If you have a liver condition, your healthcare professional will likely prescribe a lower Valium dosage. But if you have severe liver disease, you may be asked to avoid Valium altogether.
4. How much Valium you take
Valium can build up with repeated doses, even if you’re taking it as prescribed. So, the more Valium you take, the longer the medication stays in your system.
In what situations is it important to consider how long Valium lasts in your system?
There are a few situations when it’s important to know how long Valium lasts in your body.
Drug interactions
Valium is a central nervous system (CNS) depressant, so taking it with other CNS depressants isn’t ideal. Doing so can increase the risk of side effects such as excessive sleepiness and slowed breathing.
Examples of other CNS depressants include:
Opioid pain medications, such as oxycodone (Roxicodone)
Sleep medications, such as Ambien (zolpidem)
Antihistamines, such as Benadryl (diphenhydramine)
If you need to take another CNS depressant, you may be asked to wait until Valium is out of your system before starting the other medication.
Pregnancy
It’s thought that Valium could cause harm to infants who are exposed to the medication during pregnancy. Fetuses who are exposed to Valium during the third trimester of pregnancy could develop withdrawal symptoms and other issues once they’re a newborn.
At the same time, having seizures during pregnancy can cause problems for the mother as well as the baby. Because of this, healthcare professionals may prescribe Valium during pregnancy if the benefits outweigh the risks to the mother and infant.
Breastfeeding
Nearly 10% of a Valium dose passes into breast milk. This may seem like a small amount, but it can still build up in the bloodstream of the breastfed child. This is especially true for newborn babies and premature infants.
If you occasionally take Valium while breastfeeding, your healthcare professional may recommend you watch your baby closely for symptoms such as excessive sleepiness or decreased feeding. They may also advise you to wait 6 to 8 hours after taking a Valium dose before breastfeeding again.
Side effects
Valium can cause side effects such as sleepiness, muscle weakness, and balance problems. Although rare, it’s also possible to experience more serious risks, such as breathing problems and dependence.
While common Valium side effects are generally mild, let your prescriber know if they’re bothering you. They can explore ways to help you manage them.
If you have severe side effects, your prescriber may have you stop taking Valium. Keep in mind that it may take several days for your body to get rid of Valium. So it’s possible that some side effects may linger as your body clears the medication.
If you’ve been taking Valium regularly for a while, stopping the medication suddenly may cause withdrawal symptoms. In this case, your healthcare professional should gradually reduce your dose before you completely stop the medication.
Frequently asked questions
How fast Valium works depends on the form of Valium you take. The medication comes as oral tablets, an oral liquid, and an injection.
Valium injections may be given into a muscle or vein, and they’re fast-acting. They start working within 1 to 3 minutes, but they’re typically only administered in a medical setting. The oral forms of Valium may take a little longer to start working by comparison. You may feel the effects about 15 to 60 minutes after taking a dose.
Yes, sleepiness is one of the more common side effects of Valium. And it’s possible to experience this side effect with any Valium dose. Talk with your healthcare professional if you have excessive sleepiness while taking Valium. This may be a sign that your dose is too high.
The bottom line
Valium (diazepam) is a benzodiazepine medication that treats symptoms of anxiety and alcohol withdrawal. It’s also prescribed to help manage seizures and relieve muscle spasms. Valium’s effects typically last about 12 hours, but it can take up to 21 days for your body to fully clear a dose of the medication.
Age plays a role in determining how long Valium lasts in your system. Other factors affecting how long Valium stays in your system are your kidney and liver health and how often you take the medication.
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