How Long Does Valium Stay in Your System?

Valium (diazepam) is a prescription medication often used to treat anxiety, muscle spasms, and alcohol withdrawal. However, it is also commonly abused recreationally in the same way as other similar medications like Xanax.

Whether you’re taking Valium as prescribed or struggling with misuse, it’s important to understand how long it stays in your system and what happens when you detox. This information can be helpful if you’re preparing for a drug test, are thinking about stopping use and anticipating withdrawal, or are considering treatment for help overcoming addiction.

In this article, we’ll explore exactly how long valium stays in your system. You will learn:

• What Valium is and how long the effects usually last
• How the body metabolizes Valium
• Factors affecting how long Valium stays in your system
• How long Valium can be detected by various drug tests
• What to expect when detoxing
  

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If you or someone you love is struggling with Valium addiction and needs treatment, please reach out to our team at Moving Mountains Recovery to learn about your treatment options.

What is Valium?

Valium (brand name for diazepam) is a prescription medication used to treat anxiety, seizure disorders, and withdrawal symptoms associated with alcohol dependence. It belongs to the benzodiazepine drug class, which is a class of medications that are central nervous system depressants. 

Benzodiazepines like Valium, Xanax, and Ativan work by slowing down activity in the brain and nervous system. They enhance the effects of a neurotransmitter called GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), which helps produce a calming effect. This makes them useful for reducing anxiety, promoting relaxation, and preventing seizures.

In people with anxiety, Valium can make them feel calmer and more relaxed. It can also prevent muscle spasms and seizures in people with certain types of seizure disorders.

When used to treat drug and alcohol dependence, it’s prescribed during detox to ease symptoms like agitation and tremors, which are common alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

Valium and other benzodiazepine medications are Schedule IV controlled substances under the Controlled Substances Act, indicating a potential for misuse and dependence. Using benzodiazepines more frequently than prescribed or in higher doses may result in physical dependence and addiction. As a result, these medications are prescribed under medical supervision.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), about 3.9 million people reported misusing a prescription benzodiazepine in the previous 12 months.

How Long Do Valium’s Effects Normally Last?

Valium typically starts to work fairly quickly. After taking an oral dose, most people begin to feel the effects within 15 to 60 minutes. The onset can vary depending on factors like:

• Whether it’s taken on an empty or full stomach (an empty stomach usually leads to faster absorption)
• The dose
• The person’s metabolism and age (elderly patients may metabolize the substance more slowly)
• Any additional medications being taken

Peak effects, such as relaxation, reduced anxiety, and sedation, occur one to two hours after taking it.

Effects begin wearing off after 4-6 hours.

Valium Side Effects

Like all medications, Valium can cause side effects. These can vary depending on the dose, how long someone has been taking it, and individual sensitivity to the medication

Common side effects of Valium include:

• Drowsiness
• Fatigue
• Dizziness or lightheadedness
• Muscle weakness
• Impaired coordination
• Blurred vision
• Slurred speech
• Nausea

More serious side effects, especially when taking Valium long term or in higher doses, can include:

• Memory problems
• Confusion
• Depression
• Mood changes or irritability
• Breathing difficulties (especially when combined with other depressants like alcohol or opioids)
• Physical or psychological dependence

Because of the risk of tolerance, drug abuse, dependence, and withdrawal, the medication is usually recommended for short-term use unless prescribed and monitored closely by a healthcare provider.

Understanding Valium’s Half-Life

Valium has a long elimination half-life. A drug’s half-life refers to how long it takes the body to metabolize just one dose of a drug. The elimination half-life of Valium is up to 48 hours.

Because it has a long half-life compared to other benzodiazepines, Valium can stay in the body for a while, making it helpful for some conditions but also increasing the risk of tolerance and dependence if misused.

It can take four to five half-lives for Valium’s metabolites to leave the system completely. With a half-life of 48 hours, this means it can stay in your system for up to 10 days.

How is it Metabolized?

Valium is intended to be taken by mouth, and after it goes through the digestive tract and enters the bloodstream, it is transported to the liver. 

The liver metabolizes Valium by excreting enzymes that break the drug down into various active metabolites, including desmethyldiazepam, temazepam, and oxazepam. These metabolites can stay in the body for an extended period, contributing to Valium’s long-lasting effects. 

The metabolites are eventually eliminated through the kidneys in urine, but because of the drug’s extended half-life, traces of Valium can remain in the system for several days, or even weeks in some cases. These traces of the drug can be detected by over-the-counter and professional-grade drug tests for several days.

Desmethyldiazepam, one of Valium’s primary metabolites, has a half-life of 50-100 hours. Drug tests will pick up on this metabolite, causing a positive result for benzodiazepines. This is one of the reasons why Valium can show up on drug tests for such long periods.

Factors that Affect How Long Valium Stays in Your System

People are affected by Valium differently based on how their bodies metabolize it. For some people, Valium wears off quickly and doesn’t stay in the system for very long. For others, it can linger in the body for extended periods of time.

There are many factors that influence how long Valium stays in your system. These include:

Dose and Frequency of Use

The higher the dose and the more often you take Valium, the longer it will take to leave your system. With regular or long-term use, the drug and its active metabolites can build up in the body, making the elimination process slower and more drawn out over a period of time.

Duration of Use

If you’ve been taking Valium for a long time, it builds up in your body, particularly in fat stores. Even after stopping the medication, traces can be released gradually, which may result in positive urine drug tests days or even weeks later.

Age

Older adults often metabolize medications more slowly due to changes in liver function and body composition. As a result, Valium and its byproducts may stay in the body significantly longer in people over 65, while younger individuals will metabolize it more quickly.

Liver and Kidney Function

Valium is broken down in the liver. If your liver isn’t functioning well, whether due to disease, alcohol use, or other factors, your body may not be able to process and eliminate the drug efficiently. This can cause it to stay in your system longer than average.

While Valium is mainly processed by the liver, it is excreted through the kidneys. Impaired kidney function can slow this elimination process, allowing the metabolites to remain in the body longer.

Body Fat Percentage

Valium is fat-soluble, meaning it tends to get stored in fat tissue. As a result, people with a higher body fat percentage may retain the drug longer, especially if they’ve been using it regularly. It can slowly be released back into the bloodstream over time, extending its presence in the body.

Metabolism

Everyone’s metabolism works at a slightly different pace. If you naturally have a slower metabolism, it may take your body longer to break down and remove Valium from your body.

Genetics

Genetic variations in liver enzymes, such as CYP2C19 and CYP3A4, which help metabolize Valium, can also influence how quickly your body processes the drug. Some people have elevated levels of these enzymes while others are genetically predisposed to metabolize medications more slowly.

Other Medications

Combining Valium with other drugs or medications can either slow down or speed up its metabolism. Drugs that increase levels of liver enzymes (like cimetidine or fluoxetine) may cause Valium to stay in your system longer, while enzyme inducers (like rifampin) might shorten its duration.

How Long Can Drug Tests Detect Valium For?

Because of all these variables, detection times for Valium can vary widely.

Valium can typically be detected in:

• Blood – up to 48 hours after the last dose
• Urine – up to 10 days (and even longer with heavy or chronic use)
• Saliva – 1 to 10 days after the last dose
• Hair – up to 90 days (three months) after the last dose

Everyone’s body is different, so timelines may vary. If you’re taking Valium or preparing to stop, it’s always a good idea to consult your doctor to better understand what to expect.

How Long Does Valium Stay in Your Urine?

Urine tests are the most common type of drug screening, and Valium can typically be detected in urine for up to 10 days after the last dose.

For people who have used Valium regularly or in high doses, especially over a long period, it can stay in the urine for up to two weeks or more.

Urine tests may be used in a number of settings, ranging from pre-employment drug screenings to parole or probationary check-ins. These drug tests are affordable, easy to administer, and accurate. The ease of use makes them the go-to option for Valium drug tests.

How Long Does Valium Stay in Your Saliva?

Valium can show up in a saliva test for 1 to 10 days after the last use. Saliva testing isn’t as commonly used as urine testing, but it can still be effective for detecting recent drug use.

The detection window may be shorter if Valium was taken just once or in a low dose. In contrast, heavy or chronic use may extend how long it’s present in your saliva.

How Long Does Valium Stay in Your Blood?

Blood tests can detect Valium for up to 48 hours after use. This method is usually used in more urgent or clinical settings, like hospitals or DUI investigations, because it measures the drug that’s actively circulating in the bloodstream.

While the detection window for blood tests is shorter than other types of tests, it can still vary slightly depending on your metabolism, liver function, and how much Valium was taken.

How Long Does Valium Show Up on Hair Follicle Tests?

Hair follicle testing can detect Valium for up to 90 days after the last dose. This method provides the longest detection window because trace amounts of the drug and its metabolites are deposited into the hair as it grows.

Hair testing cannot detect drug abuse within the last week, but it can indicate long-term patterns of use.

Signs of Valium Abuse and Addiction

While Valium can be helpful when used as prescribed, it also has the potential for misuse and addiction, especially when taken in higher doses, used long-term, or combined with other substances like alcohol or opioids.

Here are common signs that someone may be abusing Valium or developing a dependence:

• Taking higher doses than prescribed or using it more often than directed
• “Doctor shopping” or trying to get multiple prescriptions
• Using Valium to feel high or to escape stress, not just to treat medical symptoms
• Developing tolerance, needing more to get the same effects
• Withdrawal symptoms when not using it, like anxiety, tremors, or insomnia
• Neglecting responsibilities at work, school, or home
• Changes in behavior or mood, like irritability, drowsiness, or confusion
• Social withdrawal or isolating from friends and family
• Mixing with other drugs or alcohol to enhance the effects
• Loss of control, such as being unable to stop using Valium, even when it’s causing problems in your daily life or relationships

Valium abuse is not something to take lightly. If you or someone you love is struggling with substance abuse of any kind, Moving Mountains Recovery can help. Reach out to us today to learn about your treatment options or to ask questions about the recovery process.

Valium Withdrawal Symptoms: What Happens When You Detox?

When someone stops using Valium, especially after long-term or heavy use, the body and brain may struggle to adjust without it. 

Valium works by enhancing the effects of GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), a calming neurotransmitter in the brain that helps reduce nerve activity. Over time, the brain starts to rely on Valium to keep things balanced and may produce less GABA on its own. When Valium use stops suddenly, the brain is left with a shortage of GABA activity, which can make nerve cells overactive and lead to a rebound of anxiety, and restlessness.

This can lead to withdrawal symptoms, which range from uncomfortable to dangerous if not properly managed.

Symptoms of Valium withdrawal include:

• Anxiety
• Panic attacks
• Trouble sleeping (insomnia)
• Irritability
• Mood swings
• Muscle pain or stiffness
• Muscle spasms
• Tremors
• Shakiness
• Headaches
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Sweating
• Increased sensitivity to light and sound
• Difficulty concentrating
• Heart palpitations

In severe cases, withdrawal may cause:

• Seizures
• Hallucinations
• Deliurium
• Extreme confusion

Valium withdrawal can be life-threatening, and should never be attempted alone, especially if you’ve been abusing the drug. Seek professional medical advice or detox treatment under the supervision of medical professionals.

Medical Detox for Valium Use and Addiction

Because Valium affects the central nervous system and alters brain chemistry, stopping it suddenly, especially after long-term or heavy use, can lead to serious withdrawal symptoms. That’s why medical detox is often the first and safest step in recovery.

In a Valium detox program, trained professionals help you gradually taper off the drug in a controlled environment. This slow reduction helps prevent severe withdrawal symptoms like seizures, extreme anxiety, or dangerous changes in heart rate or blood pressure.

What to Expect in a Detox Center

A detox program may include:

A personalized tapering plan 

The most common way to detox from Valium is to slowly taper off it. This involves gradually reducing the dose, allowing your body to adjust to lower and lower doses, until you’re no longer physically dependent. In a detox program, a healthcare professional can help you determine the right tapering plan for your situation.

24/7 monitoring for safety 

Because Valium withdrawal can cause serious symptoms like seizures, high blood pressure, or extreme anxiety, round-the-clock medical supervision is key. Medical staff are there to watch for any complications and step in quickly if needed, giving you peace of mind throughout the process.

Medications to manage symptoms and reduce discomfort

Some people benefit from additional medications during detox to ease symptoms like nausea, insomnia, anxiety, or muscle pain. These can help you stay more comfortable and make the experience less overwhelming, especially in the early stages.

Emotional support from doctors, nurses, and counselors

Detox isn’t just a physical process. It can also stir up emotions like fear, guilt, or depression. In a supportive detox setting, you’ll have access to professionals who understand what you’re going through and can offer encouragement, counseling, and compassionate care when you need it most.

A smooth transition into further treatment, like rehab or therapy

If you’re struggling with Valium addiction, detox is just the first step. After your body is clear of Valium, it’s important to address the underlying reasons for its use. Most detox programs will help you connect with rehab, outpatient treatment, or therapy to continue your recovery journey and reduce the risk of relapse.

The Importance of Medical Supervision During Detox

Valium stays in your system for a long time, so withdrawal can last several weeks. Not only that, but detoxing from Valium on your own can be uncomfortable and risky, leading to things like panic attacks, confusion, body aches, and even seizures. 

A medical setting ensures you stay safe, supported, and more comfortable throughout the process.

Find Treatment for Valium Addiction

If you or someone you care about is struggling with Valium abuse, you don’t have to face it alone.

At Moving Mountains Recovery, we offer medically supervised detox, compassionate care, and personalized treatment plans to help you take back control of your life over substance abuse. Our addiction treatment program is accredited by the Joint Commission, ensuring high-quality standards of care, and many of our staff members are in recovery themselves, so we know what you’re going through and how to help.

With the right treatment and support, anyone can overcome addiction, and we’d love to be your shoulder to lean on in your recovery journey. To get started with a confidential, risk-free assessment or to ask questions about our addiction treatment services, please reach out to us today!