A saliva test can detect Valium for one to 10 days after it's taken. Research suggests that saliva testing can be a viable alternative to urine testing for the detection of Valium and other benzodiazepines. While saliva tests have a fairly long detection window, this type of testing can present some challenges.
Valium side effects can include dry mouth or hypersalivation, which can affect the ability to collect an adequate sample or may dilute the amount of detectable substance in the oral fluid. Like many other drugs, Valium can be detected with a hair follicle drug test for up to 90 days.
The long detection window of this testing method means that it can be used to look for past drug use. If you have been prescribed Valium to treat anxiety or another condition, be sure to inform the testing lab, even if you are no longer taking your medication. There are some medications that may cross-react with drug screens. There are reports of the antidepressant medication Zoloft sertraline and prescription non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug Daypro oxaprozin causing false-positive urine screens for benzodiazepines like Valium.
Always disclose any prescription or over-the-counter medications you are taking to the lab so clinicians can accurately interpret your drug screen results. There are many variables that affect how long Valium remains in the body. The rate at which medications and other substances break down depends on things like metabolism, age, weight, percentage of body fat, activity level, and hydration. Some health conditions, including liver impairments, can play a role in the rate at which drugs are metabolized by the body.
Other factors that can affect how long Valium stays in the body have to do with the specific prescription. The larger the dose and more frequently you take it, for example, likely means it will be detectable for longer. Some prospective employers order drug tests during the interviewing process to screen for possible drug misuse. Or, a doctor may want to make sure you don't have traces of Valium in your system before prescribing another medication.
The first step to getting Valium out of your system is to stop taking the drug, though you should never stop taking your prescribed medication without talking to your doctor first. If you start taking it again at the same dose, it can result in an accidental overdose.
Discuss your options for safely stopping your medication, which may involve a gradual reduction in your dose in order to avoid withdrawal effects, a process known as tapering. Once you have safely stopped taking Valium, make sure that you stay well hydrated, eat a healthy diet, and get regular physical exercise. Such habits may help to slightly increase how quickly your body metabolizes and excretes the drug and its metabolites. Benzodiazepines such as Valium are usually considered safe when they are taken as prescribed.
However, there are a number of factors that can increase the risk of overdose. These factors include taking Valium in combination with other central nervous system depressants or alcohol, taking more than your prescribed dose, or taking the drug more frequently than prescribed.
Being aware of the signs of a Valium overdose is important so that you and your loved ones can get help as quickly as possible. Some signs of a potential Valium overdose include:.
If someone is experiencing these symptoms, contact emergency services right away. Despite the information stated above, Valium should not be demonized as it does have useful effects especially for individuals dealing with anxiety, pain, and insomnia. Take note of the following information:. The reason for this is simple: diazepam slows down the brain. This is why people often feel foggy or slow when they take the medication.
In fact, studies have found that the drug has been used more and more as a treatment for back pain and other chronic pain. This is because more doctors are exploring Valium and other benzodiazepines as a safer and more reliable alternative to opioids. The medication in question can also be used to treat insomnia. Xanax or alprazolam is also commonly used to treat anxiety and panic disorders. Like Valium, Xanax takes effect almost immediately and lasts for about one to two hours.
This is something that you must consider when it comes to treatment. But like Valium, Xanax is also addictive. Ativan is sometimes used to treat sleeping disorders and anxiety as well, which is why it can be used for sedation before certain surgeries or procedures.
Ativan has an extremely short half-life at 18 hours. One advantage that Ativan has over Valium is that it has fewer drug interactions. Your doctor can help you weigh up the pros and cons. Taking diazepam during the last few months of pregnancy can cause withdrawal symptoms in a newborn baby that include weakness and breathing difficulties. Your baby may be less active than other babies, have a low body temperature, be floppy, or have breathing or feeding difficulties for a while.
Diazepam is passed to the baby in breast milk. This may help counter any withdrawal effects but may also make the baby too sleepy and unable to feed. The good effects of diazepam may have a good effect on your sex life as your symptoms settle, you sleep better, and you can concentrate on your relationships.
However, diazepam has many side effects that might make you less able to take part in sports that need a lot of focus. These include feeling sleepy, blurred eyesight, being forgetful, muscle weakness and finding it difficult to concentrate.
The good effects of diazepam may enhance your sporting performance as your symptoms settle, and you sleep better. You may feel forgetful, very sleepy, and find it difficult to concentrate when you start taking diazepam. You should talk to your doctor about any future exams if you are starting diazepam. You might decide together to delay starting it until you have done them.
If they are more than a few weeks away, however, you might find that it is better to start diazepam to improve your sleep. You need to talk to your doctor or pharmacist before starting treatment with diazepam if any of the following apply to you:. People are not normally prescribed diazepam for more than four weeks as people can become dependent on it if they take it for longer. They may also get withdrawal symptoms when they stop taking it. If you take diazepam for anxiety or sleep problems you will probably take it for two to four weeks, to get you into a new routine.
You will get the best effect from diazepam if you take it regularly at the dose prescribed by your doctor. If this is not written on the label of your bottle or packet, please check with whoever prescribed the medication or ask your pharmacist for advice.
Some people are prescribed diazepam to be taken a few times a day. If this is the case, choose times you can always remember to take the medication, such as mealtimes or when you brush your teeth. Some people may only have to take diazepam for one day, for instance before they have an operation. Diazepam can be taken before or after food. Swallow tablets whole with a drink of water — if chewed, they taste bitter.
If you forget to take it and you are coming up to the time of your next dose if it is four hours away or less , just take the next dose. So, for example, do not take it if you have only got five hours left to sleep.
If you forget to take your medicine for a few days, you may start to get some uncomfortable withdrawal effects, and you could get your old symptoms back. Stopping diazepam quickly may cause withdrawal symptoms. If you have been taking a high dose, you may feel confused or behave strangely for a short time. Do not stop taking diazepam all at once. This could lead to unpleasant withdrawal symptoms, including:. Your doctor will help you to reduce diazepam slowly over a few days at the end of a short course of treatment.
Otherwise the symptoms you are being treated for may return more intensely than before rebound insomnia and anxiety. If you have taken more diazepam than the dosage recommended by the doctor who prescribed it to you, you must get medical help immediately — even if you do not feel any different. Diazepam can make some people think about hurting themselves or taking their own lives. You must go straight to hospital with your tablets if you have any of these thoughts.
Take your medication and a friend or family member with you to help keep you safe on the way. Take a friend or family member with you in case you start to feel ill on the way. You may feel tired, confused or clumsy; get strange movements of your eyes; or have problems with your balance, coordination or speech. Your breathing could also become very slow or you could fall into a coma.
If you have taken diazepam with street drugs or alcohol, you could get very serious side effects. Go to hospital immediately and tell doctors everything you have taken so they can help you.
Diazepam can cause serious side effects: allergic reactions difficulty breathing, swelling of your face or throat, itching skin lumps , and other serious symptoms that you can find listed here. Go to a hospital if you get any of these symptoms, taking your medication with you.
Go to a doctor or hospital straight away if you get any of the following symptoms, as they might be part of an allergic reaction:. This is true of benzo withdrawal in general. Depending on the half life of the benzo in question, the onset of unpleasant or dangerous side effects can begin anywhere from 24 hours to several days after the last dosage. The symptoms of diazepam withdrawal might be mild at first, but they can eventually include bizarre behavioral changes , high levels of agitation, insomnia, seizures, and death.
Though death from diazepam withdrawal all by itself is extremely rare, anyone who is experiencing these type of symptoms should seek medical attention and benzo detox immediately. So how long does diazepam last? In some ways, the answer to this question is irrelevant. Absolute Awakenings follows an evidence-based approach to treating substance abuse disorders.
We are committed to providing long-term recovery for those struggling with addiction. Recovery is not a one size fits all approach. Our recovery specialists are waiting to assist you. Call us today! Partial Care. Intensive Outpatient.
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