how long does it take for valium to be out of your body

Hi everyone

once you stop taking the dreaded V how long is it before it gets out of your system.

thanks

Lizzy

Hi Lizzy.

Roughly 3-4 weeks.

Unfortunately, that may mean up to another month of acute withdrawal. 

Hang in there,

Vertigo

Have a look at this thread by Colin

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=6177.0

Valium (diazepam) or it's active metabolite can be detected in your system for up to 23 days. It's active metabolite has an elimination half life of approximately 100hours. It takes 5.5 x elimination half life for a medicine/metabolite to be cleared from ones system so it would take approximately 550 hours or 22.9 days (5.5 x 100 hours) for it's metabolite to be cleared.

http://www.drugs.com/pro/valium.html

Elimination of diazepam: The initial distribution phase is followed by a prolonged terminal elimination phase (half-life up to 48 hours). The terminal elimination half-life of the active metabolite N-desmethyldiazepam is up to 100 hours. Diazepam and its metabolites are excreted mainly in the urine, predominantly as their glucuronide conjugates. The clearance of diazepam is 20 to 30 mL/min in young adults. Diazepam accumulates upon multiple dosing and there is some evidence that the terminal elimination half-life is slightly prolonged.

.

omg so i wont be taking it but it will still be around for another 23 days aaaarrrhhhhhh LOUD SCREAMING.

So will i still get withdrawals.  Ill tell you what Im sleeping like a baby down to .75 of a tablet amazing.

Lizzy

From my last dose, a month? It had to be.

Hang in there, Billy.

hey Billy

Im hanging 3 more days and i will be offffff cant wait feel like im getting married or something.  Best thing thats happened to me but it looks like being benzo free doesnt mean free of symptoms.  Hows the ocd got any latest ones to tell me.  Mine is this constantly telling the nurses im brain damaged do you want me to take a picture of their faces when i go to tell them its priceless.  Im sure they think oh know its her again they are all so patient and lovely but they must get so sick of me.

Lizzy

That's great that you are sleeping well Lizzy.  I remember that after my taper, I was very wiped out from the whole ordeal of tapering and "worrying", it's like my body just gave out and I slept well for some months.  As for the withdrawal, since you seem to have this paradoxical reaction to valium, it is possible it won't take as long for you to get through the most intense withdrawal, plus you've gone through so much of it when you came down from 45 to 2.5mg and all you went through for the last month that maybe it won't be quite as bad as that initial shock, you can always hope.  That being said, the first few weeks off will likely continue to impact as the blood levels go down.  The good news is that going off this 2mg of valium because of the long half life gives you a built in taper over the next couple weeks as it processes out. You're very brave and your family is lucky to have you.

Vertigo 

Hey Vertigo

no sleep last night really. Was dreadful.  Im so frightened im sure they will diagnose me with something today much more sinister than benzo withdrawal.  I wish my family had me back unfortunately i dont think they will get their mum back not from benzo withdrawal but because im insane.

Love Lizzy

Lizzy,

You are not insane, its the withdrawal talking.  This can be such a hard process and only time will really heal you from the effects of these meds.  You can and will be the mum you want to be. You are very strong to take this on and will continue through the journey. I had a very hard time sleeping when I was first off the valium, but after 2 weeks my sleep started to return.  Just congratulate yourself for making it through each day, that is a triumph right there. Stay strong and know we are here for you.

pianogirl

hey Pianogirl

so wish i could believe you but you know before the benzo stuff i took some blood pressure meds and some antidepressants had very severe reactions to them like felt pyschotic and so frightened and now im doing this and the fear and terror is overwhelming just posted elsewhere last week before i came in here i was crouched in a corner crying and screaming like a caged animal (hardly withdrawal) you would have to agree.

I so want this to be withdrawal but i just dont believe it

Lizzy

Lizzy,

Antidepressants can cause some terrible side effects in people.  I am really sensitive to meds and doctors tried many many different AD's on me to deal with the anxiety that was ultimately caused by the benzo.  I had really bad reactions to all of them; there was one, I can't remember which one, that made me cry uncontrollably.  The only thing to do is to finish the taper and then have time to recover and see how you feel. The benzos change the brain so much that it has to have time to recover but it will.

pianogirl

hey Pianogirl

thanks so much i was given one that made me cry uncontrollably and i was left on it for 7 weeks they thought i would get better.

I think one of them I took triggered a pyschosis was so fearful and anxious I know it did.  However the problem is when this is over the bb withdrawal what can i blame then.

Do you really think 8 months of benzo use would see me with issues coming off.

Lizzy

For sure 8 months, I was physically dependent after 6 weeks.  You might not need to blame anything once you have healed.  I know I have much better coping techniques, you can find them as well. Plus this withdrawal has produced so much wierd anxiety that I know that I can handle anything life throws at me now. Its hard but patience in this process is really necessary.  I am a pretty impatient person but boy have I learned a lot since I started down this road.

pianogirl

Thanks pianogirl

I can only wait and hope thats for sure.  Glad you are doing so well.

Lizzy

Well Lizzy, its been a long haul and I have a bit more to travel.  Sending you a big hug!!

:mybuddy:

pianogirl

Pianogirl

right back at you. xx

hey Pianogirl

 

so wish i could believe you but you know before the benzo stuff i took some blood pressure meds and some antidepressants had very severe reactions to them like felt pyschotic and so frightened and now im doing this and the fear and terror is overwhelming just posted elsewhere last week before i came in here i was crouched in a corner crying and screaming like a caged animal (hardly withdrawal) you would have to agree.

 

I so want this to be withdrawal but i just dont believe it

 

Lizzy

Hello Lizzy,

Your symptoms are withdrawals, as to whether directly from benzodiazepines or anti-depressants(SSRI's) it's hard to say since the long list of withdrawals are nearly identical between the two classes of drug. I am glad you're sleeping so well though, this is really important for healing!

Here's some interesting info on SSRI's.; http://www.antidepressantsfacts.com/reaction.htm

Take care!

OTM

Thanks OTM

i just read that and i have seen it before so true for the first time i took them was such a severe reaction however and it was so scary just super stimulated.  made me feel better reading it again thats for sure.

Lizzyx