How Long Do Benzodiazepines Stay in Your System

How Long Do Benzodiazepines Stay in Your System Addiction Drug Use Prescription Medications Print How Long Do Benzodiazepines Stay in Your System? Benzodiazepines in Your Blood and Urine By Buddy T facebook twitter Buddy T is an anonymous writer and founding member of the Online Al-Anon Outreach Committee with decades of experience writing about alcoholism. Learn about our editorial policy Buddy T Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on December 14, 2015 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on January 14, 2020 Tetra Images/Getty Images More in Addiction Drug Use Prescription Medications Cocaine Heroin Marijuana Meth Ecstasy/MDMA Hallucinogens Opioids Alcohol Use Addictive Behaviors Nicotine Use Coping and Recovery Benzodiazepines are sedatives and anti-anxiety medications that are legally available only by prescription. There are many different kinds of benzodiazepines, from long-acting to short-acting. They include Valium (diazepam), Xanax (alprazolam), Ativan (lorazepam), Klonopin (clonazepam), Halcion (triazolam) and Librium (chlordiazepoxide). When you are prescribed these drugs, it is important to know how long they are active in your system so you can avoid interactions with other substances and be alert to signs of unusual or dangerous side effects. How Long Benzodiazepines Can Be Detected While benzodiazepines have many appropriate medical uses, they also are a common drug of abuse and may be detected in blood or urine toxicology screens. If you are going to be taking a drug screen for employment or other purposes, disclose any prescription medications you are taking so the lab can interpret your test correctly. The time frame varies for each drug in how fast it is eliminated from the body. It may be detectable for days to weeks and it depends on the dosage. How Long Drugs Can Be Detected in Your System Types of Benzodiazepines If you try to estimate how long benzodiazepines are active and detectable in the body you have to consider many variables. The drugs vary considerably in how long they are active in the body, which means they will stay in your system a longer or shorter time. Valium is long-acting. Xanax, Niravam, Ativan, Klonopin, and Librium are intermediate-acting. Halcion is short-acting. With the wide variation by type, it is important to discuss with your doctor how long the drug you have been prescribed will be active in your system. The answer will be on the order of days for the short-acting varieties to over a week for longer-acting drugs. Check Drug Precautions You can look up the medication  guide on the FDA website for the specific drug you are taking to see the precautions for that medication. Benzodiazepines Uses and Side Effects Avoiding Interactions When Benzodiazepines Are in Your System Benzodiazepines are central nervous system depressants that produce sedation, induce sleep, relieve anxiety and muscle spasms, and prevent seizures. Too much of the drug too quickly can cause an overdose. Some of the things that you need to do in order to prevent potentially dangerous interactions or overdoses: Be faithful to the dosage prescribed by your doctor and take your medication on schedule.Ask what to do if you forget to take a dose, as it might be dangerous to take doses too close together.Be thorough in discussing all of your medications, prescriptions, over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, and herbal supplements with your doctor so you can be put on the best dosage.Dont start or stop any other medication or supplement without discussing it with your doctor once you are taking benzodiazepines. You also need to be cautious about driving or operating machinery when you are taking benzodiazepines, as these drugs can make you drowsy. Some of the most critical interactions are with alcohol, narcotic and opiate pain relievers, phenothiazines, MAO inhibitors, illicit drugs, and other central nervous system depressants. Herbal supplements and natural products to be concerned about interacting with benzodiazepines include kava, St. Johns wort, grapefruit, and grapefruit juice. Smoking can also decrease the effectiveness of these medications. Signs of Benzodiazepine Overdose Some of the signs and symptoms of an overdose on benzodiazepines include: DrowsinessShallow respirationClammy skinDilated pupilsWeak and rapid pulseConfusionComaPossible death It is also important that you dont abruptly stop taking any benzodiazepine without discussing it with your doctor as you could have severe withdrawal symptoms. How Long Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Lasts