valium

How long does Diazepam stay in your body?

The elimination half-life of diazepam is about 48 hours (up to 48 hours), but it varies strongly with age — roughly 20 hours at age 20 and rising by about 1 hour for each year of age — the time it takes the body to clear about half of it. As a rule of thumb, a medicine is mostly gone after roughly 4 to 5 half-lives, though this varies from person to person with age and kidney or liver function. This is the parent drug's half-life. Diazepam has an active metabolite, N-desmethyldiazepam (nordiazepam), whose half-life is much longer (up to 100 hours), so the drug's effects last well beyond the parent number. Clearance is also markedly slower in older adults and in liver disease — the half-life is 2 to 5 times longer in cirrhosis (individual cases over 500 hours) — so effective duration can be far longer.

This is general information, not medical advice. It doesn’t tell you when a drug test would read negative (tests detect substances for different, often longer, windows) or when it’s safe to take another dose — ask your pharmacist or prescriber. Source: VALIUM- diazepam tablet (DailyMed).

Frequently asked questions

What does Valium treat?

Valium (Diazepam) may be used to treat alcohol withdrawal delirium, muscle spasticity, status epilepticus, panic disorder, based on NIH RxClass drug-classification data (conditions a drug may treat — not a verbatim copy of the FDA-approved label). This is general reference, not medical advice.

How does Valium work?

Valium is a benzodiazepine. Benzodiazepines boost the brain's main calming chemical, GABA, by binding to the GABA-A receptor and making its chloride channel open more often. This quiets nerve activity, producing sedation, reduced anxiety, muscle relaxation, and protection against seizures.

How much does Valium cost?

Nobody can tell you what you will pay — your price is set by your insurer's formulary, your deductible and the pharmacy's markup, and none of those are published. What IS published is what the pharmacy paid to acquire it: about $0.87 for 30, per the CMS NADAC survey. Treat that as the floor, not the quote — ask the pharmacist for the cash price as well as your copay, because for cheap generics the cash price often wins.

Is there a coupon or discount for Valium?

pharmaranks is an independent ratings site, not a pharmacy — we don't issue coupons or sell Valium. To pay less, ask your prescriber or pharmacist whether a generic equivalent exists, check the manufacturer's copay/savings card and patient-assistance program, and compare a pharmacy discount card against your insurance copay. Prices vary by pharmacy, insurance, and location, so always confirm at the counter. This is general reference, not medical or financial advice.

Who makes Valium?

Valium is marketed by Roche. You can see Roche's full profile, rating, and other products on pharmaranks.

Is Valium a brand-name or generic drug?

Valium is a brand-name product with the active ingredient Diazepam. Lower-cost generic equivalents containing Diazepam are available — ask your pharmacist.

Is Valium available over the counter?

No. Valium is a prescription (Rx) medication in the US — you need a prescription from a licensed clinician (in person or via telehealth); it isn't sold over the counter. For some conditions there are OTC alternatives — ask your pharmacist.

What forms does Valium come in?

Valium is currently marketed as tablet, per the FDA's National Drug Code Directory.

What class of drug is Valium?

Valium is classified as benzodiazepine, per the FDA's Established Pharmacologic Class.

Is Valium FDA-registered?

Valium is on record with the U.S. FDA under application number NDA016087. You can verify this on its official FDA label.