What Is the Maximum Safe Dose of Diazepam?

Benzodiazepines can be powerful treatment options for many conditions, especially anxiety disorders, seizures, muscle spasms, and even alcohol withdrawal symptoms. However, these potent drugs can become dangerous if too much is taken or if they’re taken in combination with other medications that also depress the central nervous system. In addition, they can lead to misuse, dependency, and addiction that require help from drug rehabs near me. Let’s explore the maximum dose of diazepam, one type of benzodiazepine available today, as well as the potential risks of this prescription medication.

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Table of contents

» What Is Diazepam?

» What Are the Risks of Taking More Than the Maximum Safe Dose of Diazepam?

» Can Combining Diazepam With Alcohol or Opioids Make Even Small Doses Dangerous?

» What Are the Symptoms of Diazepam Overdose?

» Key Takeaways on Maximum Dose of Diazepam

» Resources

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What Is Diazepam?

Diazepam is one type of benzodiazepine, a type of central nervous system depressant that can help treat a wide variety of medical conditions but also has a high potential for misuse, tolerance, dependency, and addiction—especially if taken for an extended period of time. Diazepam, which includes the brand name Valium, is most often prescribed to treat anxiety, certain seizure disorders, and help patients get through alcohol withdrawal symptoms. It’s also approved as a short-term treatment for seizure clusters in children 2 to 5 years old.

Diazepam can cause many potential side effects, such as:

• Coordination problems, such as difficulty walking or feeling shaky or unsteady
• Trembling
• Feeling agitated, confused, or discouraged
• Speech or vision changes
• Urination problems (such as difficulty urinating, dark urine, or less frequent urination).
• Fast breathing or heartbeat
• Fever
• Headaches and muscle pain
• Mood swings, such as outbursts of anger, or feeling paranoid
• Difficulty concentrating or speaking
• Sleep problems
• Memory problems
• Sweating
• Nausea or vomiting
• Feeling unusually weak or tired
• Seizures

Using diazepam for an extended period of time can easily lead to physical dependence, meaning the patient requires the drug to feel normal, and quitting the drug suddenly can cause distressing withdrawal symptoms that can persist for several weeks or even months. In addition, patients who are prescribed diazepam need to be careful about potential interactions with other drugs or supplements, especially other central nervous system depressants like alcohol, opioids, or other benzodiazepines.

Doctors will also ask patients about potential other medical problems that can cause serious reactions with this medication, including severe breathing problems, liver disease, and glaucoma. Because benzodiazepines cause a sedative effect, patients are usually instructed not to drive or operate heavy machinery while taking the drug until they’ve seen how the medication will affect them. In addition, diazepam is considered to be a Schedule IV controlled substance, meaning it has a potential for abuse and possible addiction.

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What Are the Risks of Taking More Than the Maximum Safe Dose of Diazepam?

Typically, patients are prescribed to take Valium or other diazepam options only on an as-needed basis—only when they need help managing the symptoms it’s treating. It can sometimes be prescribed as a scheduled drug, such as with chronic seizure disorders, meaning it would be taken on a scheduled basis. Either way, it’s typically only meant to be taken for a short period of time—up to four months—due to uncertainty about potential risks of taking it for longer periods of time, as well as the increased risk of misuse, tolerance, dependency, and addiction if taken longer.

The recommended dosage will depend on the age of the patient and the condition they’re treating. Someone on diazepam for anxiety, for example, will typically start at 2 milligrams, two to four times a day, as needed. Doctors can increase that to as high as 10 milligrams per dose. Alcohol withdrawal patients typically will receive 10 milligrams three to four times during the first day of withdrawal, followed by 5 milligrams per dose up to four times a day as needed.

For muscle spasms or seizures, doctors will typically prescribe 2 to 10 milligrams per dose, two to four times a day. Young children will likely be prescribed much smaller dosages – such as 1 to 2.5 milligrams per dose, three to four times a day. This means that, for most patients, the maximum safe amount of diazepam is going to be 40 milligrams per day (split over four separate doses).

Taking too much diazepam can lead to an overdose that can slow breathing, cause confusion and agitation, and become life-threatening in severe cases. If someone you love is taking too many benzodiazepines, it’s time to get them help at the best prescription drug rehab in Florida.

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Can Combining Diazepam With Alcohol or Opioids Make Even Small Doses Dangerous?

Even if someone is taking far less than the maximum dose of diazepam, combining it with certain other substances can become extremely dangerous and lead to severe health problems and even death. This is especially the case when the drug is combined with other central nervous system depressants, such as opioids, other benzodiazepines, or alcohol. Benzodiazepines like diazepam enhance how the neurotransmitter GABA slows brain activity, which is why they can be an effective treatment for anxiety and seizures. However, the same GABA impact is caused by alcohol, meaning it can add up to way too much of an effect and lead to dangerous problems.

Taking diazepam with opioids can be incredibly dangerous because opioids can slow down breathing to critical levels and cause someone to die if they’re on a benzo. In fact, in the U.S., an estimated 14 percent of drug overdose deaths that involved opioids also involved benzodiazepines.

Both drugs can lead to sedation and slow down or stop breathing, and this risk is heightened to dangerous new levels if they’re combined. Some research has found that this is indeed a risky endeavor. In one study, the overdose death rate of patients who were on both opioids and benzodiazepines was a shocking 10 times higher than that of patients who were only taking opioids.

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What Are the Symptoms of Diazepam Overdose?

If someone takes more than the maximum dose of diazepam, they can start to suffer from symptoms of overdose that can include:

• Confusion, drowsiness, and fatigue
• Becoming unresponsive
• Weakness and coordination problems
• Slurred speech
• Rapid side-to-side eye movements
• Slow or shallow breathing
• Low blood pressure
• Double vision or blurry vision
• Upset stomach
• Falling into a deep sleep or coma
• Stopping breathing
• Becoming impossible to wake up

If you think someone you love is suffering from a diazepam overdose, you must get emergency medical help for them immediately—waiting to see what happens can lead to death if they don’t get help in time.

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Key Takeaways on Maximum Dose of Diazepam

• Diazepam is a type of benzodiazepine that includes the brand name Valium.
• Diazepam is used to treat anxiety, certain seizure disorders, and alcohol withdrawal.
• Typically, patients will receive a maximum dose of diazepam of 40 milligrams per day (split into four different doses).
• Combining benzos like diazepam with other benzodiazepines, opioids, or alcohol can cause dangerous and even life-threatening interactions.
• Overdosing on diazepam can be deadly.

If someone you love is misusing diazepam or taking too much, WhiteSands Treatment can help them get better. Our comprehensive addiction treatment programs, including inpatient drug rehab, medical detox, and day-and-night addiction treatment in Florida, are designed to help people break the chains of addiction once and for all. Call us at 877-855-3470 to learn how to help them get started on the path to a better life today.

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Resources

• GoodRx – Oral Diazepam Dosages
• Mayo Clinic – Diazepam (Oral Route)
• National Institute on Drug Abuse – Benzodiazepines and Opioids

If you or a loved one needs help with abuse and/or treatment, please call the WhiteSands Treatment at (877) 855-3470. Our addiction specialists can assess your recovery needs and help you get the addiction treatment that provides the best chance for your long-term recovery.