Can you overdose (OD) on Valium?

While it is difficult to overdose on Valium alone, there are risk associated with taking large amounts of the drug. More on how much Valium is safe for you and Valium overdose here.

3
minute read

Yes. You can OD on Valium.

But a Valium overdose requires high amounts of Valium.  Overdose is also a risk of mixing Valium and alcohol or other drugs.  And given that many drug overdoses are unintentional, it is possible to avoid a Valium overdose. More here on how to avoid accidental Valium overdose or risk factors for Valium overdose. At the end, we invite your questions about Valium and overdose.

Can you overdose on Valium?

Yes, you can overdose on Valium. But it typically takes a very high amount of Valium to cause an OD, unless Valium is being taken with other medications or alcohol.  How much Valium to overdose? The amount of Valium to overdose will vary from person to person, based on your size, tolerance to Valium, and other factors but is about 1,000 times the therapeutic dose of diazepam. Plus, Valium abuse like when you inject or snort Valium increases your risk of addiction, and potentially, overdose. This medication should only be taken swallowed as a whole pill, and only in the doses recommended by your doctor. You’re much more likely to overdose on Valium if you take it with alcohol or other drugs.

What happens when you overdose on Valium?

You’re at a greater-than-normal risk of accidents when you take too much Valium. But taking large amounts of Valium can make you dizzy and impair your judgment, which can put you in danger. And when taken at high doses or mixed with other drugs, Valium can cause a slowed heartbeat or breathing problems.

Slow or shallow breathing is the most dangerous complication of Valium overdose. In some cases, Valium overdose might stop your breathing completely. Other medications combined with the Valium may also cause overdose, or make these effects more pronounced.

How many Valium is too much?

It’s hard to overdose on Valium, but it is possible, especially when combined with other drugs. The recommended daily dose is 4 to 40 mg of Valium throughout the day. Only up to 10 mg of Valium should be taken at one time – less in someone without a tolerance to Valium. People have been reported taking doses of up to 2000 mg Valium without serious effects. That’s about 50 times the maximum recommended daily dose. So Valium is incredibly safe and very difficult to overdose on if taken by itself.

Valium overdose help

While on its own, high doses of Valium are unlikely to cause permanent harm, even low doses of Valium could be fatal if combined with alcohol, narcotics, or other CNS depressants. If you’ve taken Valium in high doses along with alcohol or other drugs and you suspect you may be experiencing an overdose, your prognosis may not be as good. Medical attention is necessary if you start experiencing troubling breathing or experience an irregular heartbeat.

Overdose on Valium questions

Addicted to lorazepam? Find out more about how you can get help in our comprehensive outline of lorazepam addiction treatment programs and get prepared to leave your addiction problem behind.

Please leave your questions about safe amounts of Valium in your system here. We can try to help you answer your questions about Valium or refer you to someone who can. Furthermore, we try to respond with a personal and prompt reply for all legitimate queries.

Reference Sources: Toxnet: Diazepam
Medline Plus: Diazepam
PubMed Health: Diazepam
About the author
Lee Weber is a published author, medical writer, and woman in long-term recovery from addiction. Her latest book, The Definitive Guide to Addiction Interventions is set to reach university bookstores in early 2019.
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