A typical, healthy person using a normal Ativan dose will eliminate almost all of it within 70 hours (or about three days).[1,2]
People who abuse Ativan may take large doses for long periods. Metabolites will persist, and sometimes, those show up on standard drug tests for longer than three days.
Concealing Ativan abuse is difficult. Blood, urine, and hair tests could highlight just how much you’ve used and for how long. But failing a test could entice you to get the help you need to stay sober for a lifetime.
A half-life of a drug refers to the amount of time the drug’s active substance in the body is reduced by half. This rate is used in order to determine the frequency of dosage on your prescription and can also be used to estimate how long the drug will remain within your system.
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I may have a problem I am concerned for a loved oneAtivan’s half-life is about 14 hours.[1] When five half-lives have passed, up to 97% of the drug has been eliminated from your body.[2] This means a typical person taking a typical dose will clear it in about three days.
Researchers use healthy people taking normal drug doses to establish a substance’s half-life. These measurements are little more than estimates, and your experience can vary dramatically.
While a typical user taking a standard dose can clear it within three days, your experience may be very different. Several factors can change how quickly (or slowly) Ativan moves through your body.
Factors that can impact Ativan’s processing include the following:
Several different drug testing methods exist. All of them involve providing a sample that’s sent to a laboratory. Technicians look for the drug or its metabolites. Failing a test like this could come with significant consequences, including loss of employment.
The following types of drug tests are typically offered by laboratories:
Ativan molecules are detectable in urine samples for about a week. They’re easiest for chemists to spot within the first 24 hours of use.[6]
Chemists can detect Ativan for about eight hours in saliva.[6] After that time frame, it’s almost impossible to find it in a typical saliva test.
Most drugs are detected in hair samples for months. Even washing your hair won’t remove them. However, Ativan is a little different. Researchers say Ativan deposits are rare in hair samples.[6] Some hair follicle tests won’t detect the drug at all.
Ativan remains detectable in the bloodstream for about three days. It’s easiest to find within about 12 hours of the last dose.[7]
| Testing method | Detection time frame |
|---|---|
| Urine | 1 week |
| Hair | Null (Ativan rarely shows up in these tests) |
| Saliva | 8 hours |
| Blood | 3 days |
Ativan is typically detectable in your urine for about six days to one week. However, urine tests can also look for Ativan’s metabolites or compounds your body makes using Ativan because these are evidence of Ativan use. Some of these metabolites can be detectable for about nine days after your last Ativan use.
When consumed orally, Ativan is digested and then enters the bloodstream via the stomach and small intestine. Within approximately 15 to 30 minutes, it penetrates the blood-brain barrier, where it begins to produce a psychoactive effect by stimulating brain and spinal cord nerve cells.
Ativan specifically acts on GABA, which is an inhibitory neurotransmitter. It increases the spread of impulses between nerve cells and calms the central nervous system.
Ativan is broken down in the body by the liver into metabolites. It is then eliminated from the body by the kidneys in the form of urine.
When it’s time to quit, doctors recommend tapering off Ativan. Taking a smaller amount each day allows your brain to adjust to sobriety slowly. Doing so can help you avoid potentially life-threatening withdrawal symptoms like seizures. A doctor should always design and supervise the tapering process.
A typical Ativan detox program involves tapering your dose very slowly, under the direction of a medical team. This reduces the likelihood of Ativan withdrawal symptoms.
A taper timeline can vary. People using very large doses need more time to eventually take none at all. Typically, people reduce their initial dose by about 25%, and then take up to 10% less per day.[8]
Following a schedule like this, you could be through with Ativan detox in a few weeks. If you develop uncomfortable symptoms during the process, such as severe anxiety or seizures, your taper should move more slowly.
When detox is through, you’re sober. However, you will need more treatment to stay that way.[9] A rehab program can help you learn healthy habits that support long-term recovery. You should transition to a program like this as soon as detox is through.
Evidence Based
9 sources cited
