Classified as a benzodiazepine, Tranxene is a brand name version of the generic drug clorazepate. Tranxene is primarily prescribed to treat anxiety. It can also be prescribed for certain seizure disorders and to treat physical and mental symptoms that occur when alcohol leaves the body. As a benzodiazepine, Tranxene depresses the activity of the brain and the central nervous system, creating a calming effect. Side effects can include drowsiness and fatigue, dizziness, dry mouth, confusion, loss of coordination, and changes in mood. Severe side effects of Tranxene can include depression, suicidal thoughts, and muscle tremors.
Tranxene Risks
When someone is prescribed Tranxene, the starting dose is usually 30 mg, but this can vary. People who use this medication are warned against combining It with quite a few other substances. Tranxene shouldn’t be combined with alcohol, narcotics, antidepressants or medicines for psychiatric disorders. Tranxene affects certain GABA neurotransmitters in the brain. In doing so, there is the potential for people to start to feel a psychological need for Tranxene. Physical dependence is also possible. To avoid these risks, patients are typically prescribed this medication for a period of no more than a few weeks.
There are some important reasons to wonder how long Tranxene stays in your system. The first is that combining any benzo with certain substances can lead to a serious health condition or death. If someone were to take Tranxene and then take an opioid before it cleared from their system, they could experience serious respiratory depression. Since physical dependence is possible, people may also wonder how long Tranxene stays in your system as they’re timing when symptoms could begin. There are also substance tests to consider, and benzodiazepines do show up on most urine screenings.
How Long Do Benzodiazepines Stay in Your System?
Before looking specifically at how long Tranxene stays in your system, what about benzodiazepines in general? Benzos are usually classified as ultra-short-acting, intermediate-acting and long-acting. These categories refer to the half-life of the drug. Ultra-short-acting benzos usually have a half-life of fewer than five hours. That means within five hours about half the dosage has usually been eliminated from the system of the user. Substances with half-life numbers ranging from 5 to 24 hours are intermediate, and because they don’t accumulate too much in the system of the user, doses can be taken more frequently in many cases. Long-acting benzos tend to be less addictive and have half-lives of more than 24 hours, but they do accumulate in the system of the user.
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How Long Does Tranxene Stay in Your System?
Tranxene has an average half-life of around 50 hours and can go up to almost 180 hours, which is very long. That means within 50 hours only half the drug would be eliminated from the system. This has a few implications. First, it would take longer for withdrawal symptoms to begin, but they would also last for longer in most people. Another reason the long half-life is relevant is that it would show up for extended periods on a drug test. Also, long-acting benzos like Tranxene tend to accumulate in the system of the person taking the substance. This means that if someone were to drink or take opioids even days after taking Tranxene, it could cause adverse side effects or respiratory depression. While there are risks that come with long-acting drugs like Tranxene, this feature does have benefits as well. For example, there is a lower risk of drug tolerance with long-acting benzodiazepines.
If you’re struggling with substance use disorder, please contact our team of specialists at The Recovery Village. We are here to talk, listen and answer any questions you may have about psychological or physical diseases brought on by drug misuse, as well as treatment and recovery options.
