How Long Does Klonopin Stay in Your System?
Whether you use clonazepam (Klonopin) to treat a medical disorder or recreationally, you should know that there’s a high likelihood that it can cause you to fail a random drug test. Many employers and legal departments use 5-, 10-, or 12-panel drug screenings. All of these tests typically detect benzo use.
Wondering how long Klonopin can stick around in your body after the last time it was taken? Here’s what you need to know about how long it lasts in your system and more:
How Long Does Klonopin Stay in Your Urine?
Most urine drug tests check for 7-aminoclonazepam, a metabolite or byproduct that your body creates when it processes clonazepam.
This metabolite can stay in your urine for at least 21 days after you use the drug and possibly even longer.
How Long Does Klonopin Stay in Your Hair?
Like many drugs, a hair screening can detect clonazepam use for 28 days or longer after the last time you use the drug.
Hair screenings have the potential to hold evidence of Klonopin use for longer than any other type of drug test.
However, they’re also less consistent than other tests. In a 2002 study, some volunteers tested positive for 21 days, others tested positive for 28 days, and some never tested positive at all.
All of the volunteers in the study took the same dose of clonazepam, suggesting that it doesn’t stay in the hair the same way for everyone.
How Long Does Klonopin Stay in Your Blood?
A blood test can detect clonazepam for two half-lives or more, so 80 hours—more than 3 days.
Clonazepam has a very long half-life compared to other drugs: 30 to 40 hours. A half-life is the measure of time that it takes for your body to eliminate half of the amount of a substance.
How Long Does Klonopin Stay in Your Saliva?
Klonopin can be detected in your saliva for 5 days after your last use, while its metabolites can be detectable for 6 days.
Saliva tests aren’t a popular choice for long-acting benzos such as Klonopin. That’s because Klonopin is better detected by blood, hair, or even urine tests. Compared to other kinds of tests, saliva tests are expensive and they don’t work for very long.
How Long Does Klonopin Stay in Lab Tests?
Klonopin stays in different bodily substances for different lengths of time. For instance, the drug leaves your blood and saliva quickly but can stay in your hair for months.
That being said, most standard drug test panels do check for benzodiazepine use, and Klonopin will trigger a positive result.
Can You Speed Up Klonopin Detox?
Once you stop using Klonopin, your body goes through a detox process while it removes the drug from your body.
In the meantime, your body excretes clonazepam or its metabolites for up to 28 days or more, meaning you can fail a drug test during that time.
You can’t make your body detox from clonazepam any faster. Detox is a complicated process that involves factors such as:
- Age
- Dosage
- Duration of use
- Frequency of use
- Genetics
- Metabolism
- Weight
Your detox may vary a little from the norm, but it’s unlikely that factors such as over-hydrating or drinking detox supplements will make any difference. The bottom line is that your liver needs time to remove the drug from your body.
If you’re physically dependent on Klonopin, then detox can be tough to endure. It may be time to consider seeking help if you’re worried about failing a drug test because of your Klonopin use.
Get Treatment for Klonopin Abuse
Stopping Klonopin use can be complicated and scary, especially if you’re addicted to the drug. Dependence means withdrawal symptoms such as:
- Agitation
- Cravings
- Discomfort
- Pain
- Mood changes
- Nausea and diarrhea
You can overcome those symptoms with the right support during detox. Whether you use Klonopin alone or with other downers, it’s important to get help.
A drug abuse treatment center provides you with the environment you need to take back your life. Call Spring Hill Recovery today to learn more!
- Psychiatry.org: Study finds increasing use and misuse of benzodiazepines https://www.psychiatry.org/newsroom/news-releases/study-finds-increasing-use-and-misuse-of-benzodiazepines
- U.S. National Library of Medicine: Elimination of 7-aminoclonazepam in urine https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12845398