Free tool
Diazepam Equivalency Calculator
Find the approximate amount of Diazepam (Valium) that equals your daily dose of another benzodiazepine, or of Zolpidem or Zopiclone. Want to see every step first? Read the free user guide.
Estimated daily equivalent in Diazepam
This is an estimate only. Your prescriber must confirm your Diazepam dose before you switch. Your prescriber may first have you take a daily dose of Diazepam for a week or two to find a stable daily dose.
NO MEDICAL, PHARMACEUTICAL OR DIAGNOSTIC ADVICE: The BenzoTaper Diazepam Equivalency Calculator gives estimates based on widely available public information. It does not provide medical, pharmaceutical, diagnostic or similar information. It is not a substitute for care from a doctor, pharmacist, or other qualified healthcare professional. Always talk to your prescriber before starting, changing, or stopping any medication, such as switching to Diazepam or beginning a taper. Any Diazepam amount it shows is an estimate only based on public information and must be confirmed with a healthcare professional. If you experience severe or worsening withdrawal symptoms, seizure-like symptoms, or thoughts of self-harm, contact a medical professional right away or emergency medical services.
How the estimate works
The calculator divides your daily amount by the amount of your medication that equals 10 mg of Diazepam, then multiplies by 10. It rounds the answer to the nearest 0.5 mg, because that is the smallest step Diazepam tablets can make: a quarter of a 2 mg tablet.
Published tables don't always agree. So the calculator also shows the published range: the lowest and highest Diazepam amounts the sources give for your dose. People respond to these medications differently. Only your prescriber can decide your Diazepam dose.
Why do many tapers use Diazepam? Read Lorazepam vs Diazepam: Why Half-Life Matters in the free user guide.
The equivalents this calculator uses
Each row shows how much of the medication is about equal to 10 mg of Diazepam. The calculator uses the middle column: the Ashton Manual's figure, or the middle of its range.
| Medication | Amount equal to 10 mg of Diazepam | Published range |
|---|---|---|
| Alprazolam (Xanax) | 0.5 mg | 0.5–1 mg |
| Bromazepam (Lexotan, Lectopam) | 5.5 mg | 5–6 mg |
| Chlordiazepoxide (Librium) | 25 mg | 25 mg |
| Clobazam (Frisium, Onfi) | 20 mg | 20 mg |
| Clonazepam (Klonopin, Rivotril) | 0.5 mg | 0.5–1 mg |
| Clorazepate (Tranxene, Tranxilium) | 15 mg | 15 mg |
| Lorazepam (Ativan) | 1 mg | 1–2 mg |
| Lormetazepam (Noctamid, Loramet) | 1.5 mg | 1–2 mg |
| Nitrazepam (Mogadon) | 10 mg | 5–10 mg |
| Oxazepam (Serax) | 20 mg | 20–30 mg |
| Prazepam (Lysanxia, Demetrin) | 15 mg | 10–20 mg |
| Temazepam (Restoril) | 20 mg | 15–20 mg |
| Triazolam (Halcion) | 0.5 mg | 0.5 mg |
| Zolpidem (Ambien, Stilnox) | 20 mg | 20 mg |
| Zopiclone (Imovane) | 15 mg | 15 mg |
Zolpidem and Zopiclone are "Z-drugs", not benzodiazepines; the Ashton Manual lists them with the benzodiazepines. Zolpidem figures are for immediate-release tablets only.
Sources
- Ashton Manual: C. Heather Ashton, DM, FRCP, Benzodiazepines: How They Work and How to Withdraw (2002), Table 1, "Approximately equivalent oral dosages". benzo.org.uk/manual/bzcha01.htm
- VA/DoD: Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of Substance Use Disorders (2021), Table B-3, "Sedative-hypnotic Conversion", equivalents to Diazepam 10 mg. healthquality.va.gov/guidelines/MH/sud
- Swiss equivalence table: "Tabella di equivalenza delle benzodiazepine" (June 2021), used instead of VA/DoD for Clorazepate, Lormetazepam, Nitrazepam, Prazepam, Triazolam, Zolpidem and Zopiclone. praxis-suchtmedizin.ch/…/tabella-delle-equivalenze
- Highest daily doses and tablet sizes: product labels and monographs from Health Canada's Drug Product Database, the U.S. FDA and European product information. health-products.canada.ca/dpd-bdpp and accessdata.fda.gov
Ready to plan your taper?
BenzoTaper 80/20 Smart-Taper turns the Diazepam dose your prescriber confirms into a day-by-day taper schedule that updates itself. Pause, change your pace or restart on any day, and every date, dose, tablet and prescription request updates in one click.
Want to see every step first? Read the free user guide.