How Long Does It Take for Gemtesa to Work? Pharmacists Answer 7 FAQs

Overactive bladder (OAB) often comes with unpleasant symptoms that can interrupt your daily activities. For example, the urgent need to pee throughout the day can lead to accidents. 

Gemtesa (vibegron) is an oral prescription medication that treats OAB. In fact, it can be a first-choice option if you need medication to manage your symptoms. 

If you or a loved one is prescribed Gemtesa, learning a few facts about it will help you know what to expect from it. How long does it take for Gemtesa to work? What’s the best time to take it? Here, we’ll answer these frequently asked questions and more.

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1. How long does it take for Gemtesa to work?

Gemtesa can take up to 12 weeks (3 months) to significantly improve OAB symptoms. But this doesn’t mean it will take this long to see any improvement in symptoms. For example, in a clinical trial, some people taking Gemtesa saw improvement as early as 2 weeks after starting treatment.

When starting Gemtesa, watch for signs that your symptoms are improving, such as needing to pee less throughout the day and having less urgency to pee.

2. When is the best time to take Gemtesa?

What time of day you take Gemtesa doesn’t matter. What’s important is that you take it once a day, with a full glass of water. You can take it with or without food. If you have trouble swallowing pills, you can crush Gemtesa and mix it with a tablespoon (15 mL) of applesauce. Then, take it right away with a glass of water.

Take your Gemtesa dosage at whatever time of day you’re most likely to remember to take it. If you’re frequently forgetting doses, consider using a medication reminder app. You can also use physical reminders, such as posting sticky notes in areas of your home that you see on a daily basis. And if you take several medications, a pill organizer can also help. 

3. How does Gemtesa work?

Gemtesa works by relaxing your bladder muscles. This helps your bladder hold more pee so you don’t have to go to the bathroom as often. It’s part of a group of medications called beta-3 adrenergic agonists.

Beta-3 adrenergic agonists like Gemtesa — and another medication called Myrbetriq (mirabegron) — activate receptors (binding sites) in the bladder. This causes bladder muscles to relax. Gemtesa and Myrbetriq are different from other common medication options for OAB called anticholinergic medications. Examples of anticholinergics include oxybutynin (Oxytrol), tolterodine (Detrol, Detrol LA), and solifenacin (Vesicare).

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• Comparing Gemtesa and Myrbetriq: These two medications work similarly to treat overactive bladder. But they have differences, too.

While anticholinergics also cause your bladder muscles to relax, they do this in a different way. They block a chemical called acetylcholine. Acetylcholine usually causes bladder muscles to contract, making you feel like you need to pee. By blocking this chemical, anticholinergics minimize the urge to pee.

Good to know: Both anticholinergic medications and beta-3 adrenergic agonists like Gemtesa are considered first-choice medications for OAB. And sometimes, they may even be combined to treat severe OAB. The best medication for you will come down to your personal health history, preferences, and which medication causes the least side effects for you.

4. How long do you have to take Gemtesa?

How long you’ll need to take Gemtesa depends on the severity of your OAB and your individual treatment goals. Your prescriber will help you come up with a plan you can feel good about.

Most studies of Gemtesa use have spanned 12 weeks. But one study followed participants for 52 weeks and found that Gemtesa continued to be effective and safe. So it is possible that Gemtesa can be used as a long-term medication for OAB. Talk to your prescriber about what they think is best for you. 

Gemtesa treats symptoms of OAB, but it doesn't cure the condition. Even if your OAB symptoms have improved while taking Gemtesa, don’t stop taking it without talking to your prescriber first.

5. Do you have to avoid anything while taking Gemtesa?

Gemtesa isn’t known to have many drug interactions. It isn’t known to interact with any foods either. However, some medications might make your OAB symptoms worse, so it’s always best to check with your prescriber or pharmacist before taking anything new.

One important interaction to know about is with digoxin (Lanoxin). Gemtesa may increase levels of digoxin in the body if these two medications are taken together. Digoxin is a medication used to treat heart conditions like heart failure. 

If you take digoxin, your healthcare team will check your digoxin levels before starting Gemtesa and throughout treatment. They’ll want to make sure your digoxin levels don’t increase too much. High digoxin levels raise your risk of digoxin toxicity. If your levels get too high, your prescriber may decrease your digoxin dose.

Good to know: While you don’t need to avoid certain foods with Gemtesa, there are a few things you’ll want to avoid if you have OAB. This includes foods and drinks that can irritate the bladder, such as caffeine and alcohol, which can cause you to pee even more. Other foods and drinks, such as tomato-based foods, spicy foods, and citrus, can also irritate the bladder. So talk to your prescriber about what foods and drinks to limit or avoid if you have OAB. They may recommend you remove certain foods from your diet and then add them back in one at a time to see how they affect you.

6. Is there a generic form of Gemtesa?

No, there isn’t a generic form of Gemtesa available at this time. Generic medications work the same way as brand-name medications and have the same active ingredient. They have the same dosages and are considered to be of equal quality. But they’re typically much less expensive than their brand-name counterparts.

It’s unlikely that the generic version of Gemtesa (called vibegron) will be available for several years due to patents on the brand-name product by the manufacturer.

7. Is Gemtesa safe to take?

Yes, Gemtesa is considered safe and effective for treating OAB. But there’s a risk of side effects with all medications, including Gemtesa. Common Gemtesa side effects include:

• Headache

• Sinus irritation

• Upper respiratory tract infection (URTIs) 

• Urinary tract infections (UTIs)

• Diarrhea

• Nausea

Although side effects can happen, they’re usually mild. And Gemtesa may have fewer side effects than traditional medications used for OAB (like anticholinergics), especially in older adults.

Good to know: Gemtesa can cause urinary retention (difficulty peeing). The risk is higher in people with a condition called bladder outlet obstruction and in people who are also taking anticholinergic medications. If you’re taking Gemtesa and having trouble peeing at any point, let your prescriber know.

How to save on Gemtesa

There are ways to save on Gemtesa, which is only available as a brand-name medication. If you have commercial insurance and your insurance plan covers Gemtesa, you may be eligible to pay as little as $0 for a 90-day supply using a copay card from the manufacturer. If you have commercial insurance and Gemtesa isn’t covered by your insurance plan, you may be able to get a 30-day supply for $95.

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Written by:

Austin Ulrich, PharmD, BCACP

Austin Ulrich, PharmD, BCACP, is a board-certified ambulatory care clinical pharmacist. In his early career, he provided direct patient care in a variety of settings, including hospital and community pharmacies, and in a primary care clinic as a clinical pharmacist.

Edited by:

Amy B. Gragnolati, PharmD, BCPS

Amy Gragnolati, PharmD, BCPS, is a pharmacy editor for GoodRx. Amy currently holds her pharmacist license in Georgia and California.

Reviewed by:

Daphne Berryhill, RPh

Daphne Berryhill, RPh, has two decades of experience as a clinical pharmacist. She spent most of her career in the Chicago area practicing in-home infusion.

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