How Long Does Journavx Take to Work? Your Journavx FAQs, Answered

There are many ways to treat pain, and medications are one common option. Most pain relievers work in similar ways and target the same systems in your body. These medications are effective overall, but some also come with risky side effects.

Journavx (suzetrigine) treats pain in a new way. It’s a prescription-only medication used for short-term, moderate-to-severe pain in adults. This type of pain is called acute pain, which usually lasts for 30 days or less.

Unlike medications such as morphine (MS Contin) and oxycodone (OxyContin), Journavx isn’t an opioid. This oral tablet targets specific sodium channels in your body, blocking pain signals from reaching your brain. 

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Let’s discuss how long Journavx takes to work and answer five other important questions you may have about this pain medication.

1. How long does Journavx take to work?

Journavx starts working to relieve moderate-to-severe pain rather quickly. People in clinical studies started to feel some degree of pain relief as soon as 30 minutes after taking their first dose. Though, it took about 2 to 4 hours until they started feeling more meaningful pain relief, depending on what was causing their pain.

This time frame provides a good estimate of what to expect. But it’s important to note that you may have a slightly faster or slower response to the medication. Everyone’s journey with pain is different.

2. How long does it take to feel the full effects of Journavx?

You can expect to feel the full effects of Journavx within 48 hours (2 days) of taking your first dose. Most people take the medication once every 12 hours.

If you’re finding your pain is still unbearable after the first 2 days of taking Journavx, it may be time to reach out to your healthcare professional and ask about other treatment options. Many pain relievers are available for use, so your healthcare professional can point you in the direction of safe and helpful alternatives.

3. How long do you need to take Journavx?

People typically take Journavx for up to 14 days (2 weeks) at a time. However, your healthcare professional may recommend you take it for a shorter or longer period than that. Make sure to follow their directions. They may also suggest taking a different medication for long-lasting pain or switching to a different medication if your pain becomes relatively mild. 

EXPERT PICKS: WHAT TO READ NEXT

• Nonopioid pain relief: Explore what to know about Journavx (suzetrigine), a newer treatment option for managing moderate-to-severe pain.

• Safety risks: Learn about Journavx’s side effects and how to manage them.

• Healing after surgery: Aside from Journavx, discover other treatments that can help you feel better after you depart the operating room.

Keep in mind that this limited duration of use may change in the future. Journavx is being actively studied for certain types of chronic (long-lasting) pain, such as diabetic nerve pain.

4. Are there factors that can affect how long Journavx takes to work?

In some cases, yes: The foods you eat and beverages you drink can affect how quickly Journavx takes to work. This is mostly true for your first dose of the medication. 

Eating food around the time of your first dose of Journavx can delay its onset. That’s why it’s recommended to take your first dose on an empty stomach, about 1 hour before or 2 hours after eating a meal or snack. You can drink clear liquids, such as water, apple juice, or tea, in between eating and taking your dose.

This doesn’t hold true for your following doses, though. You can take Journavx with or without food for any doses after the first one. Your diet doesn’t have much impact on your pain relief at that point.

However, there is one exception: grapefruit juice. It’s a good idea to avoid grapefruit juice while taking Journavx, because it can increase the risk of side effects. More on this later.

5. How does Journavx work, generally speaking?

Pain can be mildly bothersome, completely debilitating, or anywhere in between. Journavx is designed to relieve pain that’s at the more severe end of the spectrum.

Journavx helps reduce pain by blocking certain signals that carry pain from your body to your brain. It targets small pathways in the peripheral nerves — technically called Nav1.8 voltage-gated sodium channels — that send pain messages. These channels only affect the nerves that carry pain signals, not your brain itself, and are separate from pathways linked to dependence.

For example, let’s say you break your wrist. Pain signals travel from your wrist to your brain via the nerves in your arm. Journavx works by reducing the pain signals that make it to your brain, so you feel less discomfort.

6. What to expect when starting Journavx

Journavx has a number of possible interactions. This is one of the main points to consider when starting Journavx — even if you’re just taking it for a couple of weeks.

Interactions to avoid

Journavx can make certain hormonal contraceptives less effective. You may need to use another form of birth control if you’re taking a birth control pill that doesn’t contain levonorgestrel or norethindrone. Some options include using condoms or switching to a birth control pill that does contain levonorgestrel or norethindrone. (Birth control pills containing either of these medications are still effective if you’re taking Journavx.) It’s recommended to use an alternative method for an additional 28 days after you finish taking Journavx.

Contraceptives aside, Journavx can also interact with other medications you may be taking. Don’t take Journavx if you’re taking a “strong” CYP3A4 inhibitor. These medications can increase Journavx to unsafe levels in your blood. Relevant examples include:

• Clarithromycin (Biaxin XL)

• Itraconazole (Sporanox)

• Ketoconazole

• Ritonavir (Norvir) and ritonavir-containing medications like Paxlovid

Medications that have the opposite effect are called CYP3A4 inducers. They can make Journavx less effective and should also be avoided. Examples include:

• Rifampin (Rifadin)

• Carbamazepine (Tegretol, Equetro)

• Phenytoin (Dilantin)

• St. John’s wort

• Phenobarbital

If you’re taking any of these medications, your healthcare professional may recommend taking a different pain reliever.

Keep in mind: Avoid drinking grapefruit juice while taking Journavx — especially in large quantities. It can cause Journavx levels to rise to unsafe levels in your blood. This increases the risk of harmful side effects.

Interactions that may warrant dosage adjustments

Other interactions are possible, but they’re not as severe. You may need to take a lower Journavx dosage if you’re taking a “moderate” CYP3A4 inhibitor. These medications can raise Journavx levels in the blood, but not as significantly as strong CYP3A4 inhibitors. Examples include: 

• Amiodarone (Pacerone)

• Cimetidine (Tagamet HB)

• Erythromycin (Ery-Tab)

• Imatinib (Gleevec)

• Verapamil (Verelan)

You won’t need to manage interactions like these on your own. Make sure to give your complete medication list to your prescriber and pharmacist so they can prevent problematic interactions.

Other risks 

Tell your healthcare professional if you have any liver problems. This is important because Journavx can rise to unsafe levels in your blood if your liver isn’t working optimally. If you have relatively moderate liver problems, you may be asked to take a lower dose. If your liver issues are more severe, you’ll likely need to avoid Journavx altogether.

What’s more, we don’t fully know if Journavx can harm unborn fetuses or enter breast milk. Tell your healthcare professional if you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning on becoming pregnant. They’ll make the final call on whether or not Journavx is safe for you to take.

More common Journavx side effects, such as itchiness and muscle spasms, are discussed in a separate GoodRx Health article.

How to save on Journavx

There are ways to save on Journavx, which is available as a brand-name medication. GoodRx can help you navigate between copay savings cards and patient assistance programs to save money on your prescription:

• Save with a copay savings card. If you have commercial insurance, you may be eligible to pay as little as $30 for Journavx using a savings card from the manufacturer.

• Save with patient assistance programs. If you’re uninsured or underinsured, you may be eligible for Journavx’s patient assistance program, which offers the medication free of charge.

Why trust our experts?

Written by:

Mandeep Sohal, PharmD

Mandeep Sohal, PharmD, has more than 7 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry and is licensed in California. In his career, he’s had experience with specialty pharmacy, community pharmacy, pharmacy benefit management, and pharmaceutical manufacturers.

Edited by:

Joshua Murdock, PharmD, BCBBS

Joshua Murdock, PharmD, BCBBS, is a licensed pharmacist in Arizona, Colorado, and Rhode Island. He has worked in the pharmacy industry for more than 10 years and currently serves as a pharmacy editor for GoodRx.

Reviewed 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.

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