Gemtesa (vibegron) is a prescription oral tablet used to help treat overactive bladder symptoms in adults. This drug can interact with some other medications. For example, Gemtesa can interact with digoxin.
An interaction can occur because one substance causes another substance to have a different effect than expected. Interactions can also occur if you have certain health conditions.
Before you start taking Gemtesa, tell your doctor and pharmacist about any prescription, over-the-counter (OTC), or other drugs you take. Sharing this information with them may help prevent possible interactions. (To learn whether Gemtesa interacts with herbs or vitamins and supplements, see the “Are there other interactions with Gemtesa?” section below.)
If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
The table below lists drugs that may interact with Gemtesa. Keep in mind that this table does not include all drugs that may interact with Gemtesa. For more information about some of these interactions, see the “Drug interactions explained” section below.
| Drug group or drug name | Drug examples | What can happen |
| antimuscarinic drugs | • oxybutynin (Oxytrol) • solifenacin (Vesicare) • tolterodine (Detrol) | can increase the risk of urinary retention (difficulty emptying your bladder completely) |
| digoxin (Lanoxin) | – | can increase the risk of side effects from digoxin |
Certain health conditions or other factors could raise your risk of harm if you take Gemtesa. In such cases, your doctor may not prescribe Gemtesa for you. These are known as contraindications.
Allergic reaction is currently the only known contraindication of Gemtesa.
If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Gemtesa or any of its ingredients, your doctor likely won’t prescribe Gemtesa for you. This is because taking the drug could cause another allergic reaction. You can ask your doctor about other treatments that may be better options for you.
Before you start taking Gemtesa, talk with your doctor if this applies to you. Your doctor can determine whether Gemtesa is safe for you to take.
Gemtesa is not known to interact with alcohol. But Gemtesa and alcohol can cause some similar side effects, such as nausea, headache, and diarrhea. So you may be more likely to experience these side effects if you drink alcohol during your Gemtesa treatment.
Drinking alcohol can also make you need to urinate more often, which can worsen symptoms of an overactive bladder in some people.
If you have questions about consuming alcohol while taking Gemtesa, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Learn more about certain drug interactions that can occur with Gemtesa.
Interaction with antimuscarinic drugs
Gemtesa can interact with antimuscarinic drugs, which are used to lower symptoms of overactive bladder.
Examples of antimuscarinics include:
- oxybutynin (Oxytrol)
- solifenacin (Vesicare)
- tolterodine (Detrol)
What could happen
Gemtesa and antimuscarinics can both cause urinary retention. So taking these drugs together can raise your risk of this side effect.
If you have difficulty urinating or emptying your bladder, you may have a higher risk of urinary retention if you take Gemtesa with an antimuscarinic.
What you can do
If you take Gemtesa with an antimuscarinic drug, your doctor may prescribe a lower dosage of the antimuscarinic for you. You should not take a higher dose of either medication than your doctor prescribes.
If you take Gemtesa and an antimuscarinic drug together, tell your doctor right away if you have symptoms of urinary retention. These may include:
- feeling that your bladder is still full after urinating
- urgently needing to urinate again soon after urinating but being unable to
If you have questions about taking Gemtesa with an antimuscarinic drug, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Interaction with digoxin
Gemtesa can interact with digoxin (Lanoxin), which is used to treat certain heart conditions.
What could happen
Taking Gemtesa with digoxin can cause the level of digoxin to build up in your body. This can raise your risk of side effects from digoxin.
What you can do
If you take Gemtesa with digoxin, your doctor will order blood tests to monitor your digoxin levels. They’ll do this after you start taking Gemtesa and at certain times throughout your treatment. If needed, your doctor will adjust your digoxin dosage based on your digoxin level.
You should not take a higher dose of Gemtesa or digoxin than your doctor prescribes.
If you stop taking Gemtesa, your doctor will check your digoxin level again and readjust your dosage if needed.
If you take Gemtesa and digoxin together, tell your doctor right away if you have symptoms that could suggest your digoxin level is too high. These can include:
- nausea and vomiting
- diarrhea
- confusion
- changes in your vision
If you have questions about taking Gemtesa with digoxin, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Gemtesa may have other interactions. They could occur with supplements, foods, vaccines, or even lab tests. See below for details. Note that the information below does not include all other possible interactions with Gemtesa.
Does Gemtesa interact with supplements?
Before you start taking Gemtesa, talk with your doctor and pharmacist about any herbs or vitamins and supplements you take. Sharing this information with them may help you avoid possible interactions.
If you have questions about interactions that may affect you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Gemtesa and herbs
There are currently no reports of Gemtesa interacting with herbs. But this doesn’t mean that interactions with herbs won’t be recognized in the future.
For this reason, it’s still important to check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any of these products while taking Gemtesa.
Gemtesa and vitamins
There are currently no reports of Gemtesa interacting with vitamins. But this doesn’t mean that vitamin interactions won’t be recognized in the future.
For this reason, it’s still important to check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any of these products while taking Gemtesa.
Does Gemtesa interact with food?
There are currently no reports of Gemtesa interacting with food. If you have questions about eating certain foods during your treatment with Gemtesa, talk with your doctor.
Does Gemtesa interact with vaccines or lab tests?
There are currently no reports of Gemtesa interacting with vaccines or lab tests. If you have questions about receiving certain vaccines or having lab tests done during your Gemtesa treatment, talk with your doctor.
Does Gemtesa interact with cannabis or CBD?There are currently no reports of Gemtesa interacting with cannabis (commonly called marijuana) or cannabis products such as cannabidiol (CBD). But as with any drug or supplement, talk with your doctor before using cannabis with Gemtesa.
Note: Cannabis is illegal at a federal level but is legal in many states to varying degrees.
Certain medical conditions or other health factors may raise the risk of interactions with Gemtesa. Before taking Gemtesa, talk with your doctor about your health history. They’ll determine whether Gemtesa is right for you.
Health conditions or other factors that might interact with Gemtesa include:
Severe liver or kidney problems: If you have severe liver or kidney problems, your doctor may not prescribe Gemtesa for you. Gemtesa hasn’t been studied in people with severe liver or kidney problems, so it’s not known whether it will be safe for you.
If you have a liver or kidney problem, talk with your doctor about whether Gemtesa is right for you. If it’s not, your doctor can recommend other treatment options that may be safer.
Difficulty urinating: Gemtesa can cause urinary retention. If you have difficulty urinating or emptying your bladder, you may have a higher risk of this side effect. Talk with your doctor about whether Gemtesa is right for you.
Pregnancy: It’s not known whether Gemtesa is safe to take during pregnancy. If you’re pregnant or planning a pregnancy, talk with your doctor before taking Gemtesa.
Breastfeeding: It’s not known whether it’s safe to take Gemtesa while breastfeeding. If you’re breastfeeding or planning to do so, talk with your doctor about your options.
Allergic reaction: If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Gemtesa or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe Gemtesa. This is because taking the drug could cause another allergic reaction. You can ask your doctor about other treatments that may be better choices for you.
Taking certain steps can help you avoid interactions with Gemtesa. Before starting treatment, talk with your doctor and pharmacist. Things to discuss with them include:
- Whether you drink alcohol or use cannabis.
- Other medications you take, as well as any vitamins, supplements, and herbs. Your doctor or pharmacist can help you fill out a
medication list . - What to do if you start taking a new drug during your Gemtesa treatment.
It’s also important to understand Gemtesa’s
If you have trouble reading or understanding this information, your doctor or pharmacist can help.
Taking Gemtesa exactly as prescribed can also help prevent interactions.
If you still have questions about Gemtesa and its possible interactions, talk with your doctor.
Questions you may want to ask include:
- Do other drugs that could treat my condition have similar interactions to Gemtesa?
- Can I take OTC medications while I’m taking Gemtesa?
- Do I need to tell you if I start taking another medication or supplement during my Gemtesa treatment?
To learn more about Gemtesa, see these articles:
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Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.