Is it Safe to Take Gemtesa After Bladder Polyp Removal Surgery?
speciality medications
Let’s set the scene: You’ve just had major surgery. You’ve gotten a polyp, or a mass, removed from your bladder. Now, you don’t have to deal with an abnormal growth in your bladder lining—a fact that should be a serious upgrade for you and your quality of life.
There’s just one question standing between you and the ability to fully relax:
How is your bladder going to react in the weeks to come?
For some surgical patients, taking Gemtesa, a medication often prescribed to help patients manage their bladder symptoms, can help manage their post-surgery symptoms.
But is this safe? Can everyone use this strategy? And is there anything that you, during your surgical recovery, need to know to get the most out of this bladder treatment?
Here’s everything you need to know.
What Are Bladder Polyps, and Why Are They Removed?
We’ll start at the beginning.
The bladder growths that necessitated surgery; what were those?
Bladder polyps are abnormal growths that form on a person’s bladder lining.
Most of these types of growths are benign, but a few may turn out to be cancerous (or precancerous). To avoid complications down the road, many opt to get these problematic growths removed sooner, rather than later.
Symptoms that may indicate that a person has a bladder polyp include:
- Frequent urination,
- Hematuria (blood in urine), or
- Otherwise unexplained pelvic pain.
If you talk to your doctor about these symptoms, they may ask you to wait and see if the symptoms resolve on their own before returning after a few weeks or months. They may also take a biopsy to determine the next steps or move to surgery on a shorter timeline.
After your surgery, you may need to discuss options to help keep your bladder working properly.
That’s where medications like Gemtesa can be extremely helpful.
What Is Gemtesa and How Does It Work?
Gemtesa is a prescription medication. It’s designed to treat overactive bladder, a chronic condition characterized by the urgent, often unexpected, need to urinate on a very frequent basis.
This is different from, say, simply being very hydrated and needing to head to the bathroom because of that.
As Dr. Brynna Connor, M.D., a board-certified family medicine physician who specializes in regenerative medicine, says: “Overactive bladder syndrome (OAB) is a condition that affects as many as 16.5% of people. Older adults are most likely to develop OAB. This condition always causes urinary urgency, and often leads to frequent urination, especially at night. Medications, healthy lifestyle changes, and pelvic floor exercises may help treat OAB.”
To mitigate OAB symptoms, Gemtesa works by targeting the bladder muscle and relaxing it, which makes controlling the need to urinate much, much easier.
While Gemtesa is often extremely expensive, especially for patients in the United States (who may pay up to $500.00 for a one-month supply of the medication!), you have options to save big.
Here, through NorthWestPharmacy.com, you can buy that same one-month supply of brand Gemtesa for about $100.00 per month—or savings of up to 80%.
Can You Take Gemtesa After Bladder Polyp Removal Surgery?
Whether you can take Gemtesa after bladder polyp removal surgery comes down to your personal situation. Unhelpfully, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer to this question.
However, that’s a good thing. In order to determine whether Gemtesa is a good fit for you, you’ll need to talk to your doctor.
Your doctor, in turn, will examine the following:
- Your healing progress. You’ll need to make sure that your bladder has sufficiently recovered from surgery before introducing a new factor, to help you avoid post-surgical irritation and pain.
- The severity of your symptoms. Does it seem like your OAB symptoms post-surgery are severe enough to warrant medication, or could you keep your bladder in check with feasible lifestyle changes? Your doctor may want you to explore dietary switches (for example) before you start taking a new medication.
- Your medical history. Do you have pre-existing conditions in addition to OAB symptoms, or any risk factors that might make taking a new medication questionable? Your doctor will be able to look at your history and make a good call about your future Gemtesa use.
What Are The Potential Benefits of Gemtesa Post-Surgery?
In other words: If it’s potentially a complication, why would you consider taking Gemtesa in the first place?
If Gemtesa is a good fit for you, it stands to:
- Reduce urinary urgency, which can be an issue as you recover from surgery;
- Ease your bladder spasms, which will make you far more comfortable than the alternative; and
- Support your overall recovery, by giving you more time to rest and quashing symptoms that could interfere with your daily life.
Gemtesa isn’t for everyone. If you’re experiencing post-surgical irritation, any infections, ongoing bleeding, or bladder inflammation, talk to your doctor about alternatives or wait until you’re further along in recovery before trying Gemtesa.
Safety Considerations for Using Gemtesa After Bladder Polyp Removal Surgery
There are several potential benefits to taking Gemtesa after your procedure, but doing so can also come with risks.
Here are just a few things to consider about Gemtesa’s appropriateness, as well as the best times to use and avoid Gemtesa.
Gemtesa is most properly used when you’re dealing with persistent OAB symptoms (e.g., frequent urination or incontinence) after surgery. If you’re looking for a non-irritating way to pursue effective bladder control, Gemtesa may be for you.
But it may not be your go-to immediately after surgery.
Listen to your body and to your healthcare team if you’re dealing with any urinary retention, surgical complications, or active inflammation.
Not being able to take Gemtesa now does not necessarily mean you won’t be able to take it in the future.
What About Gemtesa Side Effects?
Gemtesa is a medication that most people tolerate very well.
There are some side effects that may accompany the medication, though—and some of these effects may be even more noticeable than usual during surgical recovery.
These side effects can include:
- Headaches
- Mild GI issues, like diarrhea or nausea
- Dry mouth
- Urinary retention, especially if you’re already dealing with these types of symptoms
- Elevated blood pressure.
It can be very difficult to see some of these symptoms and side effects start up while you’re in the midst of recovery.
If at all possible, it’s a good idea to keep a symptom diary to track any changes you might be experiencing.
Are There Alternatives to Gemtesa After Bladder Polyp Surgery?
If you want the benefits of a medication like Gemtesa but for any reason cannot access or use that specific medication, you do have options.
Considering Gemtesa alternatives?
Talk through the following categories of medications with your doctor:
Anticholinergic Medications After Surgery
Anticholinergic meds are a class of medications that can help reduce bladder contractions.
This alleviates the urgency of surprising urinary impulses and can make life during and after recovery quite a bit more comfortable.
These more traditional OAB medications, which include Oxybutynin and Vesicare, do come with a higher risk of some side effects like constipation and dry mouth.
Botox Injections After Surgery
This may seem like a suggestion out of left field, but it makes sense if you follow the logic: The same properties that make Botox a popular anti-aging choice can help with frustrating urinary incontinence.
When injected strategically, Botox can temporarily paralyze a patient’s bladder muscles, reducing the possibility of bladder spasms and uncomfortable, urgent urinary urges.
There are drawbacks to this method, too.
Opting for Botox for bladder control will require in-office visits. There’s a small risk of increased urinary retention, as well. Talk to your doctor to see if this is a good option for you to pursue.
When to Start Gemtesa After Bladder Polyp Removal Surgery
Let’s get back to our timeline. You’ve had surgery; you’ve been sent home; you’re convalescing.
If you’ve weighed your options and talked to your doctor and decided that Gemtesa is both appropriate for you and in your plans, when is it time to go forward with those plans?
Timing your Gemtesa use strategically is critical.
If you start too soon, the new medication could interfere with your ability to heal. If you start too late, you may deal with unnecessary symptoms and suffering—and perhaps even impair your recovery because you’re not able to adequately rest.
Your doctor will consider the following factors to help you figure out when to initiate your treatment:
- How far along are you in your bladder healing journey? Post-surgical sensitivity and inflammation may not be a great match for Gemtesa. If you’re still dealing with these immediate and temporary complications, your doctor may recommend waiting a little before starting the medication.
- How severe are your OAB symptoms? If you’re dealing with significant frequency or urgency in your urinary urges, to the point where these urges are interfering with your recovery, your doctor may recommend starting it sooner rather than later.
- Was your surgery uncomplicated? If your surgical experience went smoothly, you may be a good candidate for Gemtesa sooner. Uncomplicated surgeries tend to result in fewer factors associated with delayed healing—and a quicker ability to take non-essential medications.
FAQs About Gemtesa After Bladder Polyp Removal Surgery
Have further questions about Gemtesa use after bladder surgery?
Here’s a quick roundup of common questions and practical answers to help you feel confident and prepared about your symptom management options.
1. Should I Take Gemtesa Immediately After Surgery?
No, you should not take Gemtesa immediately after surgery. In the vast majority of cases, you’re better off waiting until your bladder has fully healed to avoid any potential irritation.
2. Can Gemtesa Help Post-Surgery Symptoms?
For many people, Gemtesa can help with their post-surgery symptoms.
As an effective OAB medication, Gemtesa can reduce the frequency and urgency of bladder spasms, giving patients far more comfort after their procedure.
3. What Should I Do If I Experience Side Effects?
If you experience any mild side effects of Gemtesa, like nausea or headaches, continue taking the medication but do consult your doctor at once.
If you experience any more severe side effects, whether they’re concretely linked to Gemtesa or not, seek immediate medical attention to make sure that you’re as safe and comfortable as possible.
4. Is Gemtesa Safe for Long-Term Use After Surgery?
Yes, Gemtesa is considered safe for long-term use for patients who are good candidates for this type of treatment.
To make sure this is the case for you, your doctor will monitor your health over time, providing any dosage adjustments as may be necessary.
5. Can I Combine Gemtesa with Other Medications?
Your doctor may recommend that you take Gemtesa alongside any other medications that will support your healthcare journey, but you shouldn’t combine Gemtesa with other meds on your own.
6. Will Gemtesa Affect My Healing Process?
Gemtesa shouldn’t adversely affect your healing process. It’s designed to avoid interfering with healthy tissue repair—it just targets the bladder muscle itself.
If you realize that taking Gemtesa seems to be causing you irritation, talk to your provider. They may be able to assist with any required dosage adjustments.
Save on Your Post-Surgical Medications with NorthWestPharmacy.com
In need of high-quality, low-priced Gemtesa to make your healing journey as comfortable and effective as possible?
When you’re recovering from major surgery, the last thing you need is an extra trip to a brick-and-mortar pharmacy—or a long search for medications you can actually afford. But you don’t need to be dealing with urgent trips to the bathroom while you’re trying to rest, either.
That’s where we come in.
At NorthWestPharmacy.com, our mission is simple: We make accessing brand-name and generic prescription medications convenient and reliably affordable.
Need brand-name Gemtesa after your bladder surgery? Head to our Gemtesa information page, select your dosage from the drop-down menu, and click “add to cart” —it’s that easy.
Ready to take the next step in managing your bladder health? We’re here to help you explore affordable options for Gemtesa, Myrbetriq, and other OAB medications. The entire team at NorthWestPharmacy.com looks forward to serving you.
