Sildenafil

How to take Sildenafil

Take Sildenafil approximately one hour before you intend to have intercourse to achieve best results. Typically the window in which this erectile dysfunction treatment works is between 30 minutes and 4 hours, enabling you to achieve a hard erection during sexual arousal.

A tablet should be taken with water and may be ingested at meal times or between meals. It is worth noting, however, that when taking Sildenafil during or soon after a heavy, high fat meal, it may take longer for the drug to begin working.

Choosing strength

The recommend starting dose for Sildenafil is one 50mg tablet taken 1 hour before sexual activity. Always follow the directions attached to your prescription, and if in doubt, consult a health professional before ingesting any medicine.

If you achieve the desired effect but suffer from unwanted side effects as a result of taking a 50mg sildenafil tablet, try lowering the dose to 25mg the next time you require it. Should you try a 50mg tablets four times without the desired effect, and you are not experiencing side effects, it is possible to increase the dose to 100mg.

If, after trying 100mg 8 separate times without effect, you should cease treatment and consult your doctor. You should not take sildenafil more than once a day as this will have not increase the effectiveness and may increase the likelihood of experiencing side effects.

Do not use other erectile dysfunction medicines or treatments at the same time as sildenafil. Mixing sildenafil with Viagra, Levitra or Cialis or another impotence drug can be dangerous for your health. It is also worth discussing any other medicines with your doctor before any course of erectile dysfunction treatment. Some drugs may interact with sildenafil or counteract its effectiveness.

Avoid drinking too much alcohol when taking sildenafil. Drinking alcohol can increase the likelihood of certain side effects, such as headaches and dizziness. Excessive consumption of alcohol also counteracts the effectiveness of any impotence medication and makes it harder to establish an erection.

Side Effects

Like all medicines, Sildenafil can cause some side effects in a minority of cases. These effects are usually mild to moderate and typically do not last longer than a few hours. Side effects are more commonly seen among men who require a higher dosage to obtain the desired effects.

Such side effects may include:

• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Flushing
• Upset stomach
• Stuffy or runny nose

Drinking alcohol at the same time is more likely to cause the onset of these side effects.

In rare cases, temporary changes in colour vision have been documented, with men complaining of being more sensitive to light or experiencing blurred vision.

If you begin to develop signs of an allergic reaction to a dose of Sildenafil, such as: hives; swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat; difficulty breathing, then it is important that you seek immediate medical attention.

If your erection proves to be painful or lasts longer than 4 hours (prolonged erections can damage the penis), stop taking your Sildenafil medication and discuss the problem with your pharmacist or GP.