Viagra – all you need to know about those little blue pills
What is it?
Viagra is a medicine used in the treatment of erectile dysfunction and impotence in men. Viagra Connect the new product from Pfizer is also used to treat erectile dysfunction and is also available now in the UK without the need of a prescription from your GP. They both work by simply increasing the blood flow to the penis to help get and sustain an erection when he is sexually aroused and stimulated.
The main active ingredient in Viagra & Viagra Connect is Sildenafil and the dose ranges from 25mg to 100mg per tablet.
Erectile dysfunction or as it is sometimes referred to as ED, is a type of sexual dysfunction, causing the inability to gain or maintain an erection suitable for sexual intercourse. This condition is more common with men above the age of 40 (approximately 40% of uk Men over 40) and can be a consequence of type-2 diabetes, MS or high blood pressure.
Nevertheless, men of younger age groups can develop symptoms as well. However, the condition is often traced back to psychological issues, such as the pressure of satisfying the partner, especially when in a new relationship.
Viagra is used to treat male impotence (erectile dysfunction). It leads to vasodilation which means it increases blood flow towards the penis. The medication only works effective if the user is sexually aroused. Taking a Viagra tablet shows an effect after a period of about 30 – 60 minutes, although it may work faster for some gentleman. The effect can last anything up to approximately four hours if the patient is sexually aroused during this time.
Viagra & viagra connect contains an active ingredient called sildenafil citrate, which is a PDE-5 inhibitor. The symptoms of erectile dysfunction are characterised by the difficulty of getting an erection or maintaining it long enough to have sexual intercourse.
It works if you have erection problems by temporarily increasing blood flow to the penis when you get sexually excited.
The medication only works effective for erectile dysfunction if the user is sexually aroused. Taking Viagra shows an effect after a period of about 30 – 60 minutes. How long the erection will last depends on the varying blood flow through the soft tissue. While using Viagra pills the erection still comes to an end with the male orgasm. During 4 -6 hours while Viagra is still working a man can achieve several erections if he is sexually aroused.
The treatment works well for erectile dysfunction. In general, at least two-thirds of men say they have harder erections after taking it.
Viagra usually starts to work within 30 to 60 minutes. It’s triggered by sexual stimulation, so you need to be aroused for it to work.
You should be able to get an erection at any time between 1 and 4 hours after taking the medication. Your erection should go away after you’ve had sex
If you’re taking Viagra for erectile dysfunction, don’t take it more than once a day.
To buy this medicine online through Dr Andrews, you select the preferred option, then you need to fill in a very short online questionnaire, consisting of only 13 Yes / No questions. Once you complete this medical questionnaire it is then reviewed by our clinical pharmacists before being dispensed through our UK pharmacy. The package posted safely & discreetly. Your treatment will be sent by tracked royal mail delivery with no reference to Dr Andrews on the label.
It can be used by men of all age groups who suffer from some sort of erectile dysfunction. The cause of this condition (ED) alters depending on the age group. With young men it can often be traced back to psychological issues or lifestyle choices, with older men it can come as a symptom of ageing.
Viagra does not enhance your libido or sexual appetite, neither is it a stimulant & does not cause a man to be sexually aroused. Viagra is only truly effective if you are sexually aroused. To understand how it works you need to understand the mechanics of how a man gets an erection. When you get sexually stimulated, the nervous system in the erectile tissue of your penis releases nitric oxide (NO).
The nitric oxide stimulates an enzyme that produces something called a messenger cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP). The cGMP relaxes the smooth muscle cells. One result of this is that the arteries in your penis dilate and the blood can flow into your penis far more easily. Another result is that the erectile tissue itself fills with blood. Both processes result in an erection. It works by maintaining the level of cGMP in those smooth muscle cells.
If you are not turned on or sexually stimulated, your brain will not stimulate the release of any nitric oxide and you will not produce any cGMP and therefore You will not get an erection.
Multiple double-blind clinical studies have shown that when compared to a placebo, Viagra and the other drugs in the same class (sildenafil), result in significant improvement in erectile function. Although established to be a safe and an effective drug when it comes to treating erectile dysfunction. Viagra isn’t appropriate for everyone and may not work in all cases.
Viagra can slightly lower blood pressure. This is not a problem for most men. But Viagra’s effect on blood pressure is exaggerated if it is taken with a nitrate drug.
Nitrates are one of the treatments doctors prescribe for angina. If you take Viagra when you are also taking nitrates, the combined effect of the treatment and the nitrates can lower your blood pressure to such an extent that it could prove fatal. Never take Viagra at the same time as taking nitrates.
If you have a heart condition it is important that you discuss this with the doctor before taking Viagra. Viagra may not be appropriate because of the danger of interacting with the nitrates.
Viagra is available in three dosages: 25mg, 50mg and 100mg. Some men may respond to a lower dose. Some men may already be taking medicines that interact with Viagra and thus need to adjust the Viagra dosage they are taking.
The doctor needs to decide which dosage of Viagra is most appropriate. The doctor will consider potential drug interactions, your age, the severity of your erectile dysfunction and any previous experience you have had with taking erectile dysfunction pills.
Three different doses are available: 25mg, 50mg, 100mg.
Viagra 50mg: Usually men with erectile dysfunction start with 50mg if they are healthy otherwise. However, the doctor decides on the appropriate dose depending on the patient’s specific condition.
Viagra 25mg: if the user experienced mild side effects with the starting dose but the results were overall positive, the doctor might prescribe a lower dose of 25mg.
Viagra 100mg: if the patient’s 50mg dose does not produce the desired response, it may be raised to 100mg by the doctor.
As stated in the product characteristics published by the European Medicines Agency, no user should take more than one tablet within 24 hours.
The treatment may not work the first time you take it. Most doctors advise taking the ED treatment at least eight times before trying a different medicine.
The effects of Viagra will vary from person to person. As a rule, it is thought to start working in most people from around 30 minutes after taking the drug.
It is important to understand that taking the tablets alone will not cause an erection. Viagra must be taken in combination with some form of sexual stimulation (visual, tactile or otherwise) for an erection to occur.
The length of time Viagra lasts for will also vary from person to person, but it has been known to work for up to 5 hours at a time, when used alongside sexual stimulation. Most men will find, however, that the effects of the pill will start to wear off 2-3 hours after first taking it.
There are certain factors that will contribute to how long Viagra will last for in your individual situation, and you should always discuss your full medical history and details of any medicines you are currently taking before starting a course of treatment with Viagra.
The effectivity of Viagra, or how long it will last for, depends on several things. These can include:
If the tablets are broken down normally by the body the effects usually do not last more than four hours.
Always follow the instructions given to you by your prescribing doctor to avoid negative side effects and do not exceed the recommended dosage.
In extremely rare cases, often when Viagra has been taken in combination with other medication or illegal drugs, a condition called “priapism” can occur. Priapism is the name for a painful erection lasting for longer than 4 hours.
This is a serious medical condition that can be painful and lead to long-lasting damage to the penis. If you have an erection that is painful or lasting longer than 4 hours, you should seek immediate medical attention.
There is also a generic version of Viagra is available without prescription too. It is named Sildenafil and equals the original concerning the active ingredient and its functioning, but it is not always made by Pfizer. The European patent on Viagra expired in 2013. From then on other firms were legally able to produce Sildenafil as a generic medicine.
Not every medication has a generic version, which is why special caution is advised when buying such products. It is recommended to buy treatments from a registered UK pharmacy, such as Dr Andrews.
In medical terms they are the same treatment. The dosage amounts and the active ingredient are equal, which should lead to the same results. As Sildenafil may be produced by another company the tablets and the packaging could look different though. As an unbranded product the cost per treatment is considerably less almost 70% less.
Sildenafil is a medicine used to treat erectile dysfunction (ED / sexual impotence). It increases blood flow to the penis to help men get an erection. At least two-thirds of men have improved erections after taking it.
Sildenafil is also sometimes used (in men and women) to treat pulmonary hypertension (high blood pressure in the blood vessels that supply the lungs).
This medicine is available on from Dr Andrews registered pharmacy. It comes as tablets that you swallow
Sildenafil tablets for erectile dysfunction come in different strengths ranging from 25mg to 100mg. The usual dose is 50mg, when you need it (no more than once a day). The dose can be increased to 100mg or decreased to 25mg depending on its effect. Take sildenafil up to 4 hours before you want to have sex. For sildenafil to work properly, you’ll need to be sexually excited.
You can buy Sildenafil / Viagra online through Dr Andrews, our treatments (lowest in the UK) can be purchased from as little as £2.12 per pill. Be very careful if you look for alternative sites as there are many unregistered websites that sell fake medicines. Online medicines aren’t regulated and the ingredients in them can vary from one pack to another. They can cause unpleasant side effects or may not be suitable for you, or may in fact be dangerous.
Dr Andrews are proud to show that we are fully registered and compliant with all regulations to sell and distribute Viagra online. We are members of the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPC) and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)
Like all medicines, Viagra (sildenafil) can cause side effects in some people. Many people have no side effects or only minor ones.
Talk to your doctor if you’ve taken too much sildenafil and you’re worried about these side effects.
Common side effects happen in more than 1 in 100 people. If you get these side effects, keep taking the medicine, but tell your doctor or pharmacist if these side effects bother you or don’t go away:
Sildenafil is safe to take for an extended period. There don’t seem to be any lasting harmful effects from taking it for many months and years.
If sildenafil doesn’t work, there are other tablets you could try which work in a similar way, such as:
Check out our BLOG that explains in more details and compares the different ED treatments and onset times
Some complementary therapies, such as acupuncture, have claimed to treat erectile dysfunction. However, there’s little medical evidence that they work.
There are lots of treatments that claim to be an ‘herbal Viagra’. In fact, there’s no such thing. An herbal Viagra has never been approved as a treatment for erectile dysfunction. Plus, these treatments may be fake or unsafe.
Taking poppers (amyl nitrite) with sildenafil can have a dangerous effect on your heart.
It can also be potentially dangerous to take sildenafil with:
Talk to your doctor if you think you might use any recreational drugs with sildenafil. Don’t drink grapefruit juice if you are taking sildenafil. It interferes with how the medicine is absorbed.
You can eat and drink normally while taking sildenafil (Viagra) to get an erection.
If you have any other questions on Viagra or it’s alternatives, don’t hesitate to contact us.
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