Once you’ve taken your sildenafil (generic Viagra®) prescription to the pharmacy and the latter fills it, your pharmacist would have most likely given you a quick briefing about its basics – some of which might have included a bit of confusing medical mumbo-jumbo.
No worries – we’ve got you covered. We’ll break down the basics for you, so you know exactly how to take sildenafil for erectile dysfunction (ED) the first time, every time.
Generic sildenafil comes in the same dose strengths that its branded equivalent Viagra® depending on your needs: 25 mg, 50 mg, and 100 mg.
Most ED patients will be prescribed the 50 mg dose to be taken as needed about one hour before engaging in sexual activity.
Now, based on its effects on you and your tolerance towards the drug, your doctor may adjust the dosage up to 100 mg if you’re not experiencing any effects or reduce it to 25 mg if you experience bothersome side effects.
It’s important to note that the maximum daily dose of sildenafil is 100 mg. Don’t take another dosage if you feel it isn’t working as it should.
Taking sildenafil for the first time: What should you know beforehand?
Hold on before popping that first little blue or white pill. There are some home truths you should keep in mind before doing so.
First, sildenafil doesn’t provide any protection against sexually-transmitted infections (STIs). Thus, you should always practice safe sex and take the necessary steps, such as wearing protection.
Second, you can take sildenafil with or without food. However, taking sildenafil on a carb-heavy or high-fat meal may interfere with the body’s ability to absorb sildenafil citrate, the active ingredient in both generic and branded Viagra®. Consequently, this might reduce the effectiveness of the drug for your ED symptoms.
However, if you do plan to take a meal before taking sildenafil, try timing it after taking your breakfast or lunch. Doing so allows your body enough time to digest the food, making it easier to absorb sildenafil into your system.
Lastly, lay off the grapefruits and grapefruit juice if you plan to get some “action” with a performance-enhancer like sildenafil, as it may delay or obstruct its absorption. Consult your doctor about the effects of consuming grapefruits while taking sildenafil.
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How do I take sildenafil tablets orally?
Quite simple – swallow a tablet whole with some water or your preferred beverage (excluding grapefruit juice).
Does generic sildenafil work the first time you take it?
While sildenafil has had a track record of being one of the most successful drugs for ED, it may not work for you the first time, and neither is it guaranteed to always work for you like a silver bullet.
To get the best experience from sildenafil, you need to get into the right frame of mind, relax, and let your inhibitions go.
Sildenafil will not give you an erection by itself; rather, it works only if you are sexually stimulated or aroused. But before giving up on sildenafil, increasing its dosage, or trying another ED drug or treatment altogether, it’s best to try it on 5-7 separate instances before you decide to do so. This is because it might take a while for your body to get accustomed to using sildenafil to produce an erection.
How long does generic sildenafil take to kick in?
In general, sildenafil usually takes around 30 to 60 minutes to kick in. Some individuals might find that sildenafil kicks in faster for them – in as early as 15 minutes. Other individuals might experience longer times to wait depending on several factors. For instance, if you have eaten a heavy meal close to the time you took sildenafil, it might take around 60 minutes to 2 hours to kick in.
How long do the effects of generic sildenafil last?
Sildenafil’s effects last for approximately 4 hours before it starts to taper off in effect. However, some men may experience satisfactory results for up to 6-8 hours after they have taken a dose. While sildenafil stays in the system for around 24 hours, it isn’t likely to be as effective after 6 hours upon taking it since the amount of the active ingredient present in your bloodstream becomes too little to produce discernible effects.
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What are the potential side effects of taking generic sildenafil?
Like any other medicine, sildenafil has its share of potential side effects.
Some of the most common side effects include headaches, skin redness or flushing, gastrointestinal discomfort or upset stomach, changes in vision and hearing, muscle and back pain, nasal congestion, malaise, rashes, and dizziness.
Most of these side effects are mild to moderate and tend to subside as your body adjusts or excretes the drug over 24 hours.
However, sildenafil also has some severe side effects such as angina (chest pain), sudden loss of hearing or sight, or priapism, a painful condition where an erection lasts longer than 4 hours. And if you think the latter’s effects are a good thing, think again – untreated priapism can cause permanent, irreversible damage to your penis and its blood vessels. Seek medical attention immediately if you experience any of the aforementioned side effects.
Nevertheless, if any side effects interfere with your quality and enjoyment of life, talk to your doctor to explore possible alternatives to sildenafil.
Who should avoid taking sildenafil?
Depending on certain factors, sildenafil might not be suitable for particular individuals. Consult your doctor about potential alternative ED treatments or medicines if you fall under this category.
Individuals who have been advised by their doctors to avoid engaging in sexual activity due to their cardiovascular health – in particular, due to hypertension, heart disease, or heart failure) – should avoid taking sildenafil. Sildenafil has a vasodilating effect that may cause an extreme, life-threatening drop in blood pressure.
Moreover, individuals currently on antihypertensive drugs, nitrates, or alpha-blockers should talk to their doctor about potential interactions with sildenafil due to its vasodilatory effect that may excessively lower blood pressure.
The same is true if you take nitrates such as amyl and butyl nitrate since it may cause a similarly dangerous drop in blood pressure.
Lastly, it is also dangerous to mix sildenafil with other ED medicines such as tadalafil (Cialis®), vardenafil (Levitra®), and avanafil (Stendra®) at the same time, which may put you at risk for a dangerously steep decline in blood pressure.
