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Sildenafil Tablets from £20
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Advice for Erectile Dysfunction
Erectile dysfunction (also known as impotence) is a very common condition, which affects the majority of men at some point in their lives. Up to 50% of men aged 40 - 70 and up to 70% of men over the age of 70 suffer from erectile dysfunction (ED) to some extent. You may experience it only once, or it may be a regular issue. It can be a part of ageing, though men can experience it from the age of 18. While it can be embarrassing, it's common and treatable.
ED can be of two types:
1. A person has never been able to have or maintain an erection. This kind of ED is rarer and may require surgery or more intensive medical treatment.
2. A person was able to achieve and maintain an erection but can't anymore. This is the more common type of ED.
There are several options, which are currently licensed for the treatment of erectile dysfunction in the UK. Modern treatments are safe, affordable and effective and can help up to 80% of men treat erectile dysfunction. Erectile dysfunction treatments only work if you’re sexually aroused, they can’t help if you have low sex drive, or if you’re ejaculating faster than you want to (i.e. premature ejaculation).
Erectile dysfunction treatments such as Viagra belong to a group of medicines known as PDE5 inhibitors. These medicines widen the blood vessels in the penis, which allows more blood flow into your penis when you are sexually excited. The increased blood flow allows the penis to achieve a firm erection necessary for sexual intercourse.
Erectile dysfunction symptoms might include persistent:
- Trouble getting an erection
- Trouble keeping an erection
- Reduced sexual desire
The inability to get an erection or maintain it, makes penetrative sex difficult or impossible. It can cause stress, affect your self-confidence and contribute to relationship problems.
To maintain an erection, you need a healthy blood supply, a healthy nervous system and sexual desire. Various physiological and psychological conditions can affect all aspects of your sex life, which can result in ED.
The most common cause of ED is physical. This could possibly be down to an injury (to the penis or the spinal cord), or diseases such as Parkinson's, Multiple Sclerosis (MS), or kidney disease. Changes in the actual penis structure can make getting an erection difficult. Peyronie's (a bending in the erect penis), phimosis (a tight foreskin) or a tight frenulum (the elastic piece of skin that joins the foreskin to the shaft of the penis) can all cause ED.
It can also be caused by physical factors that are affected by lifestyle. This includes high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity and diabetes and can all result in narrowed blood vessels. You should have a health check to ensure your ED is not being caused by an underlying health condition.
Erectile dysfunction can also be brought on by other medical treatments, such as that of cancer of the prostate and any number of other prescription drugs. Medication for depression, psychotic illness, heart conditions, blood pressure and prostate conditions are all potentially implicated. If you do notice impotence after recently starting a new drug, then it's possible that this is the cause.
Studies show that there is a marked correlation between an unhealthy lifestyle and ED. Smoking, drinking alcohol and using recreational drugs all are linked to experiencing ED. Smoking can damage your blood vessels and ED is often the result of poor blood flow. Binge drinking can cause temporary ED and long-term alcohol use can decrease your sex drive. The use of recreational drugs has adverse effects on sexual function. Being overweight can increase your blood pressure and increase your risk of blood vessel disease which can cause ED.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, some men have been reporting experiencing ED for the first time. And studies have suggested that this is likely to be a consequence of catching COVID-19.
Hormonal imbalance can also play a part in Erectile Dysfunction. If you have a hormone disorder or low levels of testosterone, you could also notice symptoms of impotence. Signs of hormonal imbalance can include sudden weight gain, weight loss or reduced sex drive.
Psychological factors are responsible for a large amount of ED cases. This ranges from serious issues like suffering with depression, stress or anxiety, to the more mundane like having relationship problems or struggling with low self-esteem. Performance anxiety can also cause a failure to sustain an erection.
The good news is that, for men who do find themselves battling ED, there are many different treatment options and management techniques available. This is because impotence is often a side effect of another underlying medical condition such as diabetes or cardiovascular disease; if the underlying illness can be successfully treated and brought under control, the ED may well improve.
There are many kinds of pills for erectile dysfunction, but they are all part of the same group of drugs called PDE5 inhibitors. PDE-5 inhibitors work by relaxing your blood vessels, which increases blood flow to the penis and helps you to get an erection. Each pill has a different active ingredient so, while they're all PDE5 inhibitors, each pill may work a little differently from another. This means that you may need to try a few different pills to get the best result for you. 8 out of 10 men will have a good chance of ED medication working.
There are 4 main types of erectile dysfunction tablets:
Sildenafil (Viagra, Viagra Connect) – these are the NHS's first choice and they're the most popular. They start working about 30 mins after you take them and last for 4-6 hours.
Tadalafil (Cialis, Cialis Daily) – often known as the 'weekend pill', Tadalafil medications get to work in about 30 mins and can last for up to 36 hours.
Vardenafil (Levitra) – similar to Viagra, Vardenafil medications start after about 30 mins and last 4-6 hours, but they can be slightly better to take for men with eye problems.
Avanafil (Spedra) – this medication is the fastest-acting one, getting to work in as little as 15 mins.
Psychological Treatment
Counselling or therapy may help deal with stress, depression or performance anxiety and can be combined with medicines which treat the ED in the short term. It can also help you manage how your erectile dysfunction symptoms make you feel.
Lifestyle Changes
Obesity, smoking and lack of exercise can result in narrow blood vessels, which is a cause of ED. Losing weight, quitting smoking and getting fit may therefore help resolve the problem. Erectile dysfunction exercises, like kegels, can the muscles around your penis stronger, which can improve blood flow and erections. Men who drink heavily or use illegal drugs may find that giving up these activities helps their ED. You can combine lifestyle changes and erectile dysfunction exercises with medications for even better results.
Physical Treatments
The two main physical treatments are vacuum pumps and constriction rings. A vacuum pump is a cylinder which is placed over the penis. The air is then pumped out of it, gently 'forcing' the penis to become erect. Constriction rings are used to maintain an erection. A ring is placed around the base of the penis, trapping blood and keeping it hard for longer.
Surgery
This is usually the last option for men with ED. Implants can be inserted into the penis, allowing it to bend upwards for sex and downwards to urinate. Inflatable implants form an erection by filling with fluid.
Frequently Asked Questions
Typically, these terms are interchangeable. However, there are vast differences in terms of the connotations each term carries. Erectile dysfunction is the term often used to describe a range of conditions -- from an occasional inability to maintain or sustain an erection to a mild degree or inability to maintain or get an erection. In contrast, the term "impotence" sounds very definitive, almost a complete inability to have an erection. This term has a very negative connotation.
Men who have coronary artery disease, particularly those who take nitrates or nitroglycerine, should not take these medications. These medications can cause a very unsafe drop in blood pressure for those individuals.
It is understandable for you to be embarrassed, but please be reassured that your doctor won't be. Your GP's role is to advise and help you. Your medical records are always confidential.
Talking to your partner is very important. Acknowledge the issue. They may well be worried about it too. Reassure them that they are still attractive to you. If you can, tell them how you feel and ask them how they are feeling. You may be surprised how supportive they are.
Please be assured that ED has medical causes. It does not indicate that your partner no longer finds you attractive. Your partner may well be embarrassed and ashamed. Encouraging and supporting your partner to see his GP is important, to rule out treatable causes and seek appropriate treatment.
To start a family you need to have sex. Taking an ED: sildenafil (Viagra), tadalafil (Cialis), vardenafil (Levitra) or avanafil (Spedra) will improve your erectile function, enabling you to have intercourse. The more sex the greater the chances of conceiving. Studies show no adverse effects on sperm or testicular function with men using these medications.
To take any of the ED medications you must be a man who is experiencing erectile dysfunction. Men with a history of certain conditions such as liver failure, or those who are taking certain medications such as nitrates will not be able to take ED medications.
Viagra Connect, Viagra and Sildenafil all contain the same active ingredient: sildenafil citrate.
Viagra relaxes the muscle cells in the blood vessels supplying the penis, allowing an increased blood flow. Erections occur when blood flows into the penis. Therefore, this increased blood flow increases the chance of achieving an erection.
Viagra has been shown to be effective in two thirds of men with erectile dysfunction. Viagra’s effectiveness is decreased if you take it after a heavy meal or consuming large amounts of alcohol. Without sexual stimulation Viagra won’t produce any results. The underlying cause and severity of your erectile dysfunction also impacts on how successfully you respond to Viagra.
Some men who use Viagra might find that over time Viagra becomes less effective. However, there are lots of options for treating ED and Viagra does work for two thirds of the men who take it.
It’s good to remember, you won’t instantly get an erection when taking Viagra. You will need to be sexually aroused for it to work. it can take 30-60 minutes to begin to feel the effect.
It’s thought that Sildenafil works for as many as two thirds of men. However, there’s a chance it might not work the first time, so we recommend you try an ED medication up to 8 times before deciding if it works for you or not.
Drinking a glass of wine or beer is not likely to impact or delay the effect of Sildenafil. However drinking any more than this can make it more difficult to get an erection, so to get the best effects, it’s advisable not to drink too much.
Sildenafil can be taken once a day, but you should never take more than one Sildenafil tablet in 24 hours.
The effects of Sildenafil can last for up to six hours.
Sildenafil helps you to keep an erection long enough to have successful sex. So it can help you keep your erection longer.
No, you should take Sildenafil tablets in the dosage suggested by your clinician or as explained in the patient information leaflet.
It’s good to try an ED medication as many as 8 times before you make a judgement on if it’s working for you. If after this time you don’t think it is working, speak to your clinician and they may advise changing the dosage or trying something else.
Viagra treatment for women is not approved in the UK. It is illegal to sell Viagra for women and there is no proof that Viagra can improve female sexual dysfunction.
Herbal Viagra is a name given to a number of products, such as Horny Goat Weed, that are sold as an alternative to Viagra. However, no herbal treatments are currently recommended or licensed to treat erectile dysfunction, and these products can actually cause more harm than good.
No, you should never combine Viagra with another ED medication. ED medications such as Viagra, Levita, and Cialis all work in the same way, so taking them together could cause serious side effects, or even cause an overdose.
One medication is not ‘stronger’ than the other, they just work differently and over a different period of time to manage ED.
You might hear or see people referring to Tadalafil as the ‘weekend’ pill. This is because the effects of Tadalafil can last up to 36 hours, giving you help with getting an erection across a 2.5 day period.
No, you should take Tadalafil tablets in the dosage suggested by your clinician or as explained in the patient information leaflet.
Drinking alcohol makes Cialis less effective and can also make the side effects of Cialis worse. While alcohol is often used by some people to overcome nerves and sexual anxiety, it can actually make it more difficult to get an erection.
Cialis is not licensed for women in the UK, so women should not take it as they cannot be safely prescribed Cialis by a doctor.
No, you should never take Cialis with another erectile dysfunction medication. Erectile dysfunction medications all work in the same way, so taking them together could cause serious side effects, or even cause an overdose.
Normal Cialis is prescribed for use as-and-when it is needed. That means that you will be prescribed a small amount of tablets and you will take them in anticipation of sex within the next few hours. This type is recommended for men suffering from erectile dysfunction who are having sex on a fairly irregular basis. Cialis Daily is prescribed in strengths of 2.5mg and 5mg. It is taken every single day at the same time and is suited to men who have regular sex (i.e. at least twice a week).
Levitra and Viagra both help with erectile dysfunction in a similar way, but contain different active ingredients and are available in different dosages. Some men may find that one medication works better for them than the other, as they contain different active ingredients.
If you find it difficult to keep an erection, Levitra can help you to get and maintain an erection, so you can stay harder for longer. However, if you are orgasming too quickly, then Levitra won’t help you last longer as it does not delay orgasm.
While people sometimes use alcohol to try and overcome sexual anxiety, it can actually make it more difficult to get an erection. Because of this, drinking alcohol can make it harder for Levitra to work, and can also make the side effects of Levitra worse.
No, you should never take Levitra with another erectile dysfunction medication. Erectile dysfunction medications all work in the same way, so taking them together could cause serious side effects.
