How do our discounts work?
Final treatment plans are shared decisions determined with your clinician after this online assessment. Always read the leaflet and treatment plan.
Erectile dysfunction – or ED – is the condition in which men struggle to achieve or sustain an erection for long enough to have sex. It can strike men of all ages, and can be caused by a range of different physical and psychological causes – from performance anxiety to cardiovascular disease. While, sadly, a number of men keep the problem to themselves, there’s no need, as ED can be treated.
Viagra Connect works thanks to its active ingredient, Sildenafil Citrate. This is a medicinal agent known as a PDE5 inhibitor, which encourages blood flow within the penis. It does this by targeting the enzyme, phosphodiesterase 5, that is responsible for smooth muscle contraction in the blood vessels supplying your penis. By improving blood flow in the area where you need it, the better the chances of an erection.
Viagra gets to work 30-60 minutes after you have popped the pill – and your best chance of an erection comes usually after an hour. Yet, there’s no rush. Viagra remains effective up to 4-5 hours after you have taken it, giving you plenty of time to enjoy its benefits. Be aware that these timings differ if you’ve eaten a big meal of fatty food. This tends to slow the drug’s absorption into your system.
Viagra has a reputation for being a well-tolerated and effective treatment for ED – and it’s a reputation that is deserved. Sildenafil has been shown in trials to be effective in about 80% of men – and it routinely outperforms other options of erectile dysfunction medication. However, every man is different. If it is not effective the first time, we recommend you try 8 separate occasions before choosing other options.
Yes. Options for the treatment of erectile dysfunction include other PDE5 inhibitors such as Tadalafil, a drug often sold under the brand name Cialis. It works in the same way, but the drug has a longer half-life – meaning that it can be effective for up to 36 hours. As such, it gives you a little more flexibility on when you can expect an erection and less need to plan sex within a specific 4-5 hour window. Other ED treatments include penile injections and vacuum devices, which are not quite so easy or user friendly.
Side effects of Viagra Connect
If present at all, the side effects of Viagra Connect are usually mild and temporary. The most common side effects are headache, flushing, indigestion, nasal congestion, dizziness, nausea, hot flushes, and vision changes (such as having a blue colour tinge, or blurred vision).
These should go away pretty quickly. If they don’t, however, seek the advice of a healthcare professional. If you’ve had a persistent erection, lasting longer than 2 hours, it’s time to seek urgent help. Priapism – an erection that is painful and just won’t go away – is an infamous, but very rare, side effect of Viagra. If you are experiencing one, you should go to your local A&E department immediately.
Who shouldn't take Viagra Connect?
Viagra is for the use of adult men experiencing ED only. Women, men under 18, or men who are not experiencing ED simply should not use it.
This also applies to men for whom sexual activity may be inadvisable. It includes men:
These are not the only men that should be wary. Those who have any of the following should speak to a clinician before taking Viagra Connect:
Which drug interactions should you be aware of?
Finally, Sildenafil is known to interact with certain other medications. If you are on any of these, please let us – or your healthcare provider – know.