Description

Cialis is a branded drug that can help to treat erectile dysfunction. Whilst it can’t cure the condition, it’s very effective for many men that struggle with it. So what is Cialis? Its active ingredient is the generic drug, tadalafil, which belongs to the PDE-5 inhibitor family of medicines – all of which are oral treatments for ED. They include Viagra (sildenafil), Spedra (avanafil), and Levitra (vardenafil). Whilst all of the medicines in this family work in similar ways, some are stronger than others and stay in your system for different amounts of time, so it can sometimes take a while to figure out which one suits you the best.

How does Cialis work?

Cialis works in a similar way to other PDE-5 inhibitors. Essentially, it dilates the blood vessels in your penis which lets you get an erection that’s hard enough for sex. This happens because blood is able to flow into the penis more easily, and it’s this blood flow that causes an erection. Cialis will only help you if you have erectile dysfunction – it won’t increase your sex drive or make you last any longer in bed if you don’t struggle with ED. You also need to be sexually aroused or stimulated to get an erection, even after you’ve taken Cialis.

How long does Cialis take to work?

Cialis usually starts to work within 30 minutes of you taking a tablet, but for some men, it might take longer. If you know you’re going to have sex, it might be a good idea to take it around an hour beforehand just to make sure that it’s had enough time to start working. If you find that your dose of Cialis isn’t working or that your erection isn’t hard enough, then it’s probably not the right treatment for you, but there’s no need to worry – plenty of other options are available.

How long does Cialis last?

Various different PDE-5 inhibitors can last for different lengths of time, so how long does Cialis last? As mentioned before, an on-demand dose of Cialis (10mg or 20mg) can last up to 36 hours after you’ve taken it, and it’s often called the “weekend pill” for this reason. In other words, the effects can last up to 2 days. However, this doesn’t mean that you’ll have an erection for this amount of time, it just means that the potential to achieve a strong erection is there for around 36 hours. Daily Cialis should last for as long as you take the tablets for. As there’s a constant dose of Cialis in your system if you take 2.5mg or 5mg daily, you should always feel the benefits of the drug until you decide to stop using it.

Side Effects

Headache, stomach upset, back pain, muscle pain, stuffy nose, flushing, or dizziness may occur. If any of these effects persist or worsen, tell your doctor or our pharmacist promptly.

To reduce the risk of dizziness and lightheadedness, get up slowly when rising from a sitting or lying position.

Remember that your doctor has prescribed this medication because he or she has judged that the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects.

Sexual activity may put extra strain on your heart, especially if you have heart problems. If you have heart problems and experience any of these serious side effects while having sex, stop and get medical help right away: severe dizziness, fainting, chest/jaw/left arm pain, nausea.

Rarely, sudden decreased vision, including permanent blindness, in one or both eyes (NAION) may occur. If this serious problem occurs, stop taking tadalafil and get medical help right away. You have a slightly greater chance of developing NAION if you have heart disease, diabetes, high cholesterol, certain other eye problems (“crowded disk”), high blood pressure, if you are over 50, or if you smoke.

Rarely, a sudden decrease or loss of hearing, sometimes with ringing in the ears and dizziness, may occur. Stop taking tadalafil and get medical help right away if these effects occur.

In the rare event you have a painful or prolonged erection lasting 4 or more hours, stop using this drug and get medical help right away, or permanent problems could occur.

A very serious allergic reaction to this drug is rare. However, get medical help right away if you notice any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction, including rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, trouble breathing.

This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or our pharmacist.

Precautions

Before taking tadalafil, tell your doctor or our pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or if you have any other allergies. This product may contain inactive ingredients, which can cause allergic reactions or other problems. Talk to our pharmacist for more details.

Before using this medication, tell your doctor or our pharmacist your medical history, especially of: heart problems (such as heart attack or life-threatening irregular heartbeat in the past 6 months, chest pain/angina, heart failure), stroke in the past 6 months, kidney disease, liver disease, high or low blood pressure, a severe loss of body water (dehydration), penis conditions (such as angulation, fibrosis/scarring, Peyronie’s disease), history of painful/prolonged erection (priapism), conditions that may increase the risk of priapism (such as sickle cell anaemia, leukaemia, multiple myeloma), eye problems (such as retinitis pigmentosa, sudden decreased vision, NAION), bleeding disorders, active stomach ulcers.

This drug may make you dizzy. Alcohol or marijuana (cannabis) can make you dizzier. Do not drive, use machinery, or do anything that needs alertness until you can do it safely. Limit alcoholic beverages. Talk to your doctor if you are using marijuana (cannabis).

Before having surgery, tell your doctor or dentist about all the products you use (including prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and herbal products).

This brand of the drug is not usually used in women. During pregnancy, tadalafil should be used only when clearly needed. Discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor.

It is unknown if this medication passes into breast milk. Consult your doctor before breast-feeding.

Interactions

Drug interactions may change how your medications work or increase your risk for serious side effects. This document does not contain all possible drug interactions. Keep a list of all the products you use (including prescription/nonprescription drugs and herbal products) and share it with your doctor and our pharmacist. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicines without your doctor’s approval.

A product that may interact with this drug is: riociguat.

Tadalafil can cause a serious drop in your blood pressure when used with nitrates, which can lead to dizziness, fainting, and rarely heart attack or stroke. Do not use tadalafil with any of the following: certain drugs used to treat chest pain/angina (nitrates such as nitroglycerin, isosorbide), recreational drugs called “poppers” containing amyl or butyl nitrite.

If you are also taking an alpha blocker medication (such as doxazosin, tamsulosin) to treat an enlarged prostate/BPH or high blood pressure, your blood pressure may get too low which can lead to dizziness or fainting. Your doctor may start treatment with a lower dose of tadalafil or adjust your alpha blocker medication to minimize your risk of low blood pressure.

Other medications can affect the removal of tadalafil from your body, which may affect how tadalafil works. Examples include azole antifungals (such as itraconazole, ketoconazole), macrolide antibiotics (such as clarithromycin, erythromycin), HIV protease inhibitors (such as fosamprenavir, ritonavir), hepatitis C virus protease inhibitors (such as boceprevir, telaprevir), rifampin, among others.

Do not take this medication with any other product that contains tadalafil or other similar medications used to treat erectile dysfunction-ED or pulmonary hypertension (such as sildenafil, vardenafil).

Overdose

If someone has overdosed and has serious symptoms such as passing out or trouble breathing, call 112. Otherwise, call a poison control centre right away. Or Pill Doctor  +233267000104.

Notes

Do not share this medication with others.

Missed Dose

If you are taking this medication on a regular schedule and you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is near the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose. Take your next dose at the regular time. Do not double the dose to catch up.

Storage

Store at room temperature away from light and moisture. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep all medications away from children and pets.

Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them into a drain unless instructed to do so. Properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed. Consult our pharmacist