Questions About Impotence. Part Two.

What side effects have Viagra, Cialis and Levitra?
Like other medications, all those medications have side effects. Levitra may cause headaches, flushes, stuffiness in nose and running nose. Viagra may cause headache, intense blush on the face, indigestion, problems with vision (wrong color perception, object diffusion), and high light hypersensitivity. Cialis may provoke headache, muscle pain, back pain,  indigestion,  stuffiness in nose and running nose. As a rule, side effects disappear in several hours. Back and muscle pains disappear in 48 hours.

Quite rarely may occur vision disorders (seeing objects in blue color or difficulties in distinguishing blue and green colors when taking Cialis and Levitra). Viagra rarely causes such side effects.  In case of sudden loss of vision in one or in both eyes, it is necessary to stop taking the medicine and address to the doctor immediately. The problem may be connected with a disease in which blood supply of optic nerve is blocked.

In very rare cases those three medications cause priapism – a condition characterized with firm erection. If erection lasts for a long time, you should address to the doctor. Erection that lasts more than 6 hours may lead to severe complications including problems with erection in future.

How those drugs should be taken?
Viagra, Levitra and Cialis are released in form of tablets. The exact dosage for you will prescribe your doctor. No more than one tablet a day should be taken.

May Viagra, Levitra and Cialis be taken with a meal?
Taking those medications does not depend on the meal because absorbing of active substances is the same in any external conditions.

Are Viagra, Levitra and Cialis effective just in severe forms of erectile dysfunctions?
No. Those medications are equally effective in treating moderate and severe forms of erectile dysfunction. With their help are treated permanent and episodic problems.

Are there any age restrictions?
No. Those medications can be taken by men of all ages. It has no influence on the effectiveness. From erectile dysfunctions do suffer not only aged men, but also young men as well.

May I take Viagra, Levitra and Cialis if I am diseased with diabetes or hypertonia?
Erectile dysfunction medications are considered effective and safe. However, you should never take those medications together with drugs containing nitrate. Acting together, they drastically do lower blood pressure and may cause stroke and heart attack. You should consult your doctor if you are taking alpha-blockers – medications for blood pressure lowering and drugs treating prostatic hyperplasia. Also you need to consult your doctor if you have such diseases as ischemic heart disease, heart failure and hypotension or are taking medications that raise pressure.

Are Viagra, Levitra and Cialis protecting from sexually transmitted diseases?
No. Those medications do not protect from sexually transmitted diseases including HIV. The only way of protection here is condom and limiting of different sexual partners.

Will be erection occurred by itself after taking those medications?
No. Sexual stimulation is needed.

Questions About Impotence

How should I know if I have erectile dysfunction (impotence)? When should I go to the doctor?

Erectile dysfunction (impotence) is the lack of arousal or having erection insufficient for finishing sex. It is usually caused by different diseases (hypertonia, diabetes), or as a result of taking some medications (antidepressants, hypotensive drugs, antihistaminic medications, tranquilizing drugs, drugs that suppress appetite). At he beginning of the treatment antidepressants may increase the risk of suicide and even deepen the depression. At the same time depression, stress and anxiety also lead to sexual dysfunctions.

However, there is no need to despair, because you are not alone. With the great amount of information available today, more men with erectile dysfunction began to see a doctor. First of all they are interested in three drugs: Viagra (Sildenafil), Levitra (Vardenafil) and Cialis (Tadalafil). Therefore, if you have problems with erection, you should go to the doctor. In most cases erectile dysfunction can be cured.

How much effective are those medications?
They are very effective. They do increase erection making it sufficient for a normal intercourse. After intercourse erection disappears. However, remember that the effectiveness of those drugs depends on  your major cause of erectile dysfunction. Chronic disease such as diabetes has a great influence on the results of the treatment.

What is the difference between those medications?
There are not great differences between them. Viagra, Levitra and Cialis are the class of PDE5 inhibitor receptor drugs. All medications of this class do act practically the same – erection appears only in case of sexual stimulation. Arousal makes brain send signals about the necessity of nitrogen oxide production to the body. This substance relaxes the unstriated muscles and improves blood circulation to the penis and makes erection. All medications mentioned above help in  nitrogen oxide production.

They do differ just in time of acting. Doctors do recommend to take Viagra and Levitra
30-60 minutes before intercourse and Cialis 30 minutes before intercource. The duration of effect of Vigra and Levitra lasts approximately 4 hours, and Cialis from 24 to 36 hours.

Whom are these medications contraindicated?
Viagra, Levitra and Cialis are contraindicated for men who are taking medications containing nitrate (for example, nitroglycerin that is taken when heart pains). Taking those medications simultaneously may lead to the harsh lowering of blood pressure. For the same reason it is contraindicated taking the combination of medications with alpha-blockers used for the treatment of hypertonia and Prostatic Hyperplasia.

Incorrect combination of medications may cause giddiness, fantness, and even heart attack or stroke. Remember that taking following medications may cause erection problems: antidepressants, hypotensive, antihistaminic medications, tranquilizing drugs, drugs that suppress appetite.

Do not take erectile dysfunction medications if sexual activity is contradicted to you. The effectiveness of those medications in treating of sexual dysfunction in women was not proven yet (although there was made Viagra researches in this field).

Erectile Dysfunction: What To Do?

More often men do not wake up during night ejaculations. Therefore, to find out if you have them or not you could need to perform special test. If you do not have night erection, doctor may search possible medical causes for that, starting from medications you take.

Viagra (Sildenafil) initially was created to treat ischemic heart disease, but during clinical tests patients noticed erection appearing. Besides Viagra there are also two medications: Levitra (Vardenafil) and Cialis (Tadalafil). Those three medications increase blood flow into penis and maintain erection enough for sexual intercourse. The effect of Viagra and Levitra appears in 1-2 hours after their taking. Thanks to Viagra, four in five patients get their sexual functions improved. The effect of Cialis keeps for 36 hours. To make those medications work, there is a need of sexual stimulation. Those medications have next side effects: headache, cold, indigestion.

After sexual intercourse occurs blood outflow from penis, and penis comes back in normal condition. Levitra improves erection in 85% of males. This medication helps to improve potency in diabetics and in those who has undergone operation on prostate gland. The medications are contraindicated for people with significant heart diseases, and also for people taking drugs containing nitrates and alpa-blockers. Acting one with another, those medications may provoke sudden lowering of blood pressure. Medications improving potency are dangerous for men who suffer from coronary heart disease, heart failure, and hypotension.

Before appearing on the market of medications mentioned above, the problem of erectile dysfunction was solved with the usage of injections which were made into penis before sexual intercourse. This method is still used today. In case of right usage, it is a quite effective procedure. Sometimes such injections and other medications do cause priapism (steady long-lasting erection). So they should be used attentively.

Erection may be kept with mechanic devises such as vacuum pumps assuring blood flow into penis, or rubber seals drawing on penis head and preventing blood outflow from penis.
Finally, special devises may be inserted surgically into penis. Those semirigid structures are quite firm for sexual intercourse but they are quite flexible to remain invisible underwear.