Use of Sildenafil (Viagra)
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The arrival of this drug on the market changed the face of impotence management. It is a very effective drug with few serious side effects when used properly.
It is important to remember that the drug works by enabling a normal response to sexual stimulation and thus, unlike other methods of treating erectile difficulties, it requires the right environment and stimulation to be effective.
Most men start by trying the 50mg tablet several times and if this is effective may be able to drop the dose to 25mg. If the 50mg preparation does not give the desired effect then 100mg can be tried.
Most men take the drug one to two hours before they wish to make love and find it is effective for up to five hours after this time. Heavy or fatty meals will tend to slow down its effect by an hour or so, but not diminish it.
After a dose has been established you should review matters with your physician.
Viagra does have some minor side effects including headache, flushing and blurred vision. It may also cause some heartburn. These are generally not serious and most men who experience them do not stop treatment as a result.
There seems to be no direct harmful effect of Viagra on the heart, but of course any man with undiagnosed heart disease runs a small risk if he undertakes physical exercise. This would be as true for running around the block as for resuming sexual activity after a period of inability to get an erection.
It is therefore important that you have due regard to your general fitness and any specific areas of worry should be mentioned to the doctor prescribing for you.
The final cautionary note is to mention that Viagra does have interactions with a number of other drugs. Most of these are mild and may simply require a closer eye to be kept on the Viagra dosage, but in a group of drugs called Nitrates (usually given for cardiac pain) there is a potentially fatal lowering of the blood pressure if taken within 24 hours of Viagra. It is thus essential that if any physician is considering prescribing any drug you must say that you are using Viagra. You must never take Viagra with any Nitrate type drugs, prescrition or not.
It may well be that you will find the penis becomes more naturally responsive after some weeks or months of treatment and if this is the case it is quite in order to experiment with lower dose or to go without the medication as you feel necessary. Should the Viagra not work, remember there are other therapies available, so do not suffer in silence. Lastly, it is important that both a man and his partner have realistic expectations over what they can expect, and that they have discussed the treatment prior to using it.
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