Far from what you see in porn flicks, an erection is not always an easy thing that can last for an hour for non-stop pumping and grinding. Many men suffer from erectile dysfunction, or the inability of a man to achieve and maintain a solid erection needed to function sexually.
There are a lot of factors that can cause erectile dysfunction such as health conditions, psychological issues, the drugs you are taking or insufficient sex hormones.
Today, men with ED can take prescription medications, such as Cialis, Levitra and Viagra popularly known as blue pills.
The main function of these pills is to encourage healthy blood flow to the penis. Some men say those little blue pills gave them a quick fix, while others complain that it did not work on them. Some even claim they suffered from undesirable side effects due to ED pills. Here are three common ED meds with their side effects, as well as six reasons why they don’t always work for everyone.
Erectile Dysfunction Drugs
Cialis, Levitra, and Viagra are three of the popular oral treatments for erectile dysfunction. These three medications all have similar effects. They relax the muscles and promote blood flow, particularly to the penis. While they are effective ED treatments, they can come with some serious or non-serious side effects. Here is a list of possible side effects of the ED treatments:
Cialis
Other than impotence, doctors prescribe Cialis for men with symptoms of benign prostatic hypertrophy or enlargement of the prostate.
Cialis can have ill-effects when men use it with other medications, specifically nitrate medicines for chest pain.
You could suffer from a sudden and significant decline in your blood pressure if you take them together. During your consultation with your doctor, do not leave out any important details about your current medications.
Apart from that, rare cases of adverse effects include loss of vision and priapism, or trapped blood in the penis, making you painfully erect for hours. If this happens, contact your doctor immediately. If left untreated, priapism can lead to long-term impotence.
Levitra
The same as with Cialis, you should never take Levitra with nitrate medicines or take nitrate medicine after taking the blue pill for hours. The drug can stay longer in your bloodstream and may still cause asudden decrease in your blood pressure.
Taking Levitra may impair your vision. A few cases of vision loss were reported from people taking Levitra.Most of the affected people also suffered from health conditions like diabetes, heart disease and hypertension.
Some men were smokers or had existing eye problems. Though, it is not certain if Levitra caused the vision impairment, if you experience asudden loss of vision upon taking Levitra, stop its use and call your doctor. Other than that, nausea and painful or tingling or numbness in your jaw, chest or arms may indicate you are suffering from a serious side effect of the drug. Be sure to call your doctor right away if this occurs.
Viagra
Viagra can also interact with nitrate medicines and nitrites, or poppers and may cause serious side effects in people with existing medical conditions such as:
- Heart disease
- Hypertension
- Liver Problems
- Kidney Problems
- Sickle Cell Anemia
- Leukemia
- Stomach Ulcers
- Peyronie’s Disease
- Heart attack or Stroke Sufferers
People allergic to sildenafil should avoid Viagra. Do not take Viagra if you are under 18 years of age without a doctor’s advice.
Do not self-medicate. Before taking in any medications, it is of utmost importance to consult with your doctor first to know more about complications and how to deal with the side effects. If you have problems getting an erection despite taking these meds, here are some of the reasons they aren’t working for you:
1. You Skip The Foreplay
Pop a pill and get an instant hard-on. This is a common misconception on the effect of blue pills among men. What you need to know is that you need to get sexually excited first before the blue pill can take effect.
Sexual arousal from thoughts and by what you touch, smell, see and hear makes the brain send signals down to your penis to release a chemical, which triggers the release of another chemical necessary for an erection.
The latter chemical is similar to the substance found in male enhancing pills, and it won’t give you a boner unless you are sexually excited. So, the next time you pop a pill, don’t skip the foreplay.
2. You Pop The Pill When Full
Sex on an empty stomach is not that appealing, but if you want to do better in bed with a full tummy, do not take it right away after a heavy meal. If you are planning to hit the sack later tonight, eat a bit earlier, then take the pill two to three hours afterwards. Levitra and Viagra require you to do so because they work better when your tummy is not too full.
When you have food in your stomach, the ED meds only get absorbed in half the amount. If your penis needs a hundred milligram of these drugs to get a rock hard erection,yet only half gets into your system, then expect your erection to be only half of what it is supposed to be.
3. You Hit The Sack Right Away
We know you can’t wait to get the action started, but if you want it to be heat pumping, you have to wait for a bit. After swallowing the pill, wait at least an hour before hitting the sheets.
Though you can get an erection in just a few minutes after taking it, the drugs will have its strongest effect after one hour for Levitra and Viagra. Cialis, on the other hand, takes longer for two to three hours. This tip is especially for the first timers wanting to find out if popping a pill will help them get a bigger and better erection.
4. You Are Not Taking Enough
The severity of erectile dysfunction may vary from man to man. Some men may do well with ED drugs in low doses, while others may need a higher dosage. Start at a lower dose and observe if there are any positive changes.
5. You Give Up After The First Attempt Fails
If the first attempt is no success, it does not automatically mean it will never work for you. A lot of factors can get in the way of the drug’s effect such as not taking the needed dosage or taking it on a full stomach.
Before reaching to a conclusion, try the pills first on different occasions. Raise the dosage, wait for an hour after taking the pill or let the food in your stomach digest first before taking the pill. Rule out other factors first to make sure if it works or does not work for you.
6. You Don’t Try Other Drugs
If one drug does not work for you, do not raise the white flag just yet. This is common mistake men commit after the first try fails. Different people react differently to certain drugs. Talk to your doctor about trying other PDE5 inhibitor brands first before resorting to another ED drug called alprodastil,which is administered by injection or by putting a suppository in the penis. The effect of drugs may vary due to different situations. Ruling out other reasons may help you know if these ED meds will work for you.