In this article, we'll be explaining what Viagra is and how it helps treat erectile dysfunction, reasons why Viagra might not be working for you and what you should do if Viagra doesn't work for you.
Viagra is a prescription medication taken orally to treat male erectile dysfunction (ED).
Viagra is able to treat erectile dysfunction due to its main ingredient sildenafil, a phosphodiesterase type-5 (PDE5) inhibitor. Phosphodiesterase type-5 (PDE5) is an enzyme that regulates the flow of blood out of the penis. By inhibiting and slowing PDE5, Viagra is able to relax the muscles and the walls of the blood vessels. This then allows the blood to flow more freely into the penis, which makes it easier to create and maintain an erection.
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Viagra will usually start to take effect 30 to 60 minutes after you take it. In some cases, Viagra might only start to take effect after 2 hours.
While Viagra is an effective way of treating ED, Viagra alone will not cause an erection. You will still need to be sexually aroused to get hard. Getting comfortable and being relaxed will help Viagra to kick in quicker.
Viagra comes in three different doses: 25mg , 50mg and 100mg. While most men are prescribed 50 mg of Viagra to start with, the dosage of Viagra that is prescribed by your doctor will depend on your medical history and the medication and supplements you might be on.
In a study done in 2013, researchers found that 100mg dose of sildenafil (the main ingredient of Viagra) was more effective at improving erections than a 50mg dosage.
If you find that Viagra doesn't seem to be working for you and you see no improvement to your erections, consider speaking to your doctor about raising the dosage.
Taking the right amount of Viagra at the right time but still not seeing any results? It's possible that your erectile dysfunction is being caused by an underlying health issue which prevents Viagra from being an effective form of treatment.
Health issues that either reduce your sex drive or affect your blood flow can prevent you from getting hard, even with the use of Viagra or other ED medications. ED can be caused by a host of health conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes or heart disease. Low testosterone levels and other hormonal issues can also affect your sex drive, making it difficult to get hard.
Think you might have an underlying health issue that could be causing your ED? It is recommended that you consult your doctor. It is possible that once the underlying health issue is treated, your ED will improve without the need for Viagra or other ED medications.
You will need to take Viagra correctly in order for it to treat your ED effectively. Here are some ways to ensure that Viagra gives you the best results in the bedroom:
Contrary to popular belief, Viagra is not a magic pill that will give you an erection right after you take it. You will still need to be sexually aroused while on Viagra to achieve an erection. To help yourself get into the mood, consider engaging in some foreplay with your partner or kicking things off with some solo pleasure.
Don't expect to get straight into sex right after taking Viagra. The best time to take Viagra is about an hour before you have sex, as it takes Viagra about 30 - 60 minutes to fully kick in and for your body to absorb the medication.
Don't take Viagra too early though! After about 4 hours in your system, the effects of Viagra will begin to taper off. Stick to taking Viagra half an hour or an hour before having sex for the best results.
While Viagra can still work if you have a meal, avoid having a heavy, greasy meal. Eating a big meal or one that has a lot of fat can impede the absorption of Viagra in the body and cause the ED medication to take longer to be effective.
If you do have a heavy or fatty meal beforehand, give it some time to digest before taking Viagra.
For best results, take Viagra on an empty stomach if possible.
While you can have a glass or two of wine before having sex, it is not recommended to have any more than that. This is because drinking moderately or heavily can make it difficult for you to get hard. As both Viagra and alcohol can lower your blood pressure, this means that less blood will flow to your penis to create an erection.
Drinking alcohol and then taking Viagra could also bring about side effects like headaches, lightheadedness and dizziness due to the drop in blood pressure.
Besides Viagra, there are other ED medications that you can consider taking if Viagra doesn't seem to be working out for you:
- Tadalafil
- Vardenafil
- Avanafil
You can also consider other forms of ED treatment like penile implants, suppositories or even vacuum restriction devices.
If you are experiencing erectile dysfunction, it is advisable that you consult a doctor. Here at Noah, doctors on our platform are best equipped with the knowledge to help you ascertain the root cause of your erectile dysfunction and can determine whether generic Viagra is right for you. They will be able to advise you on the best treatment suited for you, and can also prescribe you the right medication should you need it.
References
Mulhall, John P et al. “Improvement in erection hardness and intercourse success with first dose of sildenafil citrate 100 mg.” International journal of general medicine vol. 6 849-54. 18 Nov. 2013, doi:10.2147/IJGM.S45449 (Link)
