PDE 5 inhibitors - Viagra, Cialis, Levitra, Stendra and their generics are by far the most effective drugs for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. However, even they are not always able to prove themselves to the fullest. And it is not the drugs that are "to blame" here ...
A recent study by Spanish andrologists showed that 70% of men who had had bad experiences with PDE 5 inhibitors took them incorrectly. According to the professor of urology at the University of California, Jacob Reifer, the root of all troubles is information hunger: men simply do not know how to take these drugs correctly. To break this vicious circle, here are the 6 most common mistakes you make when taking PDE 5 inhibitors.
Lack of sexual stimulation
Some men (in the study mentioned above, there were 3% of those) think that it is enough to take a pill - and you can relax: then she will do everything for you. However, in the absence of sexual stimulation, the effect of Viagra (Cialis, Levitra ...) is comparable to that of a placebo. Sexual arousal forces the brain to generate appropriate nerve impulses that trigger the entire chain of biochemical reactions necessary for the development of an erection. “Having drunk a pill, you shouldn't sit with folded arms, waiting for a miracle,” says prof. Reifer - "A prerequisite for her inclusion in work is any kind of sexual stimulation, love games, etc."
Too small dose of the drug
If you have not tried the maximum allowable dose of a drug on yourself, you have no reason to claim its effectiveness. A similar mistake was made by 31% of the study participants. Yes, the desire to start with small doses is quite natural: really, who wants to "pump" themselves with extra pills. However, the reality is that the dose you choose may not be enough to produce the appropriate therapeutic effect. “For the majority of men who are disillusioned with Viagra and Cialis, the formula is correct: if the drug does not work, you need to increase the dose,” notes prof. Reifer - "In this case, the increase should occur within the limits specified in the instructions for use." The only exception to this rule is the presence of health problems such as arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis. In such cases, taking PDE 5 inhibitors must be coordinated with a doctor, who will select the optimal dose of the drug in terms of efficacy and safety.
On a noteMost of the generics present on our pharmaceutical market today represent the countries of Eastern Europe, India, as well as branches of international multinational companies that have reoriented to generic production.
Taking the drug after meals
About 20% of the study participants regularly made another mistake: they took Viagra and Levitra immediately or a short time after eating. The fact is that these two drugs are much more effective when taken on an empty stomach. “If your stomach is full, only half of the drug can be absorbed into the systemic circulation,” explains prof. Reifer - "That is, taking 100 mg of sildenafil, only 50 mg will reach the goal."
It should be noted that this applies to Viagra and, to a lesser extent, Levitra. Cialis can be taken with food.
Going to sex too quickly
Another common mistake is that one in six men is too impatient. In the instructions for use of each drug, an indicator is given such as the time to reach the maximum concentration in the blood. So, for Viagra it averages 1 hour, for Cialis - 2-3 hours. Please note that we are not talking about the beginning, but about the peak of the drug's action. The same Levitra starts working literally after some 15-20 minutes, but at full speed the “flywheel” of its action spins up on average 1 hour from the moment of reception.
Reluctance to experiment
Do not be discouraged after the first "pharmacological" failure: perhaps it is worthwhile to consistently try several regimens of taking PDE 5 inhibitors? Prof. Reifer recommends using the following tactic: try the minimum dose of the drug on yourself at the very beginning, and even if it does not work, try at least one more time. In case of repeated failure, go to the next step and do so until the moment, until you "grope" for the optimal dose. The main thing is to make more than one attempt with each dose, because one "misfire" will not be reliable evidence of the ineffectiveness of a given dose of a drug.
Excessive conservatism
If you want your alliance with PDE 5 inhibitors to be truly fruitful, try more than one drug. Focusing on one single drug without trying anything else is the most common mistake made by 40% of study participants. According to prof. Reifer, the reaction of each patient to pharmacotherapy is strictly individual, and it is extremely difficult to predict it. Therefore, it makes sense to try all PDE 5 inhibitors before giving up on this erectile dysfunction treatment. However, it will not come to the last, rest assured: generics of Viagra, Cialis, Levitra, as well as original drugs, do their job for a solid (it can't be harder) five!
