Erectile dysfunction medication – all you need to know about it

Can you believe at one time medication for erectile dysfunction (ED) was hush-hush…men didn’t talk about their problem and worse yet, men who needed it, often felt stigmatized for not being able to “get it up”? Even men having trouble with sex after prostate cancer surgery were sometimes ashamed of talking about it with their doctors.

Today, things have (thankfully) changed. The stigma is mostly gone as more men are becoming comfortable discussing ED with their doctor and with one another. But, the way men are approaching the use of ED meds, likely needs some fine-tuning. For instance, some men view ED drugs as their answer to an unfulfilled sex life. They may mistakenly believe that an ED drug is a quick fix for low libido, premature ejaculation or the inability to achieve orgasm. They are not. The sole purpose of ED medications and why they were developed is to address helping men get and maintain an erection. That’s it. The drugs for ED are designed to improve blood flow into the penis and then keep the blood in place to maintain an erection for sexual intercourse.

Men may believe they already know everything about ED medications. While some men may, other men could use a brush-up on their knowledge of ED drugs. Here’s a brief rundown of the current medications available for treating ED:

• Avanafil (Stendra) – Onset begins within 15 to 30 minutes of taking with duration of 6 to 12 hours.
• Sildenafil (Viagra) – Onset begins within 30 to 60 minutes of taking with duration of 4 to 5 hours.
• Tadalafil (Cialis) – Onset begins within 30 to 45 minutes of taking with duration of 24 to 36 hours.
• Vardenafil (Levitra) – Onset begins within 30 to 60 minutes of taking with duration of 4 to 5 hours.

How will you know which ED drug is right for you?

Up to half of men ages 40 to 70 have erectile dysfunction to some degree. The decision by doctors of which ED drug is right is often based on trial-and-error.  There are differences between ED meds and usually for new patients diagnosed with ED, the doctor will have men try out different ones to see what works best.

Viagra is often prescribed first by most doctors – it’s been around the longest and has a high success rate. But if Viagra is not working after a certain length of time, then another ED drug can be used.

The other challenge of finding the right ED medication is based on what a man’s insurance plan will cover. Also, insurers may limit the number of pills a man can take a month. Once a man has used up his allotment for the month, a single pill when paid out-of-cost can be as high as $20.

Be aware of ED medication side effects

Almost all medications come with side effects and ED meds are no different.  Common side effects men may experience include headaches, upset stomach, nasal congestion, muscle pain, and facial flushing. Generally, any side effect a man notices are milk and go away within a few hours.

Any man taking nitrates, a cardiac drug, should not be prescribed any of the ED medications. ED drugs can lead to a dangerous low blood pressure in men on this medication. Other medications, such as alpha blockers like Flomax and Uroxatral, used to treat symptoms of an enlarged prostate, can lower blood pressure in some men.

ED medications do not increase sexual desire

Remember, the sole purpose of an ED medication is to cause the penis to become erect and to keep an erection for a sufficient length of time for sexual functioning. The ED drugs will not increase sexual desire or cause a man to become sexually stimulated. Men will need to be mentally prepared and sexually stimulated to have them work. Any man experiencing sexual relationship problems cannot expect the medication to cure or fix that either.

The reasons for ED are many.  It’s not always simply because a man is getting older or maybe has a medical condition affecting his blood flow such as heart disease or type 2 diabetes.  Stress, depression, alcoholism, or sexual performance issues are other factors possibly inhibiting a man’s ability to achieve an erection. In other words, ED can be more of a psychological problem than a physical problem. If so, a man should ask his primary care physician for a referral to a sex therapist or psychologist that could be of benefit to him and his partner.

Shopping for ED drugs

Like all prescribed medications, the cost of ED drugs will vary depending on certain circumstances.  These include health insurance coverage and if they do cover it, the amount of pills may be limited per month.

To be an economical shopper when looking for ED medications, there are ways to help lower the cost and shop smarter.  Men can start by asking their doctor about splitting higher-dose pills to make the supply last longer; check into discount programs by manufacturers of ED pills that may allow a man to get a limited supply of pills not covered by insurance; or order ED meds online from a reputable pharmacy. This helps avoid the unfortunate possibility of getting ED pills that do not contain the right ingredients or are made with ingredients that could be potentially harmful.