Viagra is one of the most widely discussed branded pharmaceutical products to hit the market in the last 30 years. No less interesting than the effectiveness of the treatment are discussions about the side effects of Viagra pills, and there are many reasons for this.

If you want to overcome your sexual disorder without feeling uncomfortable, read on to learn more about the side effects of Viagra tablets. Find out if you should worry about adverse reactions before using ED pills.

Viagra common side effects, which may affect more than 5% of people, include:

• Headache.
• Abdominal discomfort.
• Flushing of the face, upper chest, or neck.

How Viagra works, and side effects of the drug?

As you may already know, ED pills dilate three penile arteries. Moreover, they reduce vascular resistance in other parts of the body.
Considering the mechanism of action, the following vasodilating side effects can manifest:

• Vasomotor flush.
• Stuffy nose.
• Headaches.

For most people, Sildenafil-based drugs don’t significantly affect heart function if they don’t have contraindications and related diseases. It is due to the absence of PDE5 in the heart muscle. In rare cases, men report:

• Irregular heartbeat.
• Increased heart rate.

For the best effect of the medication, you should follow the drug’s instructions and your doctor’s recommendations. It will help reduce the chance of Viagra side effects. In Australia, many doctors and specialists can give you the advice you need.

That’s why it is important to see a doctor with ED. Before treatment, a specialist will prescribe a cardiovascular examination, especially if you have heart problems or had them in the past.

Long-term side effects of Viagra

Considering that you don’t take ED pills daily but as needed, it is challenging to identify the long-term side effects of Viagra.

However, since the appearance of Sildenafil-containing drugs on the market, there have been several cases of eye diseases. There were reports on vascular blockage leading to impaired optic nerve function.

We should note that people with serious disorders, such as high cholesterol, hypertension, and high blood glucose experienced this very rare adverse event. So, if you notice bluish vision or any other optical effects, visit your doctor as soon as possible.

Side effects of Viagra with long-term use

We should say right away that the long-term use of Viagra isn’t something special. There is no time frame limiting the duration of treatment.

The list of the side effects of Viagra with long-term use may include all adverse reactions observed during pharmacological studies. But these reactions are rare. Usually, adverse reactions appear at the initial stage of treatment or when increasing dosage.

Side effects of Viagra on females

Remember that ED medications aren’t for females. Viagra’s side effects on a partner weren’t the subject of study during clinical trials and after the market launch.

It’s not clear if you can consider it an adverse reaction, but some women complain about too much sex with partners taking Viagra.

Usually, women are positive about ED medications, but you can find the following comments on the Internet:

• Spontaneity disappears, and sex becomes inevitable because the husband took a pill.
• I felt the need to make love in the evening and in the morning so that my partner could get “two for the price of one”.

If it interests you, we can say a few words about a drug like Addyi. Side effects of female Viagra (also known as Addyi) include insomnia, drowsiness, dry mouth and others.

Side effects of Viagra 100 mg

All expected and unexpected effects of ED pills are dose-dependent. The more active substance gets into the blood, the higher the likelihood of any adverse events, including the most common ones, namely:

• Headache.
• Abdominal discomfort.
• Vasomotor flush.

On the other hand, a 100 mg dose is 8 % more effective (82 %, not 74 %) than an average dose. So, all therapeutic decisions must include a compromise between therapeutic benefits and risks. In any case, the benefit-risk ratio of treatment should be positive.

Side effects of generic Viagra

In terms of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, there are no differences between branded and generic drugs. You can only mention allergic reactions to various inactive components in pills of different manufacturers.

How to get rid of Viagra side effects

The easiest way is to wait. This method works for most mild and moderate adverse reactions as they are temporary.

You get the maximum blood concentration of Sildenafil about an hour after taking the pill. Around this time, you have the highest chance of adverse events or their aggravation.

After 3 more hours, adverse reactions should decrease or go away. The reason is that during this time, the blood concentration of the active substance decreases by 2 times.

If you have side effects that you can’t easily control or are uncomfortable with, consult your doctor on changing the dose.

Can you depend on Viagra?

Some men ask: “Does taking Viagra make you dependent on it?”. And it isn’t surprising. Many common medications (such as antidepressants) change brain function and are addictive.

The good news is that PDE5 inhibitors don’t directly affect brain reward pathways or change their function. Simply put, you have no reason to worry about the side effects related to using CNS stimulants.

Does Viagra cause dependency with frequent or very frequent use?

Some people believe that frequent use of Viagra leads to drug tolerance. As a result, you have to use higher doses to see any effect.

It is a myth that has nothing to do with reality.

Consider a simple example. They use Sildenafil 20 mg tablets to improve PHTN symptoms. And most importantly, they take 20 mg tablets three times a day. They use the drug not as needed, but DAILY. Even with this dosing regimen, no one reports tolerance or dependency.

Can you get dependent on Viagra if used wrong?

As with other medicines, there are right and wrong ways to use them. It’s difficult to say what will happen if you fail to follow the recommendations. It can lead to adverse reactions, but exceeding a 100 mg dose can hardly lead to dependency on Viagra.

Viagra withdrawal symptoms

No medical evidence confirms that Sildenafil causes physical dependence. It means you will not get dependent on it, and so you will have no withdrawal syndrome if you suddenly stop medication treatment for erectile dysfunction.

Viagra and pulmonary hypertension (PHTN)

Doctors don’t prescribe this drug to relieve PHTN symptoms. However, a 20 mg dose of Sildenafil helps people with this disease. Treatment for ED or PHTN has a similar side effect profile. Unusual effects include insomnia and erythema reported with treatment for PHTN but not for ED.

Can Viagra cause depression?

No one reported this adverse reaction during clinical trials and post-marketing studies. PDE5 inhibitors don’t affect brain function.

If you experience depression, anxiety, behavioural changes, nervousness, changes in thinking, or other psychiatric problems, you should seek qualified medical help.

Viagra and altitude sickness: how are they related?

You may have altitude sickness, also known as mountain sickness when you climb to a great height. Changes in ambient air pressure can cause muscle pain, fatigue, headache, and pulmonary edema.

It may seem strange, but some people use Sildenafil to avoid the side effects of this condition. There is logic in it because Sildenafil dilates blood vessels (including those in the lungs), which prevents pulmonary edema and leads to an improvement in oxygen supply to all parts of the body.

Conclusion

Whatever symptom relief method or medication you use for erectile dysfunction, consulting a licensed specialist can help you get the most out of your therapy.

You should be aware that there are no drugs that are 100% safe. Sometimes the use of PDE5 inhibitors is associated with some health risks. But in most cases, you can avoid these problems if you consider all the recommendations of a qualified specialist.