Viagra (Sildenafil) 101 Guide: What Is It, How It Works, Potential Side Effects And Myths

What Is Viagra And How Does It Treat Erectile Dysfunction

The active ingredient in Viagra is called Sildenafil, a phosphodiesterase type-5 (PDE5) inhibitor.

PDE-5 is an enzyme that regulates the chemicals in the bloodstream which make it difficult to achieve and maintain an erection. By slowing down and inhibiting PDE5, Viagra relaxes the blood vessels and helps the blood flow more easily to create and keep an erection for longer.

How Effective Is Viagra?

Viagra is an effective form of ED treatment as it slows down the enzyme PDE5 and increases the blood flow to the penis.

Several clinical studies found that men who took Viagra to treat their ED saw an improvement in their ability to get and maintain an erection for sex. Across various clinical studies and experiments conducted, 43% to 83% of men who took Viagra before having sex saw an increased rates of erections.
Viagra is a prescription medication used to treat erectile dysfunction (ED).

How Can I Get The Best Out Of Viagra?

Here are some tips to help you to maximise the efficacy of Viagra:

1. Getting Yourself Into The Mood

It is important to note that Viagra will not be able to give you an erection. In order to get an erection, you will need to be sexually aroused.

To get into the mood and help Viagra along, you and your partner could engage in foreplay (kissing or erogenous play), give each other a sensual massage or get going with some solo pleasure.

2. Give Viagra Some Time To Kick In

While the little blue pill is pretty mighty, it unfortunately doesn't kick in immediately after you take it. It is recommended that you take Viagra between 30 minutes to an hour before having sex. So take your time and don't stress after taking Viagra!

Viagra can also be taken 4 hours beforehand and still be effective. So plan accordingly!

3. Keep Meals Before Taking Viagra Light

While Viagra will still be effective whether or not you eat, if you do plan on eating beforehand, be sure to keep it light.

Large meals that are high in fat can affect and delay the absorption of Viagra by the body, which in turn might cause it to take a longer time to take effect.

If you do have an especially big meal right before, you should wait for a bit and let it digest before taking Viagra.

4. Don’t Drink Booze After Taking Viagra

While having a glass or two of wine won't affect the efficacy of Viagra, anything more could make it difficult to get an erection.

This is because excessive drinking lowers blood pressure, which in turn leads to less blood flowing into your penis and makes it more difficult to get an erection.

Side effects like headaches, dizziness and lightheadedness can also occur after drinking heavily, which might hinder your ability to get hard.

How Long Does Viagra Last For?

Viagra is at its most effective after the first 2 to 3 hours before it begins to taper off. While there is a possibility that Viagra can last up to 5 hours, this will depend on factors such as the dosage that you were prescribed and your metabolism rate.

A study has shown that it was possible for Viagra to last for a maximum of 12 hours. However, this is unlikely to be an occurrence experienced by many.

After you orgasm, it is unlikely that Viagra will start working immediately and that you will get hard again. There will be a period after an orgasm where your body isn't ready or able to have an erection yet.

However after resting, it is possible that you can get hard again if you are aroused and within that 2 to 3 hour time frame when Viagra is still effective.

Potential Side Effects Of Viagra

While Viagra is relatively safe, here is a list of mild side effects that you might experience after taking Viagra:

• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Chest Pains
• Flushing
• Indigestion
• Nasal Congestion
  

It is possible that side effects like flushing, headaches, nasal congestion and indigestion could be due to a higher dosage of Viagra. If the severity and frequencies of these side effects become too great, consult your doctor about lowering your dosage of Viagra.

It is important that you contact your doctor immediately if you begin to experience the following serious side effects:

• Priapism, the prolonged erection of the penis that lasts more than 4 hours
• Dizziness, nausea or chest pain you experience doesn’t go away after having sex
• A sudden decrease or loss in hearing
• A sudden loss of vision in either one or both eyes

Is It Possible To Buy Viagra Without Seeing A Doctor Or Without A Prescription In Hong Kong?

Unfortunately no.

In order to get any ED medication (Viagra, Generic Viagra, Cialis etc) in Hong Kong, you will need to speak to a doctor and get a prescription.

Viagra: Fact Or Fiction?

There's plenty of myths and misconceptions surrounding the little blue pill. Let's debunk some of the most common myths about Viagra:

Myth #1: Viagra Increases Your Sex Drive

False.

As we mentioned earlier, Viagra will not be able to get you hard by itself. While it will improve blood flow to the penis which will you help to get hard, Viagra still needs you to be sexually aroused to work.

Myth #2: Your Erection Can Last For Hours On Viagra

Mostly false.

As mentioned earlier, you will need a rest period after ejaculating to get hard again with Viagra. Keep in mind this needs to be within 2 to 3 hours after taking Viagra.

There is a very rare chance that you might experience priapism, a prolonged erection that lasts for more than 4 hours and doesn't go away. If you experience priapism, you should contact your doctor immediately.

Myth #3: Viagra Is The Only Way To Treat ED

False.

While the blue little pill seems synonymous with ED treatment, it isn't the only prescription ED medication on the market.

There are many alternative ED medications that are as effective as Viagra, and in some instances, are even cheaper than name-brand Viagra!

A Cheaper Alternative To Viagra, Generic Viagra (Sildenafil)

Brand-name Viagra can be incredibly expensive for a pack of 4 tablets. Looking for a cheaper alternative to Viagra? Consider...generic Viagra!

So what is generic Viagra?

Patented by Pfizer back in 1998, Viagra's patent eventually expired in the year 2020. 2017 saw Pfizer introduce generic Viagra (also known as Sildenafil, the active ingredient present) to the market.

Once Viagra's patent expired in 2020, this allowed other pharmaceutical companies to manufacture and market their own generic Viagra. As more companies were able to manufacture and distribute generic Viagra, the price of the ED medication went down and made it much more affordable compared to its brand-name equivalent.

Is There A Difference Between The Effectiveness Of Viagra and Generic Viagra (Sildenafil)?

No.

Generic Viagra will work exactly like its brand-name counterpart, providing the same clinical benefits as Viagra and will be able to treat ED with the same level of effectiveness.

The biggest difference generic Viagra will have is to your wallet, as it's significantly cheaper than brand-name Viagra.  

Other ED Medications Available

Besides Viagra and Sildenafil, there are other oral medications available to effectively treat your ED.

Spedra (Avanafil)

Spedra (Avanafil) is a second generation FDA-approved oral medication prescribed to treat erectile dysfunction. Spedra is a PDE5 inhibitor, which means it works similarly to Viagra (Sildenafil) and helps to increase blood flow to create and keep an erection for longer.

The key difference between Spedra and Viagra is that Spedra is fast-acting and can be taken 10 to 15 minutes before sex.

Cialis (Tadalafil)

Cialis (Tadalafil) is an oral medication prescribed to treat erectile dysfunction. Like Viagra and Spedra, Cialis is a PDE5 inhibitor which helps increase blood flow for better and longer-lasting erections.

The key difference between Cialis and Viagra is that Cialis is longer-lasting, normally up to 36 hours. It is important to know that this does not mean that your erection will last for 36 hours, but that you will be able to achieve within that period.