“The Weekender” ED Medication – A Real Thing or Hype?

You may have encountered the term “the weekender” when researching your ED medication options – there is no shortage of pithy names in the erectile dysfunction world. With that said, what exactly is a weekender, and is it real or all hype?

Ultimately, the weekender is simply a colloquial way to describe Cialis/tadalafil because of its more lasting effects versus Viagra/sildenafil.

Can You Really Get a Weekend Out of One Tadalafil Pill?

To understand whether the term weekender is legit or just a clever moniker, it’s essential to realize that Cialis / tadalafil remains in the bloodstream for approximately 36 hours, or a day and a half. Therefore, if taken at the right time, say Friday afternoon, it theoretically could last through Saturday night—prime times for a date.

However, the reality is that while Cialis does have a longer-lasting effect than Viagra, it’s unlikely to offer optimal results for the entire 36-hour period. Patients should be able to get about a day of use from each pill.

A Better Way to Manage the Weekend

For patients that have a predictable sex life, typically those in a long-term committed relationship or marriage, using sildenafil or tadalafil about forty 45 minutes to an hour before sex is often sufficient to develop and maintain a good erection through sexual relations.

For single or divorced men who typically go on dates, especially to a restaurant, before sexual activity and for those who may be having sexual relations more often or spontaneously, keeping a couple of tadalafil pills handy may be the best option as it is not affected by what we eat – specifically fatty meals. Plus, with the low cost of generic ED medications, there is little financial downside to taking one dose a day rather than trying to extend the effectiveness of a single dose.

The Bottom Line

While “the weekender” is a fun slang term for tadalafil ED medication, it is unlikely to work for that long. Rather than relying on a single pill for the entire weekend, Dr. Engel suggests having a couple of pills on hand so that you can maintain appropriate levels in the bloodstream for when it’ll be required (and you won’t be worried about function when the time comes).