The Best ED Medication for Single or Divorced Men on the Dating Scene
When researching your options for purchasing erectile dysfunction/ED medication, you’ll often read that tadalafil and sildenafil, the generic versions of Cialis and Viagra, respectively, are interchangeable. And to some degree, they are. Both are PDE-5 inhibitors that relax the smooth muscles of the blood vessels, allowing more blood into the penis to create and maintain a harder erection.
However, less discussed are the distinct sexual patterns of a man in a long-term committed relationship with their wife or partner versus the single or divorced man who’s on the dating scene. So, to that end, it’s important to discuss these differences and how to optimize ED medication therapy for the highest effectiveness.
What Works Best, Viagra or Cialis?
While we will explore the minutia of which medication will likely work better, the most crucial goal in prescribing ED medication is ensuring it works with the fewest side effects. Both drugs have the same mechanism of function, but their side effect profiles are distinct. As an example, some patients taking Viagra may rarely see a (reversible) blue tint to their vision. On the other hand, some Cialis patients will experience back pain (also reversible). These are known, normal side effects, but they color the decisions for which medication to take. We don’t want the medication meant to improve your sex life, making it decidedly less enjoyable.
Back to the Best ED Drug for a Date
The most significant difference between someone on the dating scene and a man in a committed relationship is spontaneity and, typically, how he eats before sex. Men on a date often go out to dinner, which are often large meals with plenty of fat content. Sildenafil, or Viagra, becomes less effective when metabolized along with a fatty meal. Therefore, Tadalafil is almost always a better choice, unless the patient is experiencing unacceptable side effects.
Beyond the meal, men who are dating tend to be more spontaneous in their sexual endeavors than men in a longer-term relationship, and as such may not want to take a pill as often. Viagra/sildenafil is very much an in-the-moment ED medication. It takes about 45 minutes to an hour to kick in and lasts a few hours thereafter. On the other hand, Cialis/Tadalafil remains in the bloodstream for up to 36 hours (though its practical effectiveness wanes by the end of a day or so)
Choosing the Best Option
If you have recently been diagnosed with erectile dysfunction and have been prescribed ED medications, Dr. Engel encourages patients to try and see which medication works better. Every patient is different, and there’s no telling which drug, if any, will create unacceptable side effects. As such, with the price of genetics as low as they are, we recommend buying some of each to see how they work.
Typically, a urologist like Dr. Engel will prescribe the maximum dose, 100 mg for Viagra and 20 mg for Cialis. From there, we suggest cutting the pill in half to see if this is sufficient for sexual activity. Most patients try sildenafil for a couple of weeks and then tadalafil for a couple more. However, do not combine the drugs such that the dose exceeds the maximum daily intake, as this can cause significant side effects.
At some point, the medication may cease to offer the benefit it once did, and this is to be expected after many years of use. Remember that most cases of ED are progressive and caused by vascular issues – specifically blood flow to the penis. To that end, unless the patient has improved their diet and exercise regimen tremendously, which will often be evident in their erections, the dysfunction will progress until the pills no longer work. At this point, speaking to a qualified urologist like Dr. Engel about the next steps, including penile injections, and a penile implant is a good next step.
