Category Archives: Medication
“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.
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.
Can You Take Too Much Viagra or Cialis?
Viagra, the brand name for Sildenafil, and Cialis, the brand name for Tadalafil, are very popular drugs approved to treat erectile dysfunction, most often caused by obstruction of blood flow to the penis. These drugs, known as phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitors, are exceptionally effective in helping men achieve an erection because they relax the muscles lining the arteries that supply the penis (and elsewhere in the body) with oxygen-rich blood.
Should Viagra Be Considered a Preventative Therapy for Alzheimer’s?
Interesting research1 was recently released supporting the association between Viagra use and lowered risk of Alzheimer’s disease. We have all heard of Alzheimer’s and its devastating effects. Caused by the buildup of amyloid plaque and tangles of tau proteins in the brain, Alzheimer’s affects over 6 million people and is getting worse, with estimates of up to 16 million sufferers by 2050. Alzheimer’s slowly strips away cognitive abilities, rendering patients unable to recognize the closest family members or remember recent events. It is a devastating diagnosis that can affect not only the sufferer but also the caretaker and their loved ones.
Can I Take ED Meds Forever?
Erectile dysfunction most often has a slow progression, where patients initially have occasional trouble achieving or maintaining an erection, followed by subsequent difficulty finishing. Eventually, the condition becomes troublesome enough that without intervention, a satisfying, sex life is not possible. Of course, once the patient first realizes they have a problem, the psychological effects are often as problematic as the physical ones. While the prospect of taking medication to achieve an erection can be dispiriting, patients need to know that they are not alone. Around 50% of all men over 60 have trouble attaining or maintaining their erection, and those that opt for medical therapy as a front-line attack on the condition can often regain a satisfying sex life immediately. Further, with generics like sildenafil and tadalafil on the market, the cost of this improvement in sexual function is minimal when compared to when these drugs were on-patent (Viagra and Cialis).
Comparing Tadalafil (Generic Cialis) and Sildenafil (Generic Viagra)
When patients come to us looking for relief from their erectile dysfunction, they are faced with a preliminary decision of which medication, tadalafil or sildenafil, is better. Back in the day, when these medications were still on patent AND named Cialis and Viagra, respectively, they were very costly. These were the days of fighting with and often losing to insurance companies. Now that generics are available, so many more people can take advantage of these great, highly effective drugs. We often suggest that patients taking ED medications for the first time try both separately to see which works best for them with the fewest side effects. Ultimately, with prices as low as they are, there’s little financial risk in seeing which is best for our patient’s unique circumstances.
