How to take vardenafil
- Before you take vardenafil, read the manufacturer’s printed information leaflet from inside the pack. It will give you more information about the tablets and will provide you with a full list of the side-effects which you may experience from taking them.
- Take vardenafil exactly as your doctor tells you to. It is intended to be taken before sexual activity – it is NOT for continuous daily use. You should take one tablet 25-60 minutes before you plan to have sex, although it may still be effective up to 4-5 hours after taking the tablet. You can take the tablet either before or after food but, if you have just eaten a large or high-fat meal, it may take longer for it to work.
- There are three strengths of vardenafil tablets: 5 mg, 10 mg and 20 mg. It is likely that you will be given the 10 mg strength tablet to begin with, but this may be changed subsequently depending upon how you react. Each time you collect a prescription, check to make sure it contains the strength of tablet you are expecting.
- If you have been given orodispersible tablets, place one tablet on your tongue and allow it to dissolve before you swallow. Do not take the tablet with anything to drink.
- Do not take more than one dose of vardenafil in any 24-hour period.
Getting the most from your treatment
- You and your partner will still need to engage in foreplay, just as you would if you were not taking a medicine for erectile dysfunction. Vardenafil will not cause an erection unless you are sexually aroused.
- Do not drink large amounts of alcohol before you plan to take vardenafil. Drinking too much alcohol can reduce your ability to get an erection and this may prevent you from getting the maximum benefit from the tablets.
- You should not drink grapefruit juice with vardenafil. This is because there is a chemical in grapefruit juice which can increase the amount of vardenafil in your bloodstream and make side-effects more likely.
- Keep your regular appointments with your doctor so your progress can be monitored. If you feel the tablets are too strong for you, discuss this with your doctor as your dose may need to be reduced. Alternatively, if you do not get an erection after taking vardenafil, or if it does not last long enough for you to have sex, you should discuss this with your doctor – do not take more tablets than you have been told to.
- You should not take vardenafil if you are using any other products or taking any other medicines to treat erectile dysfunction.
Can vardenafil cause problems?
Along with their useful effects, most medicines can cause unwanted side-effects although not everyone experiences them. The table below contains some of the most common ones associated with vardenafil. You will find a full list in the manufacturer’s information leaflet supplied with your medicine. The unwanted effects often improve as your body adjusts to the new medicine, but speak with your doctor or pharmacist if any of the following continue or become troublesome.
Please remember that you should ask for your doctor’s advice before you take vardenafil and please go to the hospital once you feel uncomfortable.
