Some people have muscle aches and pains throughout their bodies while taking ED medications. Others have reported specific pain in their lower back. If you have these types of pain while taking ED medication, over-the-counter (OTC) pain medication may help.
However, you should talk to your doctor about other possible causes of your pain. Your doctor can help you choose an OTC medication that is safe to take with your ED medications and with any other medications you take.
Congestion and runny nose
Congestion or a runny or stuffy nose can be a common symptom of ED medications. In most cases, these side effects go away without treatment. Talk to your doctor if they persist.
Recognizing uncommon, severe side effects
Minor side effects are common when taking ED medication. Still, there are a few side effects that aren’t as common, and some can even be dangerous. Severe side effects of ED medications can include:
-
-
- priapism (erections that last longer than 4 hours)
- sudden changes in hearing
- vision loss
Contact your doctor immediately if you have any of these severe side effects.
Certain men are more at risk of these side effects than others. This may be because of other conditions they have or other medications they take.
Serious side effects of ED medication
Go to the emergency room immediately if you experience any of the following symptoms or side effects:
-
-
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath
- Severe headaches
- Fainting
- Erections that last longer than four hours
- Visual changes (like loss of sight)
- Or anything out of the ordinary—even lightheadedness
If you notice any severe or prolonged symptoms at all, contact a healthcare provider immediately. It doesn’t matter how rare a side effect is if you’re the one experiencing it.
When discussing ED treatment with your doctor, it’s important to tell them about all drugs that you take and other health conditions you have. If ED drugs aren’t right for you, your doctor may suggest other treatment options, such as surgery or vacuum pumps.
What drugs interact with Cialis and Viagra?
Cialis
The breakdown and elimination of tadalafil from the body may be decreased by erythromycin, ketoconazole (Nizoral), itraconazole (Sporanox), indinavir (Crixivan) and ritonavir (Norvir). Therefore, these drugs may increase the levels of tadalafil in the blood. If these drugs are being used at the same time as tadalafil, the dose of tadalafil should be reduced to 10 mg every 72 hours when used as needed or 2.5 mg when used daily in order to avoid side effects from high levels of tadalafil.
Rifampin, carbamazepine (Tegretol, Tegretol XR, Equerto, Carbatrol), phenytoin (Dilantin, Dilantin-125), and phenobarbital may decrease blood levels of tadalafil, possibly reducing the effect of tadalafil.
Tadalafil exaggerates the increases in heart rate and lowering of blood pressure caused by nitrates, for example, nitroglycerin, isosorbide dinitrate (Isordil), isosorbide mononitrate (Imdur, Ismo, Monoket), nitroglycerin (Nitro-Dur, Transderm-Nitro) that are used primarily for treating heart pain (angina). In patients who take nitrates for angina, tadalafil could cause heart pain or possibly even a heart attack by exaggerating the increase in heart rate and the lowering of blood pressure. Therefore, tadalafil should not be used with nitrates.
Tadalafil also exaggerates the blood pressure lowering effects of some alpha-blocking drugs for example, terazosin (Hytrin) that primarily are used for treating high blood pressure or enlargement of the prostate (BPH). Individuals who take these alpha-blockers should be on a stable dose of the alpha-blocker before tadalafil is started. In such situations, tadalafil should be started at the lowest dose. If the patient is already taking tadalafil, the alpha-blocker should be started at the lowest dose. Combining tadalafil with alpha-blockers for treatment of BPH is not recommended.
Tadalafil and alcohol both lower blood pressure. Therefore, combining tadalafil with alcohol may cause excessive drops in blood pressure and cause dizziness, headaches, and increased heart rate.
PDE5 inhibitors may affect platelet function and therefore prolong bleeding. Tadalafil should be used cautiously in patients with bleeding disorders or active ulcers. Tadalafil should not be combined with Adcirca (another form of tadalafil) or other PDE5 inhibitors, for example, vardenafil (Levitra) or sildenafil (Viagra, Revatio).
Viagra
Viagra increases the effects of the blood pressure lowering medications. It also increases the blood pressure lowering effects of nitrates, for example, isosorbide dinitrate (Isordil), isosorbide mononitrate (Imdur, Ismo, Monoket), nitroglycerin (Nitro-Dur, Transderm-Nitro) that are used primarily for treating angina. Patients taking nitrates should not receive Viagra.
Patients should not combine Viagra with other PDE5 inhibitors (for example, vardenafil [Levitra], tadalafil [Cialis]).
Cimetidine (Tagamet), erythromycin, ketoconazole (Nizoral), itraconazole (Sporanox), atazanavir (Reyataz), and mibefradil (Posicor) can cause marked increases in the amount of Viagra in the body. Patients taking these medications should be observed carefully if sildenafil is used.
It is expected that rifampin will decrease blood levels of Viagra and probably reduce its effectiveness.