While there are several medicines that can help with ED, Viagra’s little blue pill is perhaps the most well-known treatment for helping men “rise to the occasion”.
As a result, if you struggle with ED, you may have considered whether taking Viagra could be right for you. Before making your decision, it can be helpful to understand how Viagra works, when to use it and how long it takes for Viagra to start working.
So, keep reading to find out whether Viagra could be the one to put the wind back in your sails.
Three key takeaways
Viagra works by increasing blood flow to your penis to help you get an erection when you’re sexually stimulated.
It takes between 30 and 60 minutes for Viagra to take effect, and it can last for up to five hours.
Viagra is an effective treatment for many people with ED, but it doesn’t work for everyone. You can always try an alternative ED treatment, such as tadalafil (Cialis), vardenafil (Levitra) or avanafil (Spedra), instead.
What happens when you take Viagra?
Viagra is one of a class of drugs known as PDE-5 (Phosphodiesterase type 5) inhibitors. These work by enhancing the effects of a chemical called nitric oxide, which increases the levels of a chemical messenger called cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP).
cGMP helps to relax the muscles in the area, causing the arteries in your penis to dilate and fill with blood when you become sexually stimulated. An erection occurs when your penis gets harder and larger due to filling with blood.
How does Viagra make you feel?
“Taking Viagra shouldn’t make you feel anything out of the ordinary. As it only works in combination with arousal, Viagra is simply enabling the natural process of getting an erection to work as expected. This means Viagra won’t increase your libido (sex drive) and make you want to have sex if you don’t already want to.”
Sildenafil, the active component in Viagra, takes effect between 30 and 60 minutes. You should take it at least one hour before you want to have sex, but you can take it up to four hours before.
To give you an idea of how long it takes for Viagra to work, we’ve put together this timeline:
12 minutes – the earliest sildenafil has been found to take effect
27 minutes – 71% of people have been found to get an erection by minute 27
45 minutes – 82% of users respond to the medication within 45 minutes
1 hour – sildenafil reaches maximum concentration within an hour
4 hours – sildenafil typically lasts for between four to five hours. Although, the effects weaken with every hour, so it’s recommended to take Viagra an hour before you want to have sex
How effective is Viagra?
Viagra has been found to help around 80% of users get or maintain an erection. As a result, it is recommended as a first line treatment for ED.
That said, Viagra doesn’t work for everyone who uses it. For example, your ED may be caused by an underlying physical condition that cannot be treated using a PDE-5 inhibitor. Examples of conditions that may limit the effectiveness of Viagra include:
nerve damage – as damage to the nerves around the penis may prevent the arteries from relaxing sufficiently to fill with blood
low levels of testosterone – testosterone plays a large role in libido. As a result, if you have low levels of testosterone, you may not feel aroused enough for Viagra to work
Similarly, if your ED is caused by your mental health, you may benefit from further action to help get you back to your best in the bedroom. This could include counselling or some form of talking therapy.
What to do if Viagra doesn’t work?
If Viagra isn’t effective the first time you take it, you should try it a few more times before concluding that it doesn’t work for you. However, you shouldn’t take another dose until at least 24 hours later. If Viagra definitely doesn’t work for you, you should speak to your doctor or a pharmacist about different treatments for ED.
How to use Viagra for the best results
As we’ve mentioned before, Viagra only works in combination with sexual stimulation. This is because, if you are not aroused, your brain will not stimulate the release of nitric oxide and you will not produce any cGMP. So, to help Viagra to work, you need to engage in foreplay with your partner before you can expect to get an erection.
To get the best results out of your Viagra use, it’s also a good idea to avoid certain things that can make it harder to get an erection. These include:
Overall, Viagra is considered a safe and effective drug for ED. However, it can occasionally cause some side effects, such as:
headaches
nausea
hot flushes
indigestion
blocked nose
dizziness
Serious side effects are rare, but you should call 999 or go to A&E if you have:
a seizure or fit
a prolonged or painful erection (priapism)
chest pain
Additionally, some people may not be able to use Viagra. You should speak to your doctor or pharmacist before taking sildenafil if you:
have ever had an allergic reaction to sildenafil or any other medicine
are taking medicines called nitrates for chest pain (angina)
have a serious heart or liver condition
have recently had a stroke, heart attack or a heart problem
have low blood pressure (hypotension)
have a rare inherited eye disease, such as retinitis pigmentosa
have sickle cell anaemia (an abnormality of red blood cells), leukaemia (cancer of blood cells) or multiple myeloma (cancer of bone marrow)
have a deformity of your penis or Peyronie's disease (curved penis)
have a stomach ulcer
have a bleeding problem, like haemophilia
FAQs
Does Viagra keep you hard after coming?
In short, no, Viagra should not cause an erection that lasts after an orgasm. Because Viagra only works when you are sexually stimulated, if you stop being stimulated after an orgasm, you should lose your erection the way you would after having sex without taking Viagra. However, priapism is a rare side effect of taking Viagra.
On the other hand, sildenafil has been found to shorten the refractory period after orgasm –the time it takes to get hard again after ejaculation. So, it may be that you are able to get another erection more quickly after an orgasm if you continue to be stimulated.
Can women take Viagra?
Viagra isn’t currently licensed to treat sexual dysfunction in people born female as there is no evidence to support this use of the drug.
However, people born female can take sildenafil for pulmonary hypertension.
Can you take Viagra with high blood pressure?
Viagra and other PDE-5 inhibitors are considered safe for people born male with high blood pressure who are otherwise in good health. However, they are not recommended for people who have severe heart disease. Viagra should also not be used if you suffer from low blood pressure (hypotension) where your blood pressure is below 90/50 mmHG.
Can you get Viagra on prescription?
Yes, Viagra is typically only available on prescription. However, you can get Viagra Connect over the counter (without a prescription).
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