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Dr Clare Morrison

Article by Dr Clare Morrison

Top Three Erectile Dysfunction Treatments For 2018


Erectile dysfunction is a common condition – particularly for older men. Erectile dysfunction is the inability to keep an erection firm enough to have sexual intercourse – and shouldn’t be confused with premature ejaculation, which is when a man ejaculates before he is ready. ED – otherwise known as ‘impotence’ is quite a taboo topic, so research into this area is somewhat limited. It’s believed that roughly half of men aged between 40 and 70 suffer from this condition at least once during their lifetime; however, younger and younger men also suffer from ED. This can be due to lifestyle factors, such as depression, performance anxiety, alcohol or drug abuse.

There are a range of different medications available for treating erectile dysfunction. In this article you’ll find information about the best options on the market available for treating impotence and improving your sex life.

Tadalafil

Fast-acting, affordable, lasts 36 hours

Tadalafil (Generic Cialis) is our top choice for 2018. The good news is that Tadalafil is now available to buy in the UK! This is because the patent, held by Eli-Lilly, recently expired, meaning that competing drug companies can create generic versions of the medicine – or just use the name of the active ingredient – in this case Tadalafil. Tadalafil 36-hour is known as “The Weekend Pill” due to its prolonged effectiveness. You can also purchase Tadalafil Daily. Both contain the same medication; but have different purposes. For example, Tadalafil 36-hour takes effect in 15 to 20 minutes and comes in two doses, either 10 or 20 mg. It’s best to start with the 10 mg tablet and continue if this is effective. If you find it is not having the desired effect on your erection after several attempts, try increasing the dosage.

On the other hand, Tadalafil Daily capitalises on the long duration of action of Tadalafil to provide a regular solution to erectile dysfunction. It comes in lower doses – 2.5 mg and 5 mg – but should be taken every day. Usually men begin with the 5 mg dose and adjust as needed. If you find that you are experiencing side effects or the 5 mg seems to be too strong for you, you can try decreasing the dose to 2.5 mg. This means that you don’t need to time the medication before you will be sexually active; but simply take a pill every day and you will always be ready for action!

Sildenafil

Tried and tested by millions of men, affordable

Sildenafil is the generic version of Viagra – the famous “blue pill” known across the world for its effective treatment of erectile dysfunction. Viagra has been licensed for use for over 15 years, and millions of men all round the world have had their sex lives changed for the better. For the last four years, Viagra has been available as a generic medicine – meaning that the price has substantially fallen. Sildenafil may not last as long as Tadalafil (its duration of action is around four hours), but Sildenafil 100 mg has been found to be effective at treating 82 percent of patients, while clinical trial data for Cialis was effective treating 81 percent of patients.

Spedra

Fast-acting

Spedra is a fast-acting erectile dysfunction medication and is the branded version of the drug Avanafil. Despite not being as established as erectile dysfunction medications such as Viagra, Spedra works in around 15-30 minutes – to put that into context, Viagra needs to be taken one hour before having sex. Similarly to Viagra, Spedra lasts for around five hours. Spedra is a modern treatment and it is worth trying to see how it works for you. However, it’s important to bear in mind that as of yet, there’s not much information on side effects.

And now for something completely different…

VaxAid V30

If for some reason you are not able to take medication, a different option could be the VaxAid V30 Vacuum Pump. This is designed to generate an erection using the power of water in the shower or bath to exercise the penile vascular system, or the power in the air. It works using a dual pumping system to offer the user greater flexibility and means of operation. You can use VaxAid daily as part of your routine – although two or three sessions per week should suffice.

We hope this article has helped give you insight into which erectile dysfunction medication is right for you. If you need more advice, contact your doctor, or get in touch with our customer service team.

 

Dr Clare Morrison
Dr Clare Morrison
Experienced General Practitioner in Hampshire since 1995, with particular interest in Nutrition, Obesity and Smoking Cessation.
Originally published January 05 2018, updated July 05 2019