Tadalafil (Cialis) is one of the most popular erectile dysfunction (ED) drugs. Its major appeal? The drug comes in low-dose versions that can be taken daily. This means you can have sex at any time, rather than needing to take a pill from time to time as needed like other ED brands.
The starting dose for daily-use Cialis is 2.5 milligrams (mg). If that doesn’t work, you can increase your daily dose up to 5 mg. But is this the right approach for you—or are you better off with traditional ED drugs like Viagra, Levitra, or even the nondaily version of Cialis?
Is Cialis approved for ED?
Yes. Cialis is approved by the FDA to treat erectile dysfunction (ED). Our medical team can prescribe Cialis 5mg, 10mg, and 20mg. The starting dose we generally recommend is 10mg.
Tadalafil is the name for the active chemical ingredient in Cialis. PDE-5 inhibitors is the name of the group of medicines. Cialis is the brand name.
If you are contemplating Cialis for daily use, consider these questions and then discuss it with your doctor:
- How often do you have sex? If it’s two or more times a week, a daily pill might be a reasonable choice, since the drug continually circulates in your bloodstream.
- How important is spontaneity? A daily pill clears the path for sex at any time—if the drug works for you. (Remember, just like other ED drugs, it may not work for everyone). On the other hand, the 36-hour window offered by the nondaily version of Cialis might offer enough spontaneity.
- Have side effects of your current ED pill been bothering you? Taking a daily low-dose pill may reduce side effects, though it may reduce effectiveness as well. In studies, the most common daily pill side effects were headache, muscle pain, indigestion, and back pain.
- How much alcohol do you drink? Men taking Cialis for daily use can experience a worrisome drop in blood pressure if they drink too much.
- What other medications do you take? Ask your doctor if any medications or supplements you take might interact with a daily erectile dysfunction pill, including blood pressure drugs, antifungal drugs, and HIV drugs. Also, men taking nitrate medications are advised not to take any ED drugs.
- How important is cost? While the manufacturer suggests that a 30-day supply of daily Cialis should cost about the same as eight pills of 36-hour Cialis a month, there’s no way to enforce this. Check your insurance policy and local pharmacies for price information.
Does generic Cialis exist?
Yes, it does exist. Our medical team can prescribe it online and our pharmacy can mail it to you in 5mg, 10mg and 20mg dose.
An even lower cost option for ED medicines is generic sildenafil 20mg tablets. Sildenafil is the active ingredient in Viagra. Our medical team can give you a prescription for sildenafil 20mg. The Lemonaid Pharmacy can deliver it to you for $2/pill, including FREE delivery. Our medical team can prescribe it in a 20mg, 60mg or 100mg dose.
Cialis is a brand-name oral tablet that’s prescribed for erectile dysfunction (ED) and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Cialis contains the active ingredient tadalafil.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Cialis for use in adults to treat ED, BPH, and ED and BPH symptoms together.
How long does Cialis last?
Cialis can work for up to 36 hours in your body.
To treat erectile dysfunction (ED), your doctor may have you take Cialis only as needed before sexual activity. (See the “Cialis dosage” section below to learn more.) In this case, Cialis may keep working for up to 36 hours in helping you have and maintain erections during that time.
However, if you take Cialis each day for either benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) or ED, you’ll consistently have medication in your system. Therefore, it will continue to work throughout the day.
Cialis vs. Viagra
You may wonder how Cialis compares with other medications that are prescribed for similar uses. Here we look at how Cialis and Viagra are alike and different.
Note: Sex and gender exist on spectrums. Use of the term “male” in this article refers to sex assigned at birth.
Ingredients
The active ingredient in Cialis is tadalafil. The active ingredient in Viagra is sildenafil. Both Cialis and Viagra belong to a group of medications called phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitors.
Uses
The FDA has approved Cialis and Viagra to treat erectile dysfunction (ED) in males. ED is a condition in which you can’t get or maintain an erection.
Cialis is also FDA-approved to treat:
- symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a prostate condition that may cause problems with urination
- ED and symptoms of BPH together
Drug forms and administration
Both Cialis and Viagra come as tablets that you swallow. Cialis may be taken once a day or just when needed for sexual activity. Usually, Viagra is taken only as needed for sexual activity.
Side effects and risks
Cialis and Viagra both contain medications to treat ED. Therefore, these medications can cause very similar side effects, but some different ones as well. Below are examples of these side effects.
Mild side effects
These lists contain up to 10 of the most common mild side effects that can occur with Cialis, with Viagra, or with both drugs (when taken individually).
- Can occur with Cialis:
- pain in your arms or legs
- heartburn
- Can occur with Viagra:
- abnormal vision
- Can occur with both Cialis and Viagra:
- headache
- flushing
- stuffy nose
- back pain
- muscle pain
- nausea
- dizziness
- rash
Serious side effects
This list contains examples of serious side effects that can occur with Cialis and Viagra when taken individually.
- prolonged erection (an erection that lasts more than 4 hours)
- loss of vision
- changes in hearing, such as trouble hearing or ringing in your ears
- allergic reaction
- changes in blood pressure
Effectiveness
Cialis and Viagra have different FDA-approved uses, but they’re both used to treat ED.
The use of Cialis and Viagra in treating ED has been directly compared in clinical studies.
One study’s results
One study compared people who took Cialis either once a day or as needed with people who took Viagra as needed.
- The study showed that people in the Cialis group had more improvement in their sexual confidence than those in the Viagra group.
- The Cialis group was also less concerned about how long their erection lasted than the Viagra group. This is because Cialis works longer than Viagra.
Results from a second study
In another ED studyTrusted Source, people took either Cialis as needed or Viagra as needed for 4 weeks. They then switched to the other medication for an additional 4 weeks. Finally, people decided which drug they preferred.
Researchers found that more than twice as many people preferred Cialis over Viagra. Most often, people reported that they preferred Cialis because the medication lasts longer in the body.
The study also looked at how well the drugs worked to treat ED, based on the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) survey. A higher IIEF score meant that erectile function was better, so ED symptoms improved.
IIEF scores increased by about the same amount (on average) in people who took Cialis or Viagra. Average scores for self-esteem and relationship quality were also about equal in the two groups.
Costs
Cialis and Viagra are both brand-name drugs. Currently, there are generic forms of both drugs. The generic form of Cialis is called tadalafil. The generic form of Viagra is called sildenafil. Brand-name medications usually cost more than generics.
The actual price you’ll pay for any of these drugs depends on your insurance plan, your location, and the pharmacy you use.
Visit Optum Perks to find coupons and savings for Cialis and Viagra.
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- The Side Effects of Cialis Tadalafil
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- The Relationship of Erectile Dysfunction with Alcohol
- What are the Types of Erectile Dysfunction?
- Viagra: The Most Well-Known Erectile Dysfunction Drug
- What Are PDE5 Inhibitors ?
- What is Erectile Dysfunction ?
Cialis Drug Interactions
Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take.
- Amyl Nitrite
- Boceprevir
- Erythrityl Tetranitrate
- Isosorbide
- Isosorbide Dinitrate
- Isosorbide Mononitrate
- Nitroglycerin
- Pentaerythritol Tetranitrate
- Propatyl Nitrate
- Riociguat
- Telaprevir
- Vericiguat
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
- Alfuzosin
- Amprenavir
- Apalutamide
- Atazanavir
- Avacopan
- Bunazosin
- Carbamazepine
- Ceritinib
- Clarithromycin
- Cobicistat
- Dapiprazole
- Darunavir
- Doxazosin
- Enzalutamide
- Erythromycin
- Fosamprenavir
- Fosphenytoin
- Idelalisib
- Indinavir
- Itraconazole
- Ivacaftor
- Ivosidenib
- Ketoconazole
- Lenacapavir
- Lonafarnib
- Lopinavir
- Lumacaftor
- Mavacamten
- Mifepristone
- Mitotane
- Moxisylyte
- Nefazodone
- Nelfinavir
- Nirmatrelvir
- Paritaprevir
- Phenobarbital
- Phenoxybenzamine
- Phentolamine
- Phenytoin
- Posaconazole
- Prazosin
- Primidone
- Ribociclib
- Rifampin
- Rifapentine
- Ritonavir
- Saquinavir
- Silodosin
- Simeprevir
- Simvastatin
- St John’s Wort
- Tamsulosin
- Tazemetostat
- Telithromycin
- Terazosin
- Tipranavir
- Tolazoline
- Trimazosin
- Troleandomycin
- Tucatinib
- Urapidil
- Voriconazole
Proper Use
Use tadalafil exactly as directed by your doctor. Do not use more of it, do not use it more often, and do not use it for a longer time than your doctor ordered. Also, do not stop taking this medicine without checking first with your doctor.
This medicine comes with a patient information leaflet. Read and follow these instructions carefully. Read it again each time you refill your prescription in case there is new information. Ask your doctor if you have any questions.
You may take this medicine with or without food.
Swallow the tablet whole. Do not split, break, chew, or crush it.
Chewable tablets: Chew the tablet completely before swallowing. Do not swallow it whole. Do not break or split it.
When using this medicine for erectile dysfunction, the ability to have sexual activity may be improved for up to 36 hours after taking the tablet.
Use only the brand of this medicine that your doctor prescribed. Different brands may not work the same way.
Do not eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice while you are using this medicine. Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may change the amount of this medicine that is absorbed in the body.
Dosing
The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor’s orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.
The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.
- For oral dosage form (tablets):
- For treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (daily use):
- Adults—5 milligrams (mg) as a single dose, no more than once a day, taken at the same time each day.
- Children—Use is not recommended.
- For treatment of erectile dysfunction (as needed):
- Adults—10 milligrams (mg) as a single dose, no more than once a day, taken 30 minutes before you think sexual activity may occur. Your doctor may adjust your dose as needed.
- Children—Use is not recommended.
- For treatment of erectile dysfunction (daily use):
- Adults—2.5 milligrams (mg) once a day, taken at the same time each day, without regard for the timing of sexual activity. Your doctor may adjust your dose as needed.
- Children—Use is not recommended.
- For treatment of erectile dysfunction and benign prostatic hyperplasia (daily use):
- Adults—5 milligrams (mg) once a day, taken at the same time each day, without regard for the timing of sexual activity.
- Children—Use is not recommended.
- For treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension:
- Adults—40 milligrams (mg) (two 20 mg tablets) taken once a day. Take both tablets at the same time each day. Do not divide the 40 mg dose. Your doctor may adjust your dose as needed.
- Children—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
- For treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (daily use):
- For oral dosage form (chewable tablet):
- For treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (daily use):
- Adults—5 milligrams (mg) once a day, taken at about the same time each day. Your doctor may adjust your dose as needed.
- Children—Use is not recommended.
- For treatment of erectile dysfunction (as needed):
- Adults—10 milligrams (mg) as a single dose, no more than once a day, taken 30 minutes before you think sexual activity may occur. Your doctor may adjust your dose as needed.
- Children—Use is not recommended.
- For treatment of erectile dysfunction and benign prostatic hyperplasia (daily use):
- Adults—5 milligrams (mg) once a day, taken at about the same time each day, without regard for the timing of sexual activity.
- Children—Use is not recommended.
- For treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (daily use):
Missed Dose
If you miss a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses.
Storage
Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light. Keep from freezing.
Keep out of the reach of children.
Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.
Ask your healthcare professional how you should dispose of any medicine you do not use.