Potential Side Effects of Popular ED Pills
If you don’t want to stockpile vardenafil like that, the next-lowest price per dose you can get from Hims on smaller quantities of vardenafil is $6, which is more expensive than even the highest price per dose from BlueChew.
- Underlying Health Conditions: Diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol are major contributors.
- Neurological Disorders: Multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, and spinal injuries can cause ED.
- Peyronie's Disease: Scar tissue causing curved, painful erections that may require treatment.
- Post-Prostatectomy ED: Common after prostate cancer surgery; nerve-sparing techniques help.
- Low Testosterone: Can reduce libido and erectile quality; requires diagnosis via blood test.
BlueChew's free trial still makes it the best starting place for men new to ED treatments. After that, you can use the low price of Hims’ 30, 90-, and 150-day supplies to stock up on vardenafil chews at a lower cost (as long as you plan to finish your supply before it expires).
Comparing Which Lasts Longer
Made by Pfizer, Viagra is available in 25mg, 50mg, and 100mg tablets from most providers. We consider Roman the best choice for branded Viagra thanks to their low per-dose pricing compared to Hims ($90 vs. $138). This is a generic form of Viagra either made by Pfizer or by an authorized company with which Pfizer has shared their exact formula. It’s identical to branded Viagra in every way except that it won’t say “Viagra” on the prescription label.
What is Viagra’s form?
This is one of the least expensive options, though it’s often pricier than generic sildenafil. This is a formula therapeutically identical to branded Viagra but with discrepancies in inactive ingredients, color, shape, and delivery mechanism. Doses are theoretically supposed to be the same, but there are caveats. This is often the least expensive option. Sildenafil is also the active ingredient in Revatio, a drug designed to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension.
Tadalafil (Cialis)
The drugs are identical in almost every way — they’re even both made by Pfizer — but Revatio is made only in 20mg tablets. Many providers that stock generic sildenafil for ED prefer these 20mg tablets because they allow for more dose flexibility from a single stockpile of pills. A doctor can prescribe 20mg, 40mg, 60mg, or 100mg, and the patient simply takes the corresponding number of 20mg pills. Both branded and generic Viagra come in 25mg tablets, 50mg tablets, and 100mg tablets. If the most common dose is 50mg, then those 100mg doses are going to sit on the shelf, gradually approaching their expiration date and causing providers to lose money. But men seeking smaller quantities for as-needed use should stick with BlueChew. Per-dose cost via Hims is cheaper than Viagra Can take it with or without meals Not as affordable as sildenafil or tadalafil Many men prefer to take an ED medication only when they need it rather than at the start of a day when they may or may not have sex.
| Product | Dosage | Quantity + Bonus | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Viagra Oral Jelly | 100mg | 30 + 5 Sachets | 115.76€ 110.25€ | |
| Viagra Generic | 200mg | 60 + 4 Pills | 125.19€ 119.23€ | |
| Viagra Super Active | 100mg | 270 + 30 Pills | 390.61€ 372.01€ | |
| Viagra Generic | 150mg | 180 + 10 Pills | 236.46€ 225.20€ | |
| Viagra Original | 100mg | 4 Pills | 40.94€ 38.99€ | |
| Viagra Soft Tabs | 100mg | 30 + 4 Pills | 83.06€ 79.10€ | |
| Viagra Generic | 100mg | 10 Pills | 28.91€ 27.53€ | |
| Viagra Generic | 25mg | 270 + 8 Pills | 184.26€ 175.49€ | |
| Viagra Generic | 25mg | 180 + 6 Pills | 154.93€ 147.55€ | |
| Viagra Original | 100mg | 34 + 2 Pills | 163.67€ 155.88€ | |
| Viagra Generic | 50mg | 20 Pills | 40.52€ 38.59€ | |
| Viagra Oral Jelly | 100mg | 10 Sachets | 46.36€ 44.15€ | |
| Viagra Generic | 25mg | 90 + 6 Pills | 105.03€ 100.03€ | |
| Viagra Generic | 100mg | 30 + 4 Pills | 60.91€ 58.01€ | |
| Viagra Generic | 100mg | 120 + 6 Pills | 149.50€ 142.38€ | |
| Viagra Original | 100mg | 48 + 4 Pills | 207.15€ 197.29€ | |
| Viagra Oral Jelly | 100mg | 21 Sachets | 78.66€ 74.91€ |
Understandably, these men also want that drug to take effect as quickly as possible and with the lowest chance of side effects. Avanafil (brand-name Stendra) is a newer medication in the landscape of ED treatments. While other ED medications like sildenafil affect enzymes like PDE1 and PDE6 alongside PDE5, Stendra is more micro-targeted to inhibit the specific PDE5 enzyme related to a man’s ability to get and keep an erection.
Potential Side Effects:
Interestingly, Roman lists their options as “Branded Viagra” and “Generic Viagra.” That second option is actually generic sildenafil — it is not an authorized generic made by Pfizer. Roman lists their sildenafil this way out of the belief that it makes it easier for potential patients to understand that the two drugs are practically identical. Visit our Roman review to learn more. Starts working in as little as 30 minutes Doesn’t cause a particular — but rare — side effect of sildenafil Available in chewable form from BlueChew and Hims While it isn’t the most widely available option from telemedicine providers, vardenafil is an important option for the few men who might not have success taking sildenafil but still want an effective medicine they can take on demand 30-60 minutes before sex. Studies show that vardenafil behaves the same way in the body as sildenafil, with one known exception.
Does age affect Viagra dosage? If so, what would the dosage be for a 70-year-old vs. a 30-year-old?
A rare side effect of sildenafil is an alteration in color perception due to the drug’s inhibition of PDE6 in addition to PDE5.13 Vardenafil is somewhat more selective in this regard, having no known effect on PDE6 and, therefore, no known effect on color perception. And while vardenafil is less thoroughly researched than sildenafil, there are still numerous studies looking at thousands of users over nearly two decades, so its safety and efficacy are without question.14 For a while, BlueChew was the only provider among our top picks to offer vardenafil, but Hims has included it in its recent development of chewable mint tablets. Despite not typically being a daily medication, Hims offers a 30-day supply of vardenafil that bears the same low price as its daily tadalafil. As a result, you can get 8.5mg vardenafil chews from Hims for significantly less than you can from BlueChew. Hims’ low price on vardenafil reflects their pricing for a 150-day supply. This increases Stendra’s efficacy while reducing its side effect profile. Here are some other benefits of Stendra:47 48 According to an early clinical trial of more than 500 men, close to 3 in 10 using the maximum dosage of Viagra report headaches. By contrast, just over 1 in 10 men using the 200mg Stendra (highest dosage) report headaches.
Comparing the Mechanism of Action
Even if you’re accustomed to daily intercourse, your partner could get sick, you could strike out at the club, or your in-laws could pay you a surprise visit. For that reason, some men prefer not to take a daily tablet of Cialis or tadalafil when the prospect of sex is not guaranteed. This is even truer for men who’ve experienced some mild side effects from frequent or daily tadalafil use. On the flip side, sildenafil and Viagra (as well as a specific regimen of Cialis and tadalafil) offer you the choice to take them as needed. So, if you want to spend all day in bed playing video games, you don’t have to worry about missing a daily pill.
Is Viagra used long term?
And if you know that sex is on the horizon, you can take these meds accordingly. You’ll need to take sildenafil/Viagra 30-60 minutes before sex. Some men report that chewables and lozenges kick in faster than pills, but this is not guaranteed. Viagra’s active ingredient is sildenafil, but you might not know it from looking around at your ED options. Why would Viagra be so much more expensive than sildenafil (the active ingredient in Viagra)?
More common
Why does anyone opt for the more expensive Viagra if both have the same ingredient? Some men familiar with Viagra, having used it before successfully, want to stick with what works. They trust it, and the brain is the largest and most important sex organ after all; psychology can be a potent tool in combating ED. But a complete understanding of your options requires a little knowledge about the differences between Viagra, generic Viagra, and generic sildenafil. This is the original “little blue pill,” and it’s the most expensive option. Only about 13% of men using 200mg Stendra experience flushing of the face, compared to 20% of men using the maximum dosage of sildenafil. Heartburn, muscle and back pain, congestion, and vision changes are all less likely with Stendra.
- Maintaining Vascular Health: ED is often a vascular issue; protect your heart to protect your erection.
- The Role of Nitric Oxide: PDE5 inhibitors work by enhancing this natural vasodilator's effects.
- On-Demand vs. Daily Dosing: On-demand (before sex) vs. daily low-dose for constant readiness.
- The Placebo Effect: A significant response in ED trials, highlighting the mind-body connection.
- Treatment is Multimodal: Often most effective when combining medication, lifestyle, and therapy.
Stendra also acts quicker in the body than others — some studies showed efficacy in as little as 15 minutes.15 This speed makes Stendra a great treatment choice for men who don’t always know when they’ll want to have sex and are happy to take something shortly beforehand. If this describes you, then we recommend Hims Stendra. Stendra is also our top choice for couples who enjoy morning sex.
What side effects can this medication cause?
Like tadalafil, sildenafil doses can vary to greater degrees, especially as delivery mechanisms change. For example, BlueChew’s chewable tablets come in 30mg and 45mg doses, neither of which exist in the typical dose ranges for pills. Here’s a quick visual reference detailing which versions of sildenafil our top choices offer: Our recommendation here, for most men, is generic sildenafil. Sildenafil is far more priligy and viagra economical and allows for better dose tailoring. Rocket Rx has the best prices for sildenafil on the market, and it offers these prices without a major commitment.
How quickly do ED pills work?
While low prices from Hims and Strut rely on lower doses or 5-12-month billing cycles, Rocket gets you low prices from orders containing up to 64 tablets. That means you stand to spend a lot less up front to find out if the medication and dose are a fit. For men new to ED medication who want to test the waters while spending as little as possible, BlueChew may be a good place to start, if only because the medication is super convenient to take and because the company offers a free trial. So you can try it out with very little financial risk. Hims also offers sildenafil in a chew, but only combined with another medication and only at a relatively high combination of doses (which we’ll discuss later in our combination therapy section).
Cost of erectile dysfunction pills
However, there are definitely situations in which you might want to opt for Hims’ sildenafil: Hims sildenafil is available in a wider number of doses, making it our top choice for men who find they need to fine-tune or maximize their dosage of sildenafil for the best effect or to reduce side effects. Hims telemedical support is fantastic for men who are dealing with ED alongside efforts to treat premature ejaculation. If you’re one of the many men who already use Hims for hair loss treatment or another service, then it could be convenient to use the same provider for ED treatment as well. Hims offers classic, brand-name Viagra or an authorized generic for men who want it. Hims is also the only company we recommend that sells an authorized generic Viagra. Tadalafil taken in the morning can sometimes require about an hour before it is fully effective.
| Myth | Reality | Evidence or Explanation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Viagra works instantly after taking it | Onset time is about 30-60 minutes | Depends on individual and food intake | Take in advance of activity |
| Higher dose is always better | Not necessarily, can cause more side effects | Start low and adjust under medical supervision | 50mg is typical starting dose |
| Viagra causes permanent erections | No, effects last only temporarily | Temporary enhancement during medication influence | Safe if used as prescribed |
| Viagra can be used by women | No, it is formulated for men | Different medication, safety, and efficacy for women | Use only as directed by doctor |
This experience with tadalafil varies — some men find tadalafil to be effective for a full 36 hours (which would make the prior morning’s dose still effective), while others find its effects wear off in closer to 18 hours.
- Levitra Soft Tabs: Easily swallowed, rapid absorption, effective for about 4-5 hours, suitable for those who dislike pills.
- Zydena (Udenafil): Similar to sildenafil, rapid action, 4-6 hours effectiveness, available in some markets.
- Alprox-TD: Tadalafil-based generic, longer-lasting, suitable for sustained erections, needs medical advice before use.
If you are in the latter camp, Stendra will be better for your morning rituals because you can take a dose as you wake up and then be ready for fun in as little as 15 minutes. However, Stendra will cost you significantly more than sildenafil or tadalafil. Hims — our top choice for convenient access to Stendra — offers a monthly subscription for four 100mg Stendra tablets at $210 per month, billed quarterly.
- Viagra Connect: Over-the-counter option in some countries, contains sildenafil, suitable for men with mild ED under medical guidance.
- Viagra Super Active: Fast-acting formulation, dissolves quickly, ideal for unpredictable situations, requires proper dosage.
- Brand Viagra: Original patented medication, trusted by millions, consistent quality, requires consultation for dosage.
