Patient Experiences with Vardenafil for PE

Vardenafil and other PDE5 inhibitors have been linked to hearing issues, including some cases of sudden hearing loss. In a report from 2010, researchers discussed a patient who experienced a sudden loss of hearing after using vardenafil to treat erectile dysfunction.

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It’s in the same class of drugs as Viagra®, Cialis®, and Stendra®, and like these other medications for ED, vardenafil is safe and effective when taken as prescribed. However, there are potential vardenafil side effects to consider, like headaches and nausea. While most adverse effects are mild, some may be more serious. We’ll list the common and uncommon side effects of vardenafil and what you can do to deal with them and improve your experience while using this medication for ED. These drugs increase blood flow to erectile tissues in the penis, making it easier to get and keep an erection with sexual stimulation.

Tadalafil (Cialis®) for PE

It’s one of several medications for ED. Others include sildenafil (the active ingredient in Viagra), tadalafil (Cialis), and avanafil (Stendra). Vardenafil is available as 2.5mg, 5mg, 10mg, or 20mg (milligrams) oral tablets. It’s also sold as disintegrating tablets under the brand name Staxyn®. Vardenafil pills are designed to be taken about an hour before sexual activity.

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You can take it with or without food, but it might work more quickly if you take it on an empty stomach. The effects can last five to seven hours, making vardenafil a great choice for single-night use compared to longer-acting ED medications. Our blog on Levitra versus Viagra compares vardenafil to another single-night-use ED medication. Serious side effects from vardenafil and other ED medications are uncommon, only affecting a small percentage of men who use them. However, they can still happen, and some may require urgent medical attention when they occur. This was only the second known case of hearing loss associated with vardenafil at the time the study came out — roughly seven years after the FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) initially approved the medication. This makes hearing loss one of the rarest potential side effects of vardenafil. If you experience hearing loss (with or without tinnitus and dizziness) after taking vardenafil, seek immediate medical treatment. Vardenafil can cause several common side effects, most of which are mild and temporary: These side effects are similar to those of other ED medications. So switching to Viagra or Cialis may not be much better. Most men who use brand-name or generic vardenafil don’t have significant issues.

In clinical trials, only 3.4 percent of participants stopped taking the medication due to side effects (compared to 1.1 percent for a placebo). Headaches are by far the most common side effect of vardenafil and other oral medications used to treat ED.

Analgesic, Opioid

Of the 122 participants who completed PFM rehabilitation, 111 gained control of their ejaculation reflex. Of the 95 participants who completed follow-up, 64% maintained satisfactory ejaculation control at 24 months and 56% did so at 36 months. Surgical procedures that reduce penile sensation have been proposed as treatments for premature ejaculation. These include selective dorsal nerve neurotomy, pulsed radiofrequency ablation or cryoablation of dorsal penile nerves, and hyaluronic acid gelaugmentation of the glans penis. [61, 62] Currently, all those are considered experimental.

Erectile Dysfunction Medication

Before the availability of nonsurgical methods for treating erectile dysfunction, a patient with premature ejaculation who was mistakenly diagnosed with erectile dysfunction might have undergone a penile prosthesis implantation, which would have yielded unsatisfactory results because of the incorrect initial diagnosis. In this scenario, the patient would be able to engage in sexual intercourse, because the penile implant would provide an adequate erection, but he would still climax prematurely. Currently, penile implants are placed much more rarely, and with the use of nonsurgical treatments for erectile dysfunction, any permanent harm resulting from diagnosing erectile dysfunction rather than premature ejaculation is unlikely. Consultation with a sex therapist, psychologist, or psychiatrist may prove helpful if the primary care physician or urologist cannot provide successful treatment or does not have the time to explore psychological issues and implement behavioral techniques (eg, squeeze-pause). If the primary care physician or urologist is inexperienced or uncomfortable with treating premature ejaculation, early referral to a sex therapist, psychologist, or psychiatrist is indicated.

Surgical treatments

Some physicians are comfortable implementing pharmacologic therapy but not behavioral therapy. As with any medical condition, the patient should be offered all available treatment options, and the physician should proceed with referral for any option considered to require more specialized help than the physician can provide. For men who may have a severe emotional disturbance underlying the premature ejaculation, referral to a mental health professional is most appropriate. Diagnosis and treatment of the various psychological factors that manifest partly as premature ejaculation are beyond the scope of this discussion. Vardenafil (generic for Levitra®) improves erectile dysfunction (ED) by making it easier for blood to flow to the penis. According to the FDA, around 15 percent of men who use vardenafil get one. Headaches typically fade away on their own as the drug exits your system. Since the medication has a moderate half-life, it’s rare for this side effect to last more than five hours. If you get severe headaches, it’s best to talk to your healthcare provider. They may suggest adjusting your dosage or using over-the-counter medication to reduce the severity of your headaches. Our guide to dealing with headaches from ED medications has more tips. Flushing is the second-most common side effect of vardenafil.

• Vardenafil is marketed under various brand names.
• Its use for PE is based on anecdotal success stories.
• Some men combine Vardenafil with other PE strategies.
• Non-medical use is discouraged due to health risks.
• Regular medical check-ups are recommended during use.
• Vardenafil has a rapid onset time for many users.
• It may affect blood pressure temporarily.
• Not recommended for recreational use.
• Its impact on PE varies widely.
• Men should disclose all health data to their doctor.
• Overdose symptoms include dizziness and prolonged erection.
• Financial costs may vary depending on brand and pharmacy.

In clinical trials, 11 percent of men who used the medication experienced it, compared to just one percent of those who got a placebo. Flushing may develop due to the medication’s effects on blood vessels. You might notice that your cheeks, nose, chin, and forehead take on an inflamed, red appearance. Like other side effects, flushing typically improves over a few hours as the active ingredient exits your system. Irritation and inflammation inside the nostrils can also happen with vardenafil. Known medically as rhinitis, this side effect can result in a blocked airway or a runny nose. In clinical trials with vardenafil, nine percent of men who used the medication to treat ED developed symptoms of rhinitis. This side effect may be more common with vardenafil than other ED treatments. For example, only two to four percent of men prescribed Cialis in clinical trials reported nasal congestion.

Other Therapy

If you experience sudden vision loss in one or both eyes after using vardenafil, seek medical attention immediately. Vision loss could be a sign of non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION). That’s when optic nerve damage causes permanent vision loss in one or both eyes. Although research hasn’t established a direct link between PDE5 inhibitor use and damage to the optic nerve, some studies suggest an association. If you have a history of vision issues or any underlying NAION risk factors, tell your healthcare provider before using medications to treat ED. About three percent of men who use vardenafil also report sinusitis, another form of nasal irritation and congestion. And general flu-like symptoms affect around three percent of users. Like the other common side effects of vardenafil, nasal congestion usually fades gradually as the medication leaves your body.

• Vardenafil is a selective PDE5 inhibitor that can influence sexual performance.
• It may have off-label benefits for premature ejaculation.
• Use cautiously if you have cardiovascular issues.
• Some men combine Vardenafil with delay creams or behavioral therapy.
• Its onset of action is typically around 30-60 minutes.
• Some users find it helpful in reducing PE severity.
• The medication should be tested in a safe environment first.
• Do not exceed recommended dosage to avoid adverse effects.
• Effects last for several hours, providing flexibility.
• It is important to manage expectations realistically.
• Use only under medical supervision for off-label purposes.
• Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.

Indigestion is a fairly common side effect reported by about four percent of men who use vardenafil. You can usually treat indigestion (and resulting heartburn) from vardenafil and other oral ED drugs with over-the-counter medications and antacids. If you have frequent or severe indigestion from vardenafil, talk to your healthcare provider for medical advice. Nausea is a common side effect of many medications — and it can happen with ED drugs like vardenafil. In clinical trials, two percent of men who used Levitra to treat erectile dysfunction developed nausea. Like other vardenafil side effects, nausea is generally mild and temporary. If you feel nauseous after taking the medication, your healthcare provider may adjust your dosage, recommend taking your dose with a small amount of food, or suggest using anti-nausea medicine. Alternatively, they may suggest switching to a different type of medication to treat erectile dysfunction.

What is Premature Ejaculation?

Let’s go over the more serious potential side effects and drug interactions of vardenafil, including those that call for medical help. Priapism is a painful, prolonged erection lasting four hours or longer. It happens when blood can’t flow out of the penis after an erection. When untreated, priapism can damage erectile tissues inside the penis. There have been rare reports of priapism from all medications used to treat erectile dysfunction, including vardenafil.

Sertraline (Zoloft)

Still, priapism is a serious medical issue. If you get an erection that lasts four or more hours after using vardenafil, seek medical assistance immediately. Priapism can be treated successfully in a hospital, helping you avoid lasting damage to the erectile tissues of your penis. Vardenafil and other ED medications are linked to cases of optic nerve damage causing cost of vardenafil decreased vision. Vision changes are a very uncommon side effect of PDE5 inhibitors. A small percentage of men who use vardenafil experience some degree of dizziness after taking the medication. In clinical trials, around two percent of men given a typical dose of Levitra noted that they felt dizzy while the medication was active. Several PDE5 inhibitor medications are linked to visual disturbances. These may include a noticeable color tinge to your eyesight, increased sensitivity to light, or blurred vision.