What Is Cialis?
If you are one of the more than 150 million men suffering from erectile dysfunction (ED) you have likely heard of Cialis. Cialis is a medication that was designed to help men suffering from erectile dysfunction or impotence achieve and keep an erection. You may have also likely heard of Viagra or Levitra. The biggest difference between Cialis and other erectile dysfunction medications is that you take the prior shortly before you intend to be sexually active, and achieve an erection from sexual stimulation – as many times as necessary in a 36-hour period! With Viagra and Levitra, when you are ready for an erection, you have to stop what you are doing, take a pill and wait anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour for the medication to take effect. What a mood killer!
With Cialis, you can enjoy more flexibility as well as other health benefits. Since there’s a special form of Cialis that can be taken daily, you don’t have to worry about being “on a clock” when it comes to the effect. Additionally, it can be taken to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and high blood pressure in the lungs. Ultimately, there are many reasons to consider taking Cialis over the alternatives.
What is Cialis?
Cialis has an interesting history as the brand ultimately changed hands several times before it became a household name.
Glaxo Wellcome, a British pharmaceutical company now going by the name GlaxoSmithKline, discovered Cialis during their partnership with ICOS with the intent of discovering and developing new drugs. In another study, IC351 was discovered to have caused erections in men during clinical trials for heart medication because it contained a phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) enzyme inhibitor. ICOS obtained a patent to test this and began Phase 1 clinical trials in 1995. Glaxo let their 50/50 profit-sharing agreement with ICOS lapse during the clinical trials as their core market was treating cancer, diabetes, infections, asthma, and mental health.
ICOS then formed Lilly ICOS, LLC with Eli Lilly and Company to progress in the development and commercialization of tadalafil, or Cialis. In 2000, they filed for a new drug application with the FDA for compound IC351 (known by the generic name tadalafil, or by the brand name Cialis). They reported that the effectiveness lasted for 36 hours and a few years later (in 2003), the FDA gave tadalafil the green light.
Eli Lilly and Company bought ICOS in 2007 for $2.3 billion. Eli Lilly then owned Cialis and shut down ICOS sectors, ultimately ending the joint venture and laying off around 500 employees. Eli Lilly kept the 127 employees that belonged to the ICOS biologics facility – but ended up selling off that sector to CMC Biopharmaceuticals A/S (CMC).
The FDA approved tadalafil in 2011 (eight years later) to be used for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and has also approved Cialis to treat both BPH and erectile dysfunction simultaneously. It can also be taken to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension (high blood pressure in the lungs).
Cialis works by ultimately enhancing the function of your erection by increasing the amount of Cyclic guanosine monophosphate (or cGMP) that is synthesized during sexual stimulation. A typical erection is formed as a result of the release of nitric oxide from the nerves and endothelial cells which ultimately stimulate the synthesis of cGMP in the smooth muscle cells. Cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) relaxes the smooth muscle and increases blood flow to the corpus cavernosum – the main housing component of blood during an erection. When you suffer from erectile dysfunction or impotence, your cGMP synthesis is being negatively affected. This negative effect can be caused by other medications you are taking, certain diseases, kidney failure, aging, or even just general stress. Smoking tobacco is also a common cause of erectile dysfunction as it causes arterial narrowing.
What Does Cialis Do?
While Cialis was developed for one specific purpose, it has been known to effectively treat other conditions as well. The main purpose of Cialis is to treat the symptoms of erectile dysfunction, however, Cialis can treat other health conditions as well and in conjunction to. Cialis can treat:
- 1. Erectile Dysfunction (ED) or Impotence – Cialis was specifically designed to treat erectile dysfunction (ED). While there were already other drugs on the market to treat erectile dysfunction, Cialis has a specific advantage – working effectively for 36 hours. Because of this, Cialis has been given the nickname of “the weekend pill” by some of its users. Cialis can be taken as needed as well as daily so that there aren’t gaps in treatment – the only difference between the as-needed and daily pills being the concentration of tadalafil per pill.
- 2. Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) – Cialis was approved to treat BPH 8 years after hitting the market. Benign prostatic hyperplasia is a condition characterized by enlargement of the prostate that causes difficulty in urinating, difficulty starting a stream, a general weak stream, and the sudden and/or frequent urge to urinate when you are sleeping. As little as 2.5 mg of Cialis taken daily helps treat these symptoms.
- 3. Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) – PAH or high blood pressure in the lungs can also be treated with Cialis. Since Cialis essentially improves blood flow, high blood pressure in the lungs can be treated with Cialis. Higher, multiple doses are typically required for treatment of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension.
If you suffer from both erectile dysfunction and benign prostatic hyperplasia, you will be offered to take Cialis daily to treat both. When taking Cialis daily for both ED and BPH, you should expect to see improved erections after 1 week and improved urination after 1 month.
Does Cialis Work?
Cialis is a specific compound designed to positively affect the chemical reaction that occurs when trying to achieve an erection. The rate of effectiveness can vary from person to person. In regard to its rate of effectiveness for achieving an erection, you will find that Cialis gets decent ratings and reviews.
On Drugs.com, Cialis has an 8.3 rating out of 10 with 331 reviews. For specifically treating erectile dysfunction, Cialis has 8.8 out of 10 with 288 reviews on Drugs.com. One user, who chose to remain anonymous, said, “After 3 days of taking Cialis, it has completely changed our sex lives. I do not regret starting a Cialis regimen at all. My wife also loves its effects, she is 65 and I am 66. I highly recommend Cialis. My doctor first prescribed me Biafra but I did not like it because it completely removed the spontaneity of sex. With the Cialis daily dose, I am ready anytime my wife is which is fantastic.”
Another user on Drugs.com had a much different motivation for taking Cialis. “I was given 5 mg Cialis by my doctor as I’ve had a few challenges with my sexual desire and erectile dysfunction over the past 12 months or so. My wife and I are trying to conceive our first child, and the pressure of performing in those specific few days of the month has been plaguing my mind. After taking a pill late Friday night, I was woken up a couple of times during the night with a decent erection. Saturday morning my wife was happily surprised by my full erection. For the first time in quite a while, I haven’t had to think about whether or not my erection would stay strong during sex, both the urge and the strong erection now last all day and I couldn’t be happier. It had given me the perfect amour of confidence.”
On EverydayHealth.com, Cialis has a 4-star rating with 62 reviews. One user rated Cialis for erectile dysfunction (ED) on February 3rd, 2016. “I am a 53-year-old, healthy male and have been taking 10mg of Cialis for just over 4 months now on an as-needed basis. I have to say that I am very pleased with my results. My wife is very pleased with my consistent achievement of an erection also. She always comments on how hard my erection is and that we’ve been having the best sex we’ve ever had as I don’t seem rushed to finish while I’m still hard. I would definitely recommend this medication. Not only has it made our sex life better, it has also improved my mental well-being as the stress of performance is not currently an issue.”
Studies have produced that the overall effectiveness of Cialis taken daily (2.5 mg to 5 mg) is around 69%, but will vary based on the severity of your erectile dysfunction. You can expect that if you have mild erectile dysfunction your rate of effectiveness should fall between 73% and 82%. If you have moderate erectile dysfunction, it falls between 56% and 61%. For severe erectile dysfunction, you are looking at fairly low effectiveness will a success rate of 27% to 33%. However, with Cialis, you can typically take a higher dosage “as needed” if you find that your daily dosage is simply not doing the trick.
It is also important to note that in the blind study, the placebo had a 57% rate of effectiveness for mild erectile dysfunction, 27% for moderate ED, and 9% for severe ED. This is important to note as patients receiving the placebo that were suffering from mild erectile dysfunction were likely affected more psychologically than physically. Meaning that their cause of ED was likely due to stress or performance anxiety.
Cialis Dosage Recommendations and Side Effects
Cialis comes in a variety of dosages including: 2.5 mgi, 5 mg, 10 mg, and 20 mg. Your personal prescribed dose of Cialis is going to vary based on many factors. Your doctor will help you determine what dosage is right for you, your medical history, and current list of prescriptions. If you are taking Cialis to treat both benign prostatic hyperplasia and erectile dysfunction, you will likely be taking a lower dosage daily. However, if you are taking Cialis as needed, you will probably have a higher dosage prescribed to you.
Your doctor will determine if Cialis is ultimately right for you. They will need to determine if you are healthy enough for sex, if you are taking other medications that could interact with Cialis, and if you have any other medical conditions that will negatively interact with Cialis.
In most cases, you can take lower doses of Cialis daily to treat multiple conditions. If you find that the lower dosage is not treating your erectile dysfunction, you can typically take another dose as needed to improve your attempts at achieving an erection. However, if you suffer from certain medical conditions or are taking a medication that will negatively interact with Cialis, you should not increase your dose. Your doctor will be able to let you know if this applies to you.
As with most medications, you will potentially experience some side effects. Side effects for Cialis include:
- - Headaches
- - Flushing
- - Upset Stomach
- - Dizziness
- - Stuffy Nose
- - Back Pain
- - Muscle Pain
If you experience these side effects when taking Cialis, it is important to monitor how they progress. If they persist or worsen, be sure to contact your doctor right away.
Cialis Reviews
“I have been using Cialis daily for almost a 1.5 years. Before that, I used Cialis as needed – but, I like Cialis daily a lot better. I am very happy about the effect and believe that it is the best treatment for ED on the market currently.” – Andrew, 5 Stars
“From my personal experience, I have not suffered from any side effects. Cialis 10 mg works perfectly for me. I take the pill 30 minutes before sex and I really get a hard erection – I mean really hard. Awesome!” – Tony, 5 Stars
“Yesterday I took my first dose – 20 mg. Wowwww… It’s amazing. Forget the herbal and ayurvedic nonsense.” – Christian, 5 Stars
“Started using Cialis to treat my benign prostatic hyperplasia. Very quickly I noticed not having to get up at night. I have even noticed some improvement in the daytime even though I’m not supposed to notice a difference within the first month. I would definitely recommend Cialis for BPH. It has also helped me with my erection quality. My erections are better, longer, harder, and happen quicker. My wife has notices and improvement in all aspects of my erections. All this with just a daily 5 mg dose. It has increased my quality of life with BPH and has also improved my erections.” – Gary, 4.5 Stars
“I have had type 1 diabetes for 21 years. I am 30 and struggle with getting and keeping an erection. Cialis is working well to make me confident and able to perform. 10 mg works great.” – Username Type One, 4 Stars
“I have an enlarged prostate and my erections are really only half way. I have been allergic to all other medications available to treat BPH and ED. My doctor prescribed Cialis 5 mg and honestly I am ecstatic about the results. My erections are harder than they have ever been. I am urinating like I did when I was 20. Best of all… my insurance covers it with no co-pay because this is the only medication I can take to treat my BPH. I have never been this happy.” – Joe, 5 Stars
Cialis Alternatives
If you have been considering Cialis but are also interested in the alternatives to Cialis, you may want to weigh the pros and cons of using other pills versus using Cialis. Some alternatives include Viagra, Levitra, and Cialis generics.
If you don’t mind waiting for your erection, Viagra and Levitra might be the solution for you. Viagra and Levitra are great for planning your day around a sexual situation that will last 3-4 hours. However, you completely lose the spontaneity of sex. Additionally, Viagra and Levitra typically don’t treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) as seamlessly as Cialis.
Cialis generics are also available, such as Tadacip, Tadalis, Erotid, Forzest FC, Megalis, and 36 Hour. With a little bit of research of online pharmacies around the world, you may be able to find Cialis and Cialis generics available without a prescription. However, you may find that some of the generics are only “take as needed” and won’t be effective in treating benign prostatic hyperplasia or pulmonary arterial hypertension. You may also find that some of the generics require you to wait the entire 36 hours before taking the next dose.
Your doctor will be able to examine you, your current health conditions, your current list of medication, and your health history to determine if Cialis, Viagra, Levitra, or a Cialis generic will be the right solution for you and your condition(s).
How Do I Get Started?
If you are currently suffering from erectile dysfunction, impotence, benign prostatic hyperplasia, or pulmonary arterial hypertension, it is recommended you ask your doctor about starting Cialis. Cialis can be taken daily or “as needed” depending on both your personal need and health conditions. In some situations, you may be able to take Cialis daily for some conditions, and then also increase the dose “as needed” to be able to achieve an erection better.
Your doctor will need to fully examine your health history. To take Cialis for sex, you need to be healthy enough for sex. You may also have a conflicting medication that will reduce your maximum dosage of Cialis per day or possibly even eliminate your ability to take Cialis. There are certain health conditions that will also potentially reduce your maximum dosage available for Cialis or possibly remove Cialis as a possible treatment altogether. Ultimately, you doctor will be able to determine if Cialis or a Cialis generic is right for you.
If you suffer from erectile dysfunction or impotence, you don’t have to suffer a lackluster love life. Cialis can breathe life back into your bedroom daily or “as needed.” Don’t delay, schedule an appointment to talk to your doctor about Cialis right away!