What is Cialis?

Cialis (tadalafil) relaxes blood vessel muscles and improves blood flow to specific parts of the body. It helps treat erectile dysfunction (impotence) and symptoms of benign prostatic hypertrophy (enlarged prostate).

Important Information

• Avoid taking tadalafil if you also use a nitrate drug for chest pain or heart problems, including Nitroglycerin, Isosorbide Dinitrate, and Isosorbide mononitrate. Taking tadalafil with a nitrate medication can result in a sudden and severe drop in blood pressure.
• When combined with Cialis, some medications can have unwanted or dangerous side effects. Tell your doctor about your current medications, especially riociguat (Adempas).
• If your erection is painful or lasts more than 4 hours, contact your doctor or seek emergency medical attention.
• If you get nausea, chest pain, or dizziness during sex, seek medical attention right once.
• If you experience sudden vision loss while using Cialis, stop taking it and seek emergency medical attention.

What to know before taking Cialis?

Avoid taking Cialis if you are allergic to tadalafil. Taking Cialis with some other medications can result in a sudden and severe reduction in blood pressure. Never take Cialis if you also use:

• Riociguat (to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension)
• A nitrate drug like nitroglycerin, isosorbide dinitrate, isosorbide mononitrate, or recreational drugs such as amyl nitrate 

After each dose, some tadalafil can stay in your bloodstream for two or more days (longer if you have liver or kidney disease). Stay away from nitrates during this time. 

To ensure that this Cialis is safe for you, inform your doctor if you have ever had:

• Kidney or liver disease
• Retinitis pigmentosa or vision loss
• Angina, high or low blood pressure
• Pulmonary veno-occlusive diseases
• Pulmonary hypertension 
• A physical transformation of the penis, or an erection lasting longer than 4 hours
• A bleeding disorder
• A blood cell disorder like sickle cell anaemia, multiple myeloma, or leukaemia
• A heart attack or stroke
• Heart disease or heart rhythm problems
• A stomach ulcer
• Health issues that make sexual activity unsafe

A small number of people using Cialis have experienced sudden vision loss. Most of these people already had eye problems or were over 50 years old and had high cholesterol, diabetes, coronary artery disease, and a history of smoking. It is unclear whether the drug was the actual cause of vision loss.  Cialis is unlikely to harm an unborn baby. However, if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, tell your doctor. It is unclear whether tadalafil passes through breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. However, if you are breastfeeding, let your doctor know.

How to take Cialis?

• Take Cialis only once per day. Do not take Cialis in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended. You can buy Cialis online with a prescription.
• Take Cialis with or without food.
• Do not break or split this tablet. Swallow it completely. 
• To treat erectile dysfunction, take Cialis just before sexual activity but no more than once per day.
• Cialis can help in achieving an erection only when sexual stimulation occurs. Taking a pill will not result in an erection. Pay attention to your doctor’s instructions carefully.
• If you are also taking Adcirca for pulmonary arterial hypertension, do not take Cialis for erectile dysfunction.
• You should keep Cialis at room temperature, away from moisture, child, pet, and heat.

Cialis dosage

Dosage for Erectile Dysfunction

Use as needed for ED:

• In most patients, a starting dose of 10mg of Cialis is recommended for use as needed. Take it before sexual activity. You can order Cialis online with a prescription.
• Depending on individual efficacy and tolerability, the dose can be increased to 20 mg or decreased to 5 mg. In most patients, the maximum recommended dose frequency is once per day.

Once-daily use for ED:

• The recommended starting dose of Cialis for once-daily use is 2.5 mg, taken approximately the same time every day, regardless of the timing of sexual activity.
• The Cialis dose for once daily use can be increased to 5 mg based on individual efficacy and tolerability.

Dosage for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

• The exact dose of Cialis is 5 mg once daily, taken simultaneously every day.
• You may need to take 5 mg of Cialis with finasteride every day around the same time for up to 26 weeks to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Overdose

Taking too much of this medication may lead to an overdose. Contact your health provider or seek medical help right away in case of an overdose.

What to avoid while using Cialis?

• Drinking alcohol while taking this medication may result in side effects. Both alcohol and Cialis can reduce your blood pressure.
• Grapefruit may interact with tadalafil, causing undesirable side effects. Therefore, while taking this medication, avoid using grapefruit products.

Cialis side effects

Some common side effects of Cialis may include:

• Nausea, upset stomach
• Stuffy nose
• Headache
• Flushing (warmth, redness, or tingly feeling)
• Muscle pain, pain in your arms, back pain, legs, or back

If you experience nausea, chest pain, or dizziness while having sex, stop immediately and seek medical attention at once. You could be having a fatal side effect. 

Stop using this medication and call your doctor at once if you have:

• A light-headed feeling
• Vision changes or sudden vision loss
• Ringing in your ears or sudden hearing loss
• An erection is painful or lasts longer than 4 hours (prolonged erection can damage the penis)
• Heart attack symptoms – nausea, sweating, chest pain or pressure, pain spreading to your jaw or shoulder

What drugs can interact with Cialis?

Do not take Cialis if you also take medicines to treat erectile dysfunction or pulmonary arterial hypertension. Before using Cialis, consult your doctor if you also use the following medicines:

• Nitrates nitroglycerin such as isosorbide mononitrate (Monoket), isosorbide dinitrate (Isordil)
• Alpha-blockers such as tamsulosin (Flomax), alfuzosin (Uroxatral), doxazosin (Cardura)
• Blood pressure medicines, including amlodipine (Norvasc), metoprolol (Toprol XL, Lopressor), enalapril (Vasotec)
• Antacids including calcium carbonate (Tums), aluminium hydroxide/magnesium hydroxide (Mylanta)
• Antifungal drugs, such as ketoconazole, itraconazole (Sporanox)
• Antibiotic drugs, such as erythromycin
• HIV medications, such as ritonavir
• Rifampin (Rifadin), carbamazepine (Tegretol), phenytoin (Dilantin), phenobarbital