Levitra Side Effects: The Complete Guide

Written by the UPGUYS Editorial Team

Published on May 19, 2022

Did you know that prescription medication expenditure in Canada encompasses over 16% of its entire health expenditure? Medication nonadherence is common in North America, where residents don't refill a prescription based on cost. Stopping medication use can also occur because of unwanted side effects. 

Expensive prescription medications can impact your sexual intimacy in the bedroom, making it more challenging for you to maintain an erection. There are drugs like Levitra that can help!

You may be wondering about the different Levitra side effects you should watch out for. In our complete guide, we will go over common and serious side effects, including ways you can reduce them!

In this article, we talk about the following:

1. What is Levitra?
2. Levitra side effects
3. Common Levitra side effects
4. Severe Levitra side effects
5. How to reduce Levitra side effects
6. Levitra vs Cialis side effects
7. Find out how Levitra can help you

What Is Levitra?

Before diving into Levitra's common side effects, it helps to have a better understanding of what Levitra is. Levitra is a prescription medication with the active ingredient vardenafil.

Vardenafil is also available as a generic prescription medication, which often saves you money. Levitra belongs to a class of drugs called PDE5 inhibitors. It blocks PDE5 enzymes and increases the amount of cGMP in your smooth muscle cell walls, such as your blood vessels. 

UPGUYS Products: Order Generic Levitra Online in Canada

As this process happens, it relaxes smooth muscles and promotes vasodilation. Increased vasodilation means better blood flow to penile tissues. 

Levitra is a prescription medication primarily used for treating the physical causes of not being able to get or maintain an erection, AKA erectile dysfunction. 

Some examples of physical causes behind erectile dysfunction (ED) include poor blood circulation, heart disease, obesity, or high cholesterol. 

Levitra Side Effects

Levitra and vardenafil are the same medication sold under different names. Levitra is the brand-name version, while vardenafil is generic. They both contain the same active ingredient but may have different inactive ingredients.

Changes in inactive ingredients could lead to having an allergic reaction to one drug versus the other. Here is a more comprehensive Levitra side effects list: 

1. Arm or jaw pain
2. Chest tightness
3. Chills
4. Cold sweat
5. Confusion
6. Difficulty swallowing
7. Tachycardia
8. Eye pain
9. Nervousness
10. Facial swelling
11. Sweating
12. Lethargy
13. Vomiting
14. Abnormal ejaculation
15. Indigestion
16. Diarrhea 
17. Dry mouth

While we will dive into some of the most common side effects below, headaches and flushing were the two most commonly reported. Headaches were reported in 15% of people, while flushing was reported in 11 percent. 

Read more: Headache After Viagra, Cialis, and Levitra

Common Levitra Side Effects

Flushing is a common occurrence that shouldn't cause you to worry. You may notice an increase in warmth or redness around your face, neck, arms, or upper chest.

Sneezing and nasal congestion were also reported in a larger number of people. For most people, these side effects are more cumbersome rather than life-threatening.

Here are some of Levitra's common side effects:

1. Flushing
2. Nasal congestion
3. Sinus pain
4. Headache
5. Dizziness
6. Nausea
7. Back pain

If you happen to miss a dose, do not double up. These can worsen mild side effects or lead to more severe side effects noted below. Instead, allow 24 hours to pass between dosages or talk to your doctor if you feel like the drug is not effective. 

Severe Levitra Side Effects

Levitra's serious side effects include:

1. Blurred vision
2. Painful and long-lasting erection
3. Difficult breathing
4. Hives 
5. Rash
6. Throat and face swelling
7. Chest pain

You should stop taking the medication and talk to your doctor. If your symptoms persist or get worse, seek medical attention. Painful erections that last longer than four hours require immediate medical help. 

This is otherwise known as priapism. Priapism is a penile disorder that can damage tissue and lead to permanent erectile dysfunction. 

How To Reduce Levitra Side Effects

Have you wondered how to reduce the side effects of Levitra? First, it is common that you might see side effects of Levitra when you first start taking the medication. These should be mild and disappear within a few days to a couple of weeks. 

Let's go over what you should not take with Levitra. Often, combining medication or taking Levitra with grapefruit juice can exacerbate serious side effects. Your doctor may not prescribe Levitra if you are already taking:

1. Nitrates
2. Alpha-blockers
3. Blood pressure medication

Avoid taking it with alcohol, as you may notice an increase in feeling light-headed and dizzy. If you want to mitigate nausea or an upset stomach, try taking Levitra with a little bit of food. 

Do not eat high-fat meals when taking Levitra or other PDE5 inhibitors. Fatty meals can slow down absorption and take longer for you to start noticing its effects. 

UPGUYS Products: Order Vardenafil Online in Canada

Levitra Contraindications

You have already read about a few contraindications, such as avoiding taking Levitra with alcohol and grapefruit juice. If you have cardiovascular disease or high blood pressure, you may have to speak with your doctor first about trying Levitra. 

Here are some other drug interactions that react negatively to PDE5 inhibitors:

1. Cimetidine
2. Ritonavir
3. Riociguat

Most of these medications treat stomach acid production, HIV, and high blood pressure. Your doctor may recommend certain spacing between drugs.

Otherwise, you'll have to look at other options. If you have reacted to other Ed medications in the past, remember to mention it to your physician.

Levitra vs Cialis Side Effects

Many people wonder if there are different side effects when comparing drugs. Cialis is another PDE5 inhibitor with the generic version tadalafil. Tadalafil's common side effects include:

1. Muscle pain
2. Nasal congestion
3. Indigestion
4. Flushing
5. Nausea

Common side effects often overlap between similar drugs since they have fairly identical chemical makeup and mechanism of action. 

Find Out How Levitra Can Help You

Have you wondered about different Levitra side effects? Luckily, they are usually mild and won't lead to any lasting medical issues. Once you stop taking the drug, the side effects should subside. 

If you start noticing worsening symptoms, or they are persisting past a couple of weeks, it may be time to talk to your doctor. 

There are plenty of PDE5 inhibitors on the market, including Levitra, which is one of the popular ones among patients!

To start the process of treating erectile dysfunction, have a free consultation with a medical practitioner at UPGUYS about your erection difficulties and find out which medication works best for you!