Did you know that prescription medication expenditures in Canada comprise over 16% of its entire health expenditures? Medication nonadherence is common in North America, where residents don't refill prescriptions 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, one of the most popular medications prescribed to treat erectile dysfunction (ED) in Canada, 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:
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.
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.
Read more: How Levitra Works.
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:
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.
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:
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.
Levitra's serious side effects include:
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.
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:
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 it takes longer for you to start noticing its effects.
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:
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.
Many people wonder if there are different side effects when comparing drugs. Cialis is another PDE5 inhibitor with the generic version of tadalafil. Tadalafil's common side effects include:
Common side effects often overlap between similar drugs since they have fairly identical chemical makeup and mechanisms of action.
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 if they persist for more than 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!