Cialis is a drug manufactured by Eli Lilly and Company. Cialis contains the active ingredient tadalafil. Tadalafil is the generic name for Cialis. There are many other drug manufacturers worldwide that produce generic or “branded generic” versions containing exactly the same active ingredient, tadalafil.
Cialis (Tadalafil) in Australia
Cialis is mainly used to treat men who have difficulty obtaining or sustaining an erection. This condition is called erectile dysfunction or just ED. An erection is caused by an increase in blood flow into the penis. In certain men, the blood vessels leading into the penis do not allow enough blood to flow in and cause the erection. There are bands of smooth muscle that surround blood vessels, and when these muscles contract, they make the blood vessels narrower. In the penis, this prevents the larger blood flow needed to obtain an erection.
The smooth muscles surrounding blood vessels are affected by a substance called phosphodiesterase-5 enzyme or PDE5. This substance stimulates the smooth muscle around blood vessels to contract. Cialis in in the class of medications called phosphodiesterase-5 enzyme inhibitors or just PDE5 inhibitors. PDE5 inhibitors block the PDE5 enzyme, and this allows the muscles around the blood vessels to relax. The blood vessels then become wider and allow greater blood flow into the penis. This means that taking Cialis helps to obtain and sustain an erection.
It is important to realize that Cialis alone will not actually cause an erection, however. Sexual stimulation is still required in order for the erection to occur.
Cialis has some important distinctions from other PDE5 inhibitors such as Viagra and Levitra. Cialis has an extremely long half-live compared to the other two drugs. Viagra lasts for about 4 hours after taking it, and Levitra lasts for about 4-5 hours. Cialis, however, lasts much longer, from 15 to 35 hours. Cialis also has a faster onset of action. Both Viagra and Levitra need 30 minutes to take effect, but Cialis can begin to work in as little as 15 minutes. For these reasons, Cialis has been dubbed the “weekend pill”.
In addition to treating ED, Cialis is also approved in the US for treating signs and symptoms of benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH), and for treating a lung condition called pulmonary hypertension (high blood pressure in the lungs). It is also used as an orphan drug to treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
Cialis has also gained widespread use off-label, in the world of bodybuilding. This is due to its action in increasing the volume of blood flow through blood vessels. Cialis is believed to improve blood flow everywhere in the body, and bodybuilders report that this leads to better pumps in the gym. Cialis is also believed to help with the signs and symptoms of prostate enlargement that occurs when bodybuilders take steroids, due to the same effects it has on men with BPH.
Dosage
Cialis comes in 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 10 mg, and 20 mg strengths. Brand name Cialis comes in tablets only. Brand name Cialis tablets are yellow, and have a film coating and an almond shape. Generic versions of Cialis come in tablets or gel-filled capsules, and may have names such as Cialis Super Active and Cialis Professional.
For treatment of ED, the standard starting dose of Cialis is 10 mg, which is taken on an as-needed basis. The dose should be taken 15 to 45 minutes before sexual activity is planned. Only one dose of Cialis should be taken per day.
Cialis is taken differently for BPH. The standard starting dose is 5 mg daily, and the dose is taken at the same time each day, without regard to sexual activity.
Side effects
Some health conditions make the use of PDE5 inhibitors unsafe. Men who have liver or kidney disease, heart disease, or heart failure, should not take Cialis without medical supervision. Other conditions that warrant medical supervision include bleeding disorders, active peptic ulcer disease, and retinitis pigmentosa. The best way to ensure safe use of Cialis is with the supervision of your doctor.
The most common side effects of Cialis include headaches, nausea, flushing, sore muscles, nasal congestion, and lower back pain.
An unusual rare side effect of Cialis, which may be dose-related, is changes to color vision. This may manifest as a bluish hue, or difficulty distinguishing between blue and green.
Serious side effects are rare, and include priapism and sudden hearing or vision loss. Priapism is the medical term for an erection that lasts too long. If you have an erection that lasts for four hours or more, seek immediate medical help. An erection that lasts too long can cause permanent damage to the tissues of the penis. If you experience a sudden loss of hearing or vision, seek medical help immediately.
Cialis can have harmful interactions with some medications, foods, and herbal supplements. Cialis should never be taken with other PDE5 inhibitors such as Viagra or Levitra. Taking two PDE5 inhibitors together can result in an unsafe drop in blood pressure, even leading to death.
You should not use Cialis if you take nitrates for your heart. Nitrates are a group of drugs that include nitroglycerin, isosorbide dinitrate, and isosorbide mononitrate. There is also a street drug in the nitrate class, amyl nitrate or nitrate, known by the name “Poppers”, that should never be taken with Cialis. The combination of one of these drugs taken with Cialis can lead to fatally low blood pressure.
Other medications that can interact with Cialis include some antibiotics and antifungals, some HIV medications, some blood pressure medications, and some antidepressants. If you take any prescription medication, the safest course of action is to consult your doctor before you take Cialis.
You should avoid eating grapefruit and grapefruit juice at the same time as Cialis. Cialis can also interact with herbal products such as St. John’s Wort. Be sure to inform your doctor of all your medications, over-the-counter products, and herbal products that you take.
Cialis without prescription
In Australia, the Department of Health’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has an information sheet that can be found online at https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/cialis. Their recommendation is to get a prescription from your doctor, and have it filled at a reputable store-based pharmacy or an online pharmacy that requires a prescription.
There are many websites online that offer Cialis and generic tadalafil products for sale in Australia without a prescription. Some examples of these sites are viagramelbourne.com and edonlinestore.net. The advantages to buying from sources such as these include the lower cost and the discrete delivery directly to your home.
