Erectile dysfunction drugs

Erectile dysfunction drugs, such as Viagra, Cialis, and Levitra, all help increase blood flow to the penis. However, these drugs will not help if both of your loved one’s nerve bundles have been surgically removed, or suffered damage during treatment for prostate cancer.

Some doctors believe that regular use of these drugs soon after surgery for prostate cancer may help improve erection problems.

Viagra was the first erectile dysfunction drug to hit the U.S. market in the late 1990s, and Levitra and Cialis were approved by the FDA in 2003.

They are not magic pills

If you are expecting an “instant erection” sufficient for sexual intercourse with any of these drugs immediately following surgery for prostate cancer, you may be disappointed. While it’s different for every man, it may take some time (and regular use of one of these drugs) before you see results you are hoping for. And a man must be aroused for the drug to work. These pills don’t work on their own, and they are not a cure for impotence.

If your loved one has been taking one drug for some time, and is not getting the results you want, he can talk to his doctor about a different dosage or trying another drug. It’s also important to keep “trying.” It may help to think of your lovemaking sessions as practice sessions for a while.

They take time

Another potential change after prostate cancer is that your sex life may not be as spontaneous as it was before treatment. Erectile dysfunction drugs take time to work—from 30 minutes to an hour—depending upon the drug. So you will have to “plan ahead” before you make love, and watch the clock to make sure you start when the drug begins to work.

The “window of opportunity” in which these drugs can work may also vary from about 4 hours to up to 36 hours, depending upon the drug. However, if a man’s erection lasts for more than 4 hours, he will need to seek immediate medical attention.

They may not be right for every man

Men who take medicines called nitrates (including nitroglycerin) will not be able to use these erectile dysfunction drugs. It is important for your loved one to discuss all his health issues honestly with his doctor, as there are many other health conditions that may not make these drugs appropriate for use.

Updated 11/08

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