Viagra doesn’t cause an erection on its own. It sildenafil pills simply improves blood flow to the penis.
An erection will only occur when you're sexually aroused. The most common side effects of Viagra include: Visual changes (blurred vision or sensitivity to light) Visual changes (blurred vision or sensitivity to light) Though rare, more serious side effects may occur, including: Priapism (a prolonged, non-sexual erection that persists even after ejaculation) Priapism (a prolonged, non-sexual erection that persists even after ejaculation) If you want to improve your erections and think an ED medication like Viagra can help, you’ll need a prescription from a licensed healthcare provider.
You can discuss your symptoms with your usual provider or a urologist or connect with a healthcare provider on the Hims platform. After a thorough medical evaluation, they’ll determine your eligibility.
Remember, whether you take brand-name Viagra or the generic version sildenafil, the effects are exactly the same.
According to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), two out of every five fake prescription pills with fentanyl contain a potentially lethal dose. And even if you’re lucky, and you do get your hands on some genuine Viagra, it’s still not safe to take the medication unless you’ve consulted with a medical provider. While Viagra has a solid safety record and is generally well-tolerated, the medication may not be safe for you if you have a medical condition like heart disease or heart failure, or if you’re taking medication for high blood pressure. All this is to say that if you’re thinking of taking a blue pill that wasn’t prescribed to you, whether you’ve been told it’s Viagra or Vicodin, it’s not safe. You should always get medical advice from a healthcare provider first and only take medication that’s been prescribed specifically for you.
If you’ve been prescribed Viagra or generic Viagra (sildenafil), here’s a quick rundown of how the medication works and why it’s an effective treatment for ED: Viagra promotes blood flow to the penis. Viagra and other similar ED medications, like Cialis and Stendra, block PDE5, an enzyme found in the smooth muscle cells of blood vessels. Viagra promotes blood flow to the penis. Increased blood flow leads to an erection. As blood flows to the penis, it becomes easier to get and keep an erection. The only difference is that sildenafil is less expensive. You may also want to consider Hims Hard Mints, which contains sildenafil and tadalafil in personalized dosages.
| Aspect | Sildenafil | Tadalafil | Vardenafil |
|---|---|---|---|
| Onset of Action | 30-60 minutes | 30-45 minutes | 30-60 minutes |
| Duration of Effect | About 4-6 hours | Up to 36 hours | 4-5 hours |
| Food Interaction | Affected by high-fat meals | Less affected | Similar to sildenafil |
| Brand Names | Viagra | Cialis | Levitra |
These mints aren’t blue, but they are as effective as standard Viagra or sildenafil tablets. As we said before, though the little blue pill is famous for being the first-ever FDA-approved medication for ED, Viagra isn’t the only ED treatment out there.
| Product | Dosage | Quantity + Bonus | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kamagra Oral Jelly | 100mg | 110 + 9 Sachets | 334.87€ 318.92€ | |
| Kamagra Soft Tabs | 100mg | 120 + 6 Pills | 311.78€ 296.93€ | |
| Viagra Generic | 50mg | 90 + 6 Pills | 107.37€ 102.26€ | |
| Viagra Generic | 200mg | 30 + 2 Pills | 83.07€ 79.11€ | |
| Viagra Generic | 50mg | 270 + 8 Pills | 198.48€ 189.03€ | |
| Kamagra | 100mg | 32 Pills | 121.24€ 115.47€ | |
| Kamagra Soft Tabs | 100mg | 20 Pills | 79.79€ 75.99€ | |
| Viagra Generic | 25mg | 360 + 10 Pills | 213.68€ 203.50€ | |
| Viagra Generic | 50mg | 360 + 10 Pills | 225.33€ 214.60€ | |
| Viagra Generic | 50mg | 10 Pills | 26.87€ 25.59€ | |
| Viagra Generic | 25mg | 120 + 6 Pills | 125.56€ 119.58€ | |
| Kamagra Oral Jelly | 100mg | 90 + 8 Sachets | 303.56€ 289.10€ | |
| Viagra Generic | 50mg | 120 + 6 Pills | 129.64€ 123.47€ | |
| Viagra Generic | 150mg | 360 + 10 Pills | 423.48€ 403.31€ | |
| Kamagra Soft Tabs | 100mg | 272 + 12 Pills | 593.42€ 565.16€ | |
| Kamagra | 100mg | 60 + 4 Pills | 201.34€ 191.75€ |
Other PDE5 inhibitors: The closest thing you’ll get to Viagra is its generic version, sildenafil.
If you are currently taking any over-the-counter, recreational or prescription drugs or supplements, tell your healthcare provider. Some medications, like nitroglycerin (nitrates), isosorbide dinitrate, riociguat, ritonavir, itraconazole, ketoconazole, alpha blockers and “poppers”, have well-documented drug interactions with sildenafil and could cause serious side effects. If you are currently taking a PDE5 inhibitor, like Revatio for pulmonary arterial hypertension, talk to your doctor about adjusting your dosage. There are also some rare, serious side effects of sildenafil, namely an allergic reaction, loss of vision/hearing, or priapism, an erection lasting for more than four hours. Seek emergency medical attention if you experience any of these serious side effects.
Learn more about the common warnings and precautions to consider before taking generic Viagra®. You can get the generic for Viagra® through an online or local pharmacy with a prescription from a licensed medical provider. Generic for Viagra® is not available over-the-counter. To get genuine generic for Viagra®, ensure that you are seeing a healthcare provider licensed in your state and have your prescription filled by a qualified pharmacy, one that is licensed in your state and has 3rd-party accreditations like LegitScript. When Viagra® was approved as a treatment for erectile dysfunction in 1998, it was marketed as the “little blue pill.” You may remember those early ad campaigns starring Bob Dole or the ones where men in suburbia jumped for joy because they’d finally found a solution for their problems in bed.
Though Viagra (the brand name for sildenafil citrate) was the first FDA-approved ED medication, many others followed in its wake, including Cialis® (tadalafil), Levitra® (vardenafil), and Stendra® (avanafil). These drugs worked similarly to Viagra, but they didn’t come in a blue pill. There are other blue medications, but they’re nothing like Viagra. For instance, counterfeit pills that contain the opioid fentanyl or other substances can come in a blue tablet, and mistaking it for Viagra can have dire consequences for your health. It should go without saying, but you should never take a medication like Viagra unless it’s been prescribed by a healthcare provider after a thorough consultation. But other PDE5 inhibitors work similarly in promoting blood flow to the penis.
Through Hims, generic for Viagra® costs 95% less than branded Viagra®. Generic for Viagra ® contains Sildenafil, a doctor-trusted ingredient that is effective for treating ED. Read more about the cost of generic Viagra® and brand-name Viagra® on our blog. The Generic for Viagra ® is called Sildenafil Citrate. This means that the generic form of Viagra ® will have the same therapeutic effect, but at a lower cost Yes, generic forms of Viagra® are just as safe as Viagra®.
Both Viagra® and generic for Viagra® were approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat ED and millions of men have used Viagra® or the generic for Viagra® to treat their erectile dysfunction. Generic medications do not compromise the safety of a medication. The cost is lower than brand name medication for many reasons, most notably because the brand name medication is no longer legally protected against competition from other manufacturers. Generic for Viagra® may not be safe for men with some pre-existing conditions or who are taking medications that may interact with the drug. If you have (or have ever had) heart problems (such as a heart attack), heart disease, irregular heartbeat, angina, chest pain, narrowing of the aortic valve, heart failure, heart surgery, pulmonary hypertension including pulmonary arterial hypertension, stroke, low blood pressure, high blood pressure, a deformed penis shape (Peyronie’s Disease), priapism (an erection that lasts for more than 4 hours), sickle cell anemia, multiple myeloma, leukemia, retinitis pigmentosa (a rare genetic eye disease), severe vision loss (such as NAION), bleeding problems, stomach ulcers, liver problems or kidney problems (such as kidney dialysis), you may be at higher risk for adverse effects.
If you have any of these health conditions, or any other health condition, tell your healthcare provider. Your provider should be aware of all medical conditions, prescription drugs and over-the-counter meds that you are taking. Multiple companies make generic for Viagra®, including Teva sildenafil citrate sublingual tablets 100mg Pharmaceuticals and Greenstone, a subsidiary of Pfizer Inc. Take sildenafil (generic for Viagra®) about one hour before sexual activity, as it takes about 30 minutes to an hour to begin working. Check out our guide on how to take Viagra® for best results. They include Cialis (tadalafil), vardenafil (the generic version of Levitra, which isn’t available anymore), and Stendra (avanafil). All medications can be taken as needed before sex, but Cialis can also be taken daily in a lower dose.
The problem with Viagra being known as the “little blue pill” is that some people may take any blue pill recreationally in hopes of staying rock hard all night. In this guide, we’ll discuss how Viagra works, how to access it safely, and why you should never take counterfeit pills. People often refer to Viagra as the “little blue pill” or simply the “blue pill.” The reason is obvious — Viagra tablets are small, blue, diamond-shaped pills. Generic Viagra tablets, which contain the active ingredient sildenafil citrate, are often blue, but not always. The tablet's color does not affect how well the medication works.
A white sildenafil pill (generic Viagra) works exactly the same as a blue Viagra pill because it also contains sildenafil citrate. No, not every blue pill is Viagra. Other blue pills can sildenafil 60mg include Xanax® (alprazolam), Adderall® (amphetamine and dextroamphetamine), Vicodin® (hydrocodone), and Percocet® (oxycodone). Knowing that not every blue pill is Viagra is important because there’s a growing trend of men who don’t have ED taking Viagra recreationally in an effort to improve sexual performance. To access the medication without a prescription, they may turn to illegal drug sellers and online pharmacies, which are infamous for selling counterfeit prescription drugs.
Some counterfeit ED medications have been found to contain inconsistent doses of the active ingredient and contaminants like talcum powder, commercial paint, and printer ink. Even worse, these pills may also include other hidden drugs, including opioids. For instance, in 2022, a Louisiana man was arrested for illegally possessing a large amount of narcotics with the intent to sell, including 610 pills of suspected Viagra. When the pills were sent to the lab for testing, they were found to contain over 28 grams of fentanyl. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 100 times more powerful than morphine and 50 times stronger than heroin. Therapy: Some men with ED, especially younger men, have psychogenic ED.
This means their symptoms have psychological causes, like sexual performance anxiety or relationship issues.
| Country | Legal Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| USA | Prescription required | As per FDA regulations |
| UK | Prescription required | Controlled medicine |
| Canada | Prescription required | Pharmacist oversight |
| Australia | Prescription required | Scheduled medication |
Talking to a counselor or sex therapist can help you come up with strategies to confront these issues so you can have a more satisfying sex life.
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Peak Plasma Time | About 30-120 minutes |
| Half-life | Approximately 4 hours |
| Absorption | Fast, with or without food |
| Metabolism | Liver (mainly via CYP3A4) |
| Excretion | Mainly in feces, some in urine |