Additional Information
* The online pharmacies to which you may be referred from this website will only dispense a controlled substance to a person who has a valid prescription issued for a legitimate medical purpose based upon a medical relationship with the prescribing practitioner. This includes at least one prior in-person medical evaluation or medical evaluation via telemedicine in accordance with applicable requirements of section 309 of the Ryan Haight Online Pharmacy Act.
Why is this medication prescribed
Tadalafil is used to treat erectile dysfunction (impotence; inability to get or keep an erection) in men. Tadalafil is in a class of medications called phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitors. It works by increasing blood flow to the penis during sexual stimulation. This increased blood flow can cause an erection. Tadalafil does not cure erectile dysfunction or increase sexual desire. Tadalafil does not prevent pregnancy or the spread of sexually transmitted diseases such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
Proper Use of This Medicine
Special patient directions come with tadalafil. Read the directions carefully before you start using tadalafil and each time you get a refill of your medicine.
Use tadalafil exactly as directed by your doctor. Do not use more of it and do not use it more often than your doctor ordered. If too much is used, the chance of side effects or other problems is increased.
Dosing
The dose of tadalafil will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of tadalafil. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.
- For oral dosage form (tablets):
- For treatment of erectile dysfunction:
- Adults 10 mg as a single dose no more than once a day, taken before you think sexual activity may occur. The ability to have sexual activity may be improved up to 36 hours after taking tadalafil when compared to placebo (sugar pill). If needed, your doctor may change your dose.
Storage
To store this medicine:
- Keep out of the reach of children.
- Do not store in the bathroom, near the kitchen sink, or in other damp places. Heat or moisture may cause the medicine to break down.
- Keep the medicine from freezing. Do not refrigerate.
- Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed. Ask your health care professional how you should dispose of any medicine you do not use. Be sure that any discarded medicine is out of the reach of children.
Other uses for this medicine
This medication may be prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
What other information should I know
Keep all appointments with your doctor .
Do not let anyone else take your medication. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about refilling your prescription.
Before Using This Medicine
In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For tadalafil, the following should be considered:
Allergies Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to tadalafil. Also tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.
Pregnancy Tadalafil is for use in men only. Tadalafil has not been studied in pregnant women. Tadalafil has not been shown to cause birth defects or other problems in animals.
Breast-feeding Tadalafil is for use in men only. It is not known whether tadalafil passes into human breast milk.
Children Tadalfil is not for use in children.
Older adults This medicine has been tested in a limited number of patients 65 years of age or older and has not been shown to cause different side effects or problems in older people than it does in younger adults.
Other medicines Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking tadalafil, it is especially important that your doctor and pharmacist know if you are taking any of the following:
- Erectile dysfunction medicines these medicines should not be used at the same time as tadalafil because the safety of using these medicines in combination has not been proven.
- Nitrates (medicine used to treat chest pain [e.g., nitroglycerin]) these medicines should not be used at the same time as tadalafil because they can cause very low blood pressure and serious side effects
- Alcoholic beverages drinking alcohol can cause an increased chance of some side effects.
- Alpha blockers, other than tamsulosin 0.4 mg taken once a day (medicine for high blood pressure) these medicines should not be used at the same time as tadalafil because they can cause very low blood pressure and serious side effects
- Erythromycin (e.g., Apo-erythro) or
- Itraconazole (e.g., Sporanox) or
- Ketoconazole (e.g., Nizoral) or
- Grapefruit juice or
- Ritonavir (e.g., Norvir) or
- Saquinavir (e.g., Fortovase, Invirase) These medicines or food may increase your chance of getting side effects.
Other medical problems The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of tadalafil. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:
- Angina (reoccurring chest pain) or
- Arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat) or
- Hypotension (low blood pressure) or
- Hypertension (high blood pressure) or
- Stroke (recent history of) or
- Heart attack (within the last 3 months) or
- Heart failure (within the last 6 months) or
- Retinal disorders (rare hereditary eye problem)
- Stroke (within the last 6 months) tadalafil has not been studied in patients with these medical conditions and should not be used
- Kidney disease (severe) tadalafil should be used with caution in these patients and a lower dose may be needed
- Liver disease tadalafil should not be used in patients with serious liver disease; in patients with less serious liver disease, tadalafil should be used with caution and a lower dose may be needed
- Abnormal penis, including curved penis and birth defects of the penis chance of problems occurring may be increased and this medicine should be used with caution in these patients
- Bleeding disorders or
- Stomach ulcers chance of problems occurring may be increased; it is not known if the medicine is safe for use in these patients
- Heart disease, underlying chance of low blood pressure occurring is greater; tadalafil should be used carefully in these patients
- Heart blood flow problems these conditions may cause you to be more sensitive to tadalafil
- Sickle-cell anemia (blood disorder) or
- Bone marrow cancer or
- Leukemia (blood related cancer) tadalafil should be used with caution in these patients as problems with prolonged erection of the penis may occur
In case of emergency overdose
In case of overdose, call your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. If the victim has collapsed or is not breathing, call local emergency services at 911.
Symptoms of overdose may include:
- headache
- indigestion or heartburn
- flushing
- pain in the back, muscles, or any limb
- stuffy or runny nose
- erection that lasts longer than 4 hours