Comparison for top 5 generic ed drugs

Viagra

When to Take:

Take between 30 and 60 minutes (and up to 4 hours) before sex; works for about 4 hours

Dose

Recommended dose for most men is 50mg; after that, dosage may go to as high as 100mg, or as low as 25mg, which may be prescribed for men over 65.

Dietary Restrictions

Quickly absorbed by the body, less effective after a high-fat meal, and best taken on an empty stomach.

Levitra

When to Take:

Take 1 hour before sex; works for 4 to 5 hours, and may be slightly more effective than Viagra

Starting dose for most men is 10mgs a day, but men over 65 often start on the 5mg pill.

Dose:

Starting dose for most men is 10mgs a day, but men over 65 often start on the 5mg pill.

Dietary Restrictions

Can be taken with or without food, although slightly less effective after a high-fat meal.  Avoid anything containing grapefruit juice; it may make side effects worse.

Cialis

When to Take:

Comes in two forms. The daily pill stays effective in between doses, but may take 4 to 5 days before it begins working. The “weekender” version of Cialis can start working in as little as 30 minutes for men who take the highest dose of the drug (20mgs); it stays effective in the body for up for 36 hours.

Dose:

Daily pill comes in both a 2.5mg and 5mg tablet; most men start with the lower dose. The use-as-needed, “weekender” pill comes in 5, 10 and 20mg strengths; recommended starting dose is 10mg,

Dietary Restrictions:

Can be taken with or without food.   Avoid heavy drinking (5 glasses of wine or 5 shots of whiskey); when combined with Cialis, it can lead to headaches, dizziness, an increase in heart rate, and a drop in blood pressure.

Staxyn

Take 1 hour before sex, although many men report erections in 20 to 30 minutes.  Because Staxyn comes in a sleek black package and is taken as a rapidly dissolving tablet (without water), some men think of it as a more discrete way to treat ED.

Dose:

Comes in 10mg tablets; do not take more than 1 a day.

Dietary Restrictions:

Avoid taking it with any kind of liquid. Should be placed directly on the tongue and allowed to dissolve without chewing.

Stendra

When to Take:

Prescribing information now recommends taking it 30 minutes before sex. Some men, however, report results in as little as 10 to 12 minutes, depending on the dose. Because of these findings, Auxilium Pharmaceuticals, the Chesterbrook, Pa., company that has U.S. marketing rights to the drug, has asked the FDA to revise the prescribing information.

Dose:

Starting dose is 100mgs for most men, but the 50mg tablet is recommended for men taking alpha-blocker drugs, like those used for high blood pressure and prostate problems.

Dietary Restrictions:

May be taken with or without food, and with a moderate amount of alcohol (3 drinks).   Drinking more than that can increase the chances of side effects like rapid heart rate, low blood pressure, dizziness and headaches.

Penile injections & the MUSE suppository

When to Take:

Take 5 to 10 minutes before planning to have sex; erections last for 30 to 60 minutes.

Dose:

MUSE comes in 4 dosage strengths; most men start at 120mgs. Avoid taking more than twice within a 24-hour period.