An erection happens when nerves in your penis are stimulated.
As a result, muscles around two cylinder-shaped chambers of spongy material along your penis, known as the corpus cavernosa, relax and allow blood to flow in, causing an erection.
With ED, your nerves don’t communicate properly with your brain and blood doesn’t flow properly into the corpus cavernosa. Taking Viagra relaxes the walls of your blood vessels and lets blood flow more easily into the parts of your penis that cause an erection.
How long does it take to start working?
Viagra normally starts working 30 to 60 minutes after you take it in oral tablet form. It may take up to 2 hours to work. Viagra doesn’t work on its own. You’ll still need to feel sexually aroused to get an erection. Feeling relaxed and comfortable can also help Viagra take effect sooner.
How long does it last?
On average, Viagra usually lasts between 2 and 3 hours before its effects start to diminish. Viagra can last up to 5 hours or longer depending on your dosage, your body’s metabolism, and other external factors. Depending on how your body metabolizes it, you may be able to get an erection several times with Viagra in your body. Viagra probably won’t make you last longer in bed, though. No research has proven definitively that Viagra can increase how long you can have sex.
Viagra may not work again immediately after you’ve had sex. Normally, you can’t get another erection right after ejaculating because your body isn’t physically prepared for it.
This is known as the refractory period. It may only last a few minutes, but it can last as long as a few hours or days. However, previous studies has shown that Viagra may decrease this recovery time.
Can any factors affect how long it lasts?
Several important factors can influence how long Viagra lasts for you:
Dosage: The amount of Viagra you take affects how long it stays in your system. The smallest available dose, 25 milligrams (mg), won’t last as long as the largest available dose, 100 mg. But taking a higher dose isn’t always recommended, as it may not be safe for you.
Age: As you get older, your metabolism slows down. So Viagra may last longer as you age. In general, you may notice Viagra works for a longer period when you’re 65 or older.
Diet and lifestyle: Eating a large meal or a lot of high-fat foods right before you take Viagra can keep it from being metabolized quickly or effectively. But this can also make it last longer as it’s metabolized along with your meal. Drinking alcohol or smoking can also decrease blood flow to your penis, making Viagra less effective or shorter-lasting.
Medications: Some medications, especially antibiotics such as erythromycin (Ery-Tab), clarithromycin (Biaxin), and ciprofloxacin (Cipro), can interact with Viagra and affect how long it lasts.
Overall health: Certain existing conditions can affect how long Viagra lasts and how well it works for you. Diabetes, nervous system conditions like multiple sclerosis (MS), and heart conditions like atherosclerosis (fat build-up in your blood vessels) can all make Viagra less effective and not last as long. Some kidney conditions may make Viagra last longer because of the condition’s effect on your metabolism.
Psychological state: Feeling anxious, nervous, depressed, or stressed can all influence how your body responds to sexual stimulation. If you’re not relaxed or comfortable during sex, or if you have performance anxiety because of past sexual experiences, Viagra may not last long or be fully effective.
How long does it take to leave my system?
Viagra usually leaves your system after 2 to 3 hours. Depending on your metabolism, Viagra can take 5 to 6 hours to fully leave your system.
A higher dosage will take longer to leave your body. A 25-mg dose may wear off after a couple of hours, but a 100-mg dose may take nearly four times as long to leave your system.
Is there anything I should be concerned about?
Viagra often lasts for a few hours. You won’t normally have an erection the entire time, as Viagra is only used to help increase blood flow. If you don’t think Viagra is working fast enough, try masturbation or foreplay to help stimulate arousal. If Viagra doesn’t work after 30 minutes, don’t take any more than the daily dose that your doctor prescribed. Never take more than 100 mg of Viagra in a 24-hour period.
Taking too much Viagra can cause priapism, a painful erection that lasts longer than 4 hours. This can damage penis tissue because blood stored in the penis isn’t receiving any oxygen. Get emergency treatment right away if this happens.
What are the side effects?
Possible side-effects include:
Headaches, flushing, nausea
Diarrhoea
Blocked nose
Blurred vision
Long-term erection, sometimes painful
Loss of vision or hearing – this is rare
More seriously, sudden heart problems, especially for patients with heart problems or at risk of heart problems. It could lead to sudden death.
Alternatives solutions to ED
Viagra is not the only way to treat ED. Your doctor should advise you on other treatment options. Visit your nearest Marie Stopes Clinic to talk to your doctor about other alternatives. Lifestyle changes can also improve blow flow to the penis. Such changes include:
Exercising – Be physically active. Lifting a spoon to eat is not exercising. Also, don’t sit in your sofa/chair all day. Walk, run, go to the gym.
Adopting a healthy diet – Potato chips are great but they should not be your everyday meal. Eat smaller portions of ugali, rice or whatever carbohydrate you prefer. Throw in some greens. And proteins.
Losing weight – Lose some kilos, your penis will thank you.
Stop smoking – Don’t be a human chimney. It’s a small sacrifice if it will make your penis happy. We all want a happy penis! Don’t we?
Reduce alcohol consumption – Drink in moderation, alcohol is not going anywhere! It will still be there tomorrow.
Stop using medications that can cause ED – Talk to your doctor about this.
Seeking counselling services from a sex coach in case of stress or mental health issues such as depression. Beware that herbal medicines have not been proven to treat erection problems. There is no evidence to suggest that they are effective at treating ED. It is safer to visit a doctor for treatment.
Talking to a sex coach :Here at KNKYCOUPLES we can help you plot a roadmap to help you achieve your sex goals; seeking counselling services from a sex coach in case of stress or mental health issues such as depression or past experiences can also do the magic and work your way up slowly to being at 100% again.