Side Effects

Part of the Levitra price you have to pay are the side effects that could come along with taking it. Here are some side effects commonly associated to taking Levitra:

• Sudden drop in blood pressure
• The medication causes your blood pressure to drop, and this change often results to headaches and dizziness. On more serious cases, it may even lead to fainting or a stroke.
• Indigestion and an upset stomach
• Stomach pain and nausea are also common side effects of Levitra.
• Photosensitivity, eye pain, abnormal vision
• Vision loss is a common temporary side effect, either in one eye or both. Some people will have a difficulty telling between blue and green, and this color vision problem arises as a side effect of the medication.
• Ringing in the ears or sudden hearing loss
• In some cases, there are also reported hearing problems, particularly a certain ringing in the ears.
• Chest pain that spreads to arms and shoulder
• If there’s a certain tingling in your chest and an overall heavy feeling in that area, you could be experiencing another side effect of the medication and if it spreads to the arms and shoulder then you should call your doctor right away.

Interaction with Other Drugs

You should also take note of Levitra’s interaction with other drugs, so that you can prevent its adverse effects and maximize its use. You should not take Levitra when you’re already taking the following:

• Similar drugs – If you’re already using medication to treat erectile dysfunction, such as sildenafil (Viagra) or tadalafil (Cialis), you shouldn’t take Levitra in combination with them.
• Nitrates – If you’re taking any kind of nitrate for angina pectoris, you can’t take Levitra because the combination will significantly lower your blood pressure.
• Drugs for hypertension or prostrate disorder: Examples are alfuzosin (Uroxatral), prazosin (Minipress), tamsulosin (Flomax), diltiazem (Cardizem, Dilacor, Tiazac), verapamil (Calan, Covera, Isoptin, Verelan).
• HIV protease inhibitors – This can change Levitra’s plasma concentration so you should consult your doctor before taking it.

How It Works

Levitra is taken orally with a glass of water, and it’s safe enough to take with or without food.  You need to take it 25-60 minutes before any sexual activity, which gives the medication enough time to help relax the blood vessels in the penis. Erectile dysfunction is caused by many things, but Levitra helps ease the blood flow, thus causing an erection when the penis is naturally stimulated during sexual activity. The effect on men differs on a case to case basis, but most men will find that Levitra works in as little as 15-25 minutes. After the medication is taken, sexual activity can go on to as long as 4-5 hours. However, the recommended dose is only once a day.

Generic Or Alternative Medications

Levitra has been proven to be quite effective and many men have been satisfied with its performance, but it’s important to note that this medication actually belongs to a family of phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE5 inhibitors). Originally co-marketed by Bayer Pharmaceuticals, GlaxoSmithKline, and Schering-Plough, Levitra’s generic name is Vardenafil. In Italy, GSK sells it under the name Vivanza. There are also other generic alternatives that also do the job for those suffering from erectile dysfunction. Other popular PDE5 inhibitors in the market today include Sildenafil citrate (sold as Viagra) and Tadalafil (sold as Cialis).