Cialis is a brand name for Tadalafil. It is an oral medicine that is used for the treatment of erectile dysfunction as well as to control the symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH); a condition commonly known as prostate gland enlargement.

An important thing to note here is that Tadalafil is also available with other brand names, such as Adcirca that is used to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension and improve exercise tolerance. Do not confuse with any other brand names and do not use any other form of Tadalafil for this purpose.

Limitation of Use

If using Cialis along with a finasteride medicine for BPH treatment, do not use them for more than 26 weeks as the incremental benefit of Cialis after that is not known.

Do not use Cialis for any purpose if you are taking Adcirca for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension or any other form of Tadalafil, for any purpose. Consult your doctor, if you think you need Cialis.

Cialis is not approved for use by young boys under 18 years of age.

Available Dosage Forms and Strengths of Cialis

Cialis comes in almond-shaped tablets in the following dosage strengths:

  • 5 mg (the tablets have C 2 ½ debossed on them)
  • 5 mg (the tablets have C 5 debossed on them)
  • 10 mg (the tablets have C 10 debossed on them)
  • 20 mg (the tablets have C 20 debossed on them)

Recommended Dosage for Cialis

For Erectile Dysfunction – As Needed

When used as needed, the general recommended dose of Cialis is 10 mg, to be taken before sexual activity.

Depending on the results and the person’s tolerability, the dose may be reduced to 5 mg or increased to 20 mg. However, the maximum dosing frequency should be kept limited to once a day, unless otherwise advised by your doctor.

For Erectile Dysfunction – Once Daily

When used regularly, the recommended initial dose of Cialis is 2.5 mg once a day. For best results, the medicine should be taken at almost the same time every day and the timing of dosage should be determined with regard to thatof sexual activity.

Depending on the efficacy of the drug and the person’s tolerability, the daily dose may be increased to 5 mg.

For Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

For treating the signs and symptoms of an enlarged prostate, a 5 mg tablet of Cialis to be taken once a day, at the same time, is prescribed by doctors.

The dose of Cialis remains the same even when it is used along with a finasteride medicine, for BPH treatment that, on average, continues for 26 weeks.

For Both Erectile Dysfunction and BPH

When Cialis is used for treating both the conditions at the same time, the general recommended dose is 5 mg to be taken once daily at the same time.  In this case, however, the dosage doesn’t have to be scheduled according to the timing of sexual activity.

Important

Do not break Cialis tablets or split the dosage; take the whole tablet in one dose.

What to Tell Your Doctor before Taking Cialis?

Just like with all other medications, it is important to determine the safety of Cialis for every individual by taking into consideration his overall health. Therefore, it is highly important to tell your doctor if you have or have had any other health condition, particularly about the following ones:

  • Heart rhythm problems
  • Angina
  • Stroke
  • Heart attack
  • Heart disease
  • Hypertension or hypotension
  • Pulmonary hypertension
  • Kidney or liver disease
  • Sudden loss of vision or retinitis pigmentosa; a rare genetic eye disorder that causes a gradual loss of vision
  • Any blood cell disorder, such as leukemia, multiple myeloma, or anemia
  • Any bleeding disorder
  • Pulmonary veno-occlusive disease; a condition that causes narrowing of the veins that carry blood from the lungs to the heart
  • Stomach ulcer
  • Any health issue that makes it risky or unsafe to get involved in sexual activity

Note

A small number of cases of sudden loss of vision have been reported among people using tadalafil medications. However, most of those people were either already suffering from some eye problems or had health conditions that put their eye health at risk, such as diabetes, high blood cholesterol, and coronary artery disease. It isn’t yet clear if the loss of vision was due to those health issues or because of tadalafil medicine. Therefore, it is important to discuss the safety of Cialis with your doctor before starting to take the medicine.

Possible Drug Interactions of Cialis

The following medications may alter the effects of or counteract with Cialis and hence, are not to be used with it. Tell your doctor if you are using any of these medications or have recently stopped taking them before starting Cialis:

  • Nitrates; generally used for treating chest pain and heart issues. Some examples of nitrate medicines include isosorbide mononitrate, isosorbide dinitrate, nitroglycerin, and recreational drugs, like nitrite poppers and amyl nitrate.
  • Riociguat; used for treating pulmonary arterial hypertension, or any other medicine for the disease
  • CYP3A4 inhibitors, such as ritonavir and ketoconazole.
  • Alpha blockers
  • Antifungal and/or antibiotic medicines
  • Seizure medicines
  • Any medication to treat high blood pressure
  • Medicines for treating prostate disorder
  • Any other medication for erectile dysfunction
  • Antacids
  • Rifampin and other medicines of the same formula (CYP3A4 inducers)

Potential Side Effects of Cialis

Here are some common side effects that you can expect to experience with Cialis use:

  • Nausea
  • Headache
  • Dyspepsia
  • Heart burn
  • Belching
  • Sour stomach
  • Upset stomach
  • Stomach discomfort and/or pain
  • Stuffy nose
  • Cough
  • Infections of the upper respiratory tract
  • Myalgia
  • Flushes of warmth and/or redness
  • Tingly feeling
  • Back pain
  • Muscle pain
  • Pain in arms or legs

Serious Side Effects of Cialis

Stop taking the medicine and get emergency medical help if you experience any of the following effects while using it as they could potentially be life-threatening:

  • Severe nausea
  • Chest pain
  • Dizziness during sex

While it may not be as serious as life threatening, take medical help immediately if you experience an allergic reaction with the drug. Signs of an allergic reaction to Cialis include:

  • Difficulty in breathing
  • Swelling of throat, tongue, lips, and face
  • Hives

Some other serious adverse reactions of Cialis that call for discontinuation of the medicine and reaching out for professional help include:

  • Ringing in ears
  • Sudden loss of hearing
  • Feeling lightheaded or like you are going to faint
  • Changes in vision
  • Sudden loss of vision
  • Symptoms of heart attack, such as nausea, excessive sweating, pressure or pain in the chest, chest pain that spreads to the shoulder or jaw

Less Common Side Effects of Cialis

The occurrence of these adverse effects is not much common, but some people may experience them. Look out for them and consult your doctor if they persist or get severe:

  • Dryness, itchiness, or burning sensation in the eyes
  • Redness, swelling, or pain in the eye or eyelid
  • Excessive discharge from the eyes
  • Nose bleeding
  • Burning feeling in the stomach and/or chest
  • Numbness
  • Prickling, itching, tingling, and/or burning sensation on the body or feeling as if something is crawling on your body
  • Congestion
  • Dry mouth
  • Sore throat
  • Difficulty in swallowing
  • Swollen joints
  • Sleeplessness or unusual drowsiness/ feeling excessively sleepy
  • Reduced sensitivity to touch
  • Neck pain
  • Pain in the upper abdomen
  • Muscle stuffiness
  • Loss of strength and/or lack of energy

What Precautionary Measures You Should Take While Taking Cialis?

  • Do not drink alcohol while you are on this medicine as it can cause some negative effects
  • Do not consume grapefruit, grapefruit juice, or any grapefruit product while taking Cialis (or any tadalafil medicine) as they may counteract and cause adverse effects.

Each individual should also be assessed by a healthcare professional for the underlying causes of erectile dysfunction and/or BPH. It is also important that each person should be checked for cardiovascular health.

This is because sexual activity may increase the risk of cardiac issues in some people whose cardiac health is already affected. Cialis should not be given to such cardiac patients. Also, it is advisable for patients to get immediate medical help if they notice any unusual cardiac symptoms after taking the medicine or during sexual activity.

Prescription Assistance for Cialis

Cialis is a very expensive drug; a pack of 30 5 mg tablets cost around $150 without insurance or assistance. The high price naturally makes if inaccessible for a large number of people.

In view of the fact that millions of people in the United States are uninsured or underinsured and do not even have access to any kind of medical assistance, the drug’s manufacturing company Eli Lilly offers prescription assistance for it. With the Patient Assistant Program run by the Lilly Cares Foundation, eligible patients can get the company’s medications, including Cialis, for free.

Here is the eligibility criteria to qualify for the Lilly Cares program:

  • You have to be a legal, permanent resident of the United States or Puerto Rico
  • You have been prescribed a Lilly medication by your doctor
  • You don’t have insurance, your insurance doesn’t cover the medicine you are prescribed (in this case, Cialis), or you have Medicare Part D and have already spent at least $1,100 on your prescription medicines within the ongoing calendar year.
  • You are not enrolled in Medicaid, or any Veterans Benefits or Low Income Subsidy programs.
  • Your annual household income is under the annual income limit

If you qualify for the patient assistance program, you will get up a year’s supply or the amount prescribed by your doctor, for free. Applying for the program is easy; you just have to fill out the online application form. For any help, you can call 1-800-545-6962.

If you don’t qualify for Lilly Cares’ Patient Assistance Program and are looking for an alternative, check out the Prescription Hope. It is a nationally recognized prescription assistance program that provides over 1500 prescription medications (Cialis is included in them) at the fixed price of $50 per month.