Viagra Vs. Cialis – What Are The Differences?

Viagra and Cialis are two drugs that are commonly prescribed to treat erectile dysfunction. So if you’re having problems getting or maintaining an erection, both of these medications may be offered by your doctor to help you address the problem.

However, while both are effective at achieving the desired result – that is, allowing you to easily get an erection and maintain it throughout sex, the medications are quite different. Therefore, depending on your lifestyle and your overall health profile, one may be better suited for you than the other.

In this article, I’ll be going over the key differences to help you choose which you may want to try first!

Viagra And Cialis – The Similarities

Before we start with the differences, let’s first look over what they do similarly.

First of all, we both know that both treat erectile dysfunction. Erectile dysfunction is defined as the inability to acquire or maintain an erection. Both are something called a PDE5 inhibitor, which essentially blocks an enzyme in the body that relaxes blood vessels, and increases blood flow to certain areas of your body. It is commonly believed that drugs like Viagra or Cialis make you horny, but this isn’t actually the case. Instead, they simply make it easier to achieve an erection when you are aroused.

If you are able to achieve an erection when you’re VERY turned on, these pills may make it possible for you to achieve rock hard erections even when you’re not quite so horny. And of course, the decreased performance anxiety from having a rock-hard erection makes it easier to stay aroused as well.

Both pills are taken orally prior to when you expect sex to begin.

All-in-all, these pills work pretty much the same way. However, the length of time and intensity of the effects can differ, as can things like side effects. Additionally, depending on how frequently you have sex, one may be preferred over the other.

The Differences Between Viagra And Cialis

Now that we know what makes Cialis and Viagra similar, let’s look over what makes them different.

Length That They Last

The biggest difference that you’re likely to notice is that the two drugs offer a very different time span in which they’re effective.

For Viagra, you can expect it to kick in in about 30 minutes, and it will last for 4-6 hours. This means that you need to plan when you believe you’ll be having sex, and take the pill more regularly if you have sex frequently. Unfortunately, the short duration of Viagra makes it rather difficult to use if you enjoy spontaneous, unplanned sex, as the mood may be gone by the time it kicks in.

Cialis on the other hand lasts for up to 36 hours in the body. While it too takes at least 30 minutes – and sometimes up to 2 hours to kick in, the fact that it lasts for so long means that you’re good to go anytime the mood strikes. Many men with chronic ED take Cialis once daily. Because the effects last longer than 24 hours, this means there is effectively never a period in which the drug is not working.

From anecdotal reports online, people find Viagra to be more effective at giving harder erections faster, even after multiple rounds of sex. However, Cialis has the advantage of being there for you (and still effective, even if not as intense) whenever you need it.

So, you have to consider your needs and your lifestyle. If you are single and only have sex a few times a week or less, taking the occasional Viagra may be the right choice. If you struggle with chronic ED and it’s affecting your sex life with your partner, taking Cialis may be the better option.

As always, you should consult with your primary care doctor before making a decision – NOT an online doctor who is incentivized to push you towards more expensive medication. It’s important for your primary care doctor to take a look at your overall health profile, and potential conflicting medications or conditions before starting either drug.

Side Effects

There are also notable differences in side effects when it comes to the two pills.

Viagra tends to lead to more frequent and more intense side effects, which may include headache, dizziness, nausea, upset stomach, vision changes, flushing, especially of the face, back pain, muscle aches, rashes, upset stomach, and more. Cialis shares many of the same side effects, but doesn’t tend to cause dizziness, nausea, rashes, or vision change. However, it has been noted to cause pain in the limbs in some patients, where Viagra does not.

It should be noted that many people experience no side effects at all. You ever hear those commercials where they list off all the side effects, and it sounds worse than the issue the pill is actually trying to treat? Yeah… it’s kinda ridiculous. Thankfully, you’re not really going to have much of a problem here. If you try one and the side effects aren’t worth it, try the other. Chances are, you’ll find one that works for you.

Effectiveness When Not Horny

Between the two pills, Viagra is usually considered to have more of an effect on you when you’re not horny, or trying to become aroused.

It leads to more random boners that you weren’t expecting, or trying for.

Some people might consider this to be a good thing. For others, this could be annoying, embarrassing, or uncomfortable.

I must reiterate that neither drug is designed to increase your libido. If that’s what you’re after, there are other solutions to consider.

Even Viagra won’t suddenly make you grow an erection after taking the pill. You just may get random boners like you used to before you ended up with erectile dysfunction.

Are Generic Versions Effective?

One downside of both Viagra AND Cialis is that the brand name versions of them are quite expensive – and it’s hard to get insurance to cover ED pills.

Viagra can be as high as $139 per dose, where Cialis can be as high as $65 per dose. That is… not cheap. Thankfully however, generic versions are available.

It’s normal to wonder whether or not generic versions of these drugs are as effective or safe as their brand-name counterparts. Thankfully, they use the exact same ingredients, making them just as safe and effective as the brand-name versions.

Just make sure that you’re acquiring the pills from a reputable source, and after you’ve gotten a prescription authorized from your doctor. Please DO NOT get your medications from shady overseas dealers, Telegram groups, or random people that DM you on Instagram.

Closing Thoughts

It’s important that you only explore the idea of using drugs like Viagra and Cialis if you actually need them, and not for recreational purposes. There are far better things you can do to improve your sex life than simply popping a pill, and there may be negative long-term effects from taking these pills.

Of course, that doesn’t mean you should avoid them if you’re suffering from erectile dysfunction.

I hope that this article has shown you the differences between Viagra and Cialis, so you can see which might fit your lifestyle and needs better. Remember that ultimately, your doctor is the only one that will be able to help you make the right decision. I am not a doctor, and this article should not be considered medical advice.

Thanks for reading, and wishing you the best!

~ Lexi