The Independent Pharmacy

How To Use Cialis To Get The Maximum Effect

Scott McDougall
Scott McDougall
MPharm GPhC 2079324
Director & Registered Manager

If you want to know how to get maximum effect from Cialis (Tadalafil), the most important thing is to take it at the right time. You’ll want to take it at least 30 minutes before sexual activity to give it enough time to work. Cialis takes a little while to kick in - usually reaching peak effect around the 2-hour mark. Time it to match up with when you expect to become intimate.

Cialis Tablets (10mg & 20mg)
Cialis Tablets (10mg & 20mg)
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You’ll also need to collaborate closely with your doctor to tailor the prescription dosage specifically for you. Most people start around 10mg per tablet, but adjusting up or down from there may get better results.

Finally, supporting overall health through diet, exercise, and lowering stress can help Cialis work even better. When your body is in top shape, blood flow improves - which aids erections!

The key is learning your body’s unique response through some trial and error. When you align timing, dosage strength, and lifestyle factors, you allow Cialis to deliver its maximum impact.

Let’s explore what else you can do to get the most from your treatment of erectile dysfunction with the prescription medication.

Key Takeaways:

  • Taking Cialis 30 minutes to 2 hours before intimate moments can enhance your experience, offering peace of mind and confidence as you seek to reconnect with your partner.
  • Collaborate with a medical provider to tailor the optimum tablet dosage strength based on your individual age, history, and response. Higher or lower than 10mg may be ideal.
  • Support overall vascular fitness via exercise, healthy diet, weight control, and stress reduction — this helps boost erection capability results from Cialis.
  • Keep detailed notes tracking your experiences over multiple doses. Share this log with your doctor to refine timing or amount to continually maximise benefits while minimising adverse effects.

Optimal Timing for Cialis Use

It’s important to understand how fast Cialis begins working and how long the effects last. This helps plan when to take it relative to when you hope to have sex.

Most people find that Cialis starts working in about 30-60 minutes. Effects typically peak in 1-2 hours. Then, the desired effects may continue for the next 24-36 hours, giving a nice big “window” when erections are possible after taking a dose.

Some key timing tips:

  • Don’t expect Cialis to work instantly - plan for up to 2 hours for full effect
  • You still need sexual stimulation for Cialis to give you a strong erection
  • Taking it daily lets you be ready anytime, but can build up in your system
  • Work with your schedule - adjust when you take it based on your plans

The goal is to time your dose to match up with when you anticipate sexual activity. Planning ahead helps coordinate when effects will kick in fully with when you’d like them working their best!

Dosage Considerations for Maximum Impact

When starting Cialis, it’s important to work closely with your doctor to identify the right dosage strength to meet your needs. They will suggest an initial amount based on factors like your age, weight, medical history, and the severity of ED symptoms.

The most common starting dose doctors prescribe is 10mg per tablet. For some people, an increase to the maximum dose of 20mg works better. For others, decreasing to 5mg or 2.5mg is the sweet spot, especially in older patients.

Your doctor will be there to guide you, adjusting your dose with care and attention to what feels right for you, ensuring you feel supported every step of the way. Finding the lowest effective dose can minimise the risk of common side effects. Exceeding the maximum recommended amount of 20mg per dose can be dangerous.

Here are some tips for getting your Cialis dose right:

  • Start with the amount your doctor suggests and give it 2 tries before dosage adjustments
  • Keep track of your response at different doses to discuss with your healthcare provider
  • Stick within the 2.5mg to 20mg per dose range recommended for safety
  • Seek emergency care if you experience a painful, prolonged erection lasting over 4 hours

Staying patient through some trial and error, carefully tracking your experiences, and openly communicating with your healthcare professional allows you to zero in on your “just right” effective and safe Cialis dosage.

Boosting Cialis Effectiveness Through Lifestyle

While Cialis can have a big impact on erectile function all on its own, making some positive lifestyle changes can also really help it work even better.

Staying physically active with regular exercise provides benefits like:

  • Improved blood flow and blood vessel function
  • Lower blood pressure and cholesterol
  • Leaner weight and reducing obesity

All of these perks can enable an even greater erectile boost from medications like Cialis.

To eat healthier, try to:

  • Limit fatty, sugary, and heavily processed foods
  • Eat more veggies, fruits, whole grains, beans, nuts and fish
  • Stay hydrated and avoid too much caffeine or alcohol

A healthy diet enhances circulation, energy levels, and hormones and keeps diseases impacting erections at bay.

Lastly, it’s important to find healthy ways to manage stress levels. Practices like yoga, meditation, journaling and getting enough sleep help the mind and body relax. This lays the foundation for both sexual desire and sexual performance!

Embracing positive lifestyle changes can not only enhance the effectiveness of Cialis but also support your overall well-being, making each step forward in this journey a meaningful one. Work in partnership with your body, not just relying solely on medication.

What To Avoid When Using Cialis

While Cialis can effectively treat erectile dysfunction (ED) when used properly, there are some key things to steer clear of as well:

First off, it’s not wise to combine Cialis with drinking more than 1-2 alcoholic drinks or taking recreational drugs. Both substances increase the chances of potential side effects like headaches and mess with how well this medicine works. It’s smartest to abstain from heavy drinking or illegal drug use when taking this ED prescription.

Also, it’s extremely risky to ever mix Cialis together with other erectile dysfunction pills like Viagra (Sildenafil) or Levitra (Vardenafil) unless explicitly recommended by your doctor. Simultaneously taking multiple ED meds substantially raises the odds of hazardous reactions like sudden plummeting blood pressure or fainting due to overmedication. Never double up without medical supervision due to potentially severe side effects!

You should also stay away from grapefruits as these could cause a severe increase in blood flow when you’re taking Cialis. Steering clear of these few pitfalls, with patience and care, will help you use Cialis safely and to its fullest potential, ensuring you feel secure and supported. A little extra care pays off for effectively treating ED with minimal negative effects.

Tracking Your Experience Over Time

Once you begin taking Cialis, it’s important to monitor your personal response and to openly communicate with your doctor or healthcare provider.

Keeping an informal written log to record key details can be very helpful:

  • Document the date/time you took each prescribed dose
  • Note any side effects or reactions you experience
  • Rate the firmness and duration of your erections after taking it
  • Track lifestyle factors like diet, exercise, stress and alcohol intake

Schedule occasional follow-up medical appointments to meet with your doctor and take this log with you to review together. Based on how the erectile dysfunction medication is working for you and any side effects, your doctor may decide to:

  • Increase or decrease your Cialis dosage
  • Adjust the timing of when you take each oral tablet
  • Add or modify complementary healthy lifestyle suggestions
  • Transition you to a similar alternative treatment for erectile dysfunction if needed

Every patient responds a little differently to prescription drugs like Cialis for treating impotence. Regularly tracking your experiences and discussing them with your doctor helps customise your treatment plan for the best results.

Take the Next Step With The Independent Pharmacy

The next step is to take action if you have been experiencing frustrating, persistent erectile dysfunction symptoms. Consider reaching out to a discreet, compassionate and convenient online source for ED treatments.

The Independent Pharmacy offers a quick initial assessment online to share key details about your situation. One of our experts then creates a personalised prescription plan to meet your needs.

Whether they recommend Cialis or another impotence solution like Viagra or an alternative erectile dysfunction drug, the focus is tailoring the optimal choice and usage instructions based on your medical history, experiences and goals. Convenience, privacy and exceptional customer care at every step are paramount.

Visit our website to complete the totally private assessment form anytime, 24/7. There are also additional ED resources to explore more tips for improving male sexual health, performance and related subjects.

Remember, you’re not alone on this journey to better sexual health and enjoyment. So, get in touch today. The compassionate team at The Independent Pharmacy is here to support you with understanding, care, and tailored advice every step of the way.

FAQs

Does Cialis make you extra hard?

Cialis can enable very firm, long-lasting erections during arousal. However, it typically does not cause exaggerated, abnormal hardness beyond one’s natural best potential. The erectile response feels healthy, not artificially hardened.

Does tadalafil keep you hard after coming?

For some men, the effects of the active ingredient tadalafil may allow maintaining a usable erection even after initial ejaculation and orgasm during lovemaking. However, this varies significantly from person to person based on dosage, timing, and individual response. Do not expect Cialis to delay going flaccid indefinitely after sex to enable multiple repetitions for most people. Discuss your experience with your doctor.

Does Cialis make you harder than Viagra?

Clinical studies show Cialis does not reliably achieve harder erections than Viagra or similar ED treatments. The main advantage is Cialis’ longer 36-hour window of effectiveness, not greater rigidity. However, patient responses do differ individually, so discussing comparative experiences with your doctor helps determine the optimal medication.

Sources:

Raed Almannie, Meshari A Alzahrani, Mana Almuhaideb, Ibrahim Abunohaiah, Mohamad Habous, and Saleh Binsaleh (2023). Recreational use of oral erectile dysfunction medications among male physicians - A cross-sectional study - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10252768/

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Scott McDougall

Authored by

Scott McDougall
Scott McDougall
MPharm
2079324
Director & Registered Manager

Scott is one of the two founders of The Independent Pharmacy. He is a registered pharmacist and the registered manager of our service with the CQC.

Daniel Hurley

Reviewed by

Daniel Hurley
Daniel Hurley
MPharm IP
2078790
Pharmacist Independent Prescriber

Dan is an experienced pharmacist having spent time working in both primary and secondary care. He currently supports our clinical team by providing robust clinical governance review of our internal processes and information.