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Sildenafil

Viagra Connect ^®

Viagra Connect is an ED tablet that helps you to get and maintain an erection.

With an EveAdam subscription, you can buy Viagra Connect online, and get it delivered to your door from a UK pharmacy.

Treatments from only £5.62 per pill

See my options

Discreet, next-day delivery with EveAdam when you buy Viagra Connect online.

You’re probably aware of Viagra, even if you haven’t used it. The ‘little blue pill’ is a world famous ED treatment, and is thought to be the first of its kind.

Viagra Connect is the same drug as Viagra. And it’s made by the same company, Pfizer. But there are a few differences between the two.

So what is Viagra Connect?

Viagra Connect is basically Viagra that you can get without a prescription. It’s a rebranded version of Viagra 50mg, so it’s available as a 50mg dose. It functions in the same way, and contains the same active ingredient, sildenafil.

In terms of how it works, let’s kick off with erections. Erections are caused by blood filling up a sponge-like tissue in the penis called corpus cavernosum (sounds a bit like a spell from Harry Potter, but it’s not).

If the blood supply to the penis isn’t strong enough, it can make it more difficult to get an erection. The active ingredient in Viagra Connect, sildenafil, allows the blood vessels around the penis to expand, and this improves blood flow to it, making it easier for you to get and keep an erection.

What Viagra Connect dosages are there?

It’s available as a 50mg dose only, which is the standard dose for men. Although you’ve not got the same dosage options that you have with Viagra, Viagra Connect is a bit more accessible for some men because it’s a non-prescription treatment.

Viagra vs Viagra Connect: what’s the difference?

Not a lot really. You need a prescription for Viagra, but you can get it in three doses rather than one: 25mg, 50mg and 100mg. So if you’ve started out on the standard 50mg dose and you experience some mild side effects (a blocked-up nose or a headache, for example), our prescriber can reduce your dose of Viagra to 25mg where suitable.

The 25mg dose may be more appropriate for people who have certain medical conditions too, such as diabetes or liver problems, which can make you more prone to Viagra’s side effects.

Some men may find that the 50mg dose of Viagra isn’t strong enough, and that they can’t sustain an erection with it for sex. Our prescriber can increase your dose to 100mg in these circumstances.

So, in essence: there’s a bit more flexibility in terms of dosages with Viagra, but if you find that the standard 50mg dose works well for you, the fact that you don’t need a prescription for Viagra Connect may suit you better.

Even though it’s a non-prescription tablet however, you’ll still need to have a consultation with a pharmacy prescriber before you can use Viagra Connect, to make sure that it’s a safe option for you.

Other than that, both products work in the same way in the body, and it’s just the packaging that will differ slightly.

There’s also a generic version of Viagra Connect called Sildenafil, which is cheaper and works in exactly the same way too.

Page reviewed by:

Dr Daniel Atkinson

GP Clinical Lead

Visit author profile

Last updated 16/07/2021

What you need to know about Viagra Connect

Erectile dysfunction: what is it?

Erectile dysfunction (ED), or impotence, as it’s sometimes known, is when a man isn’t able to get an erection, or an erection that lasts long enough for sex. It’s reckoned that it affects up to about half of all men between the ages of 40 and 70 at some stage in their lives, so it’s more common than you might think.^[1] This number could be even higher still, as many men don’t seek treatment for it.

ED is caused by blood vessels at the base of the penis being too narrow, and so there’s an insufficient blood supply to the penis. It can be triggered by a range of factors, including high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, being overweight, or excessive alcohol and drug use.

It can have a psychological cause too, such as stress, depression and anxiety.

Most men experience it now and again, and it usually sorts itself out. But sometimes, it can persist, and require some treatment to tackle it.

How does Viagra Connect work?

Can I buy Viagra Connect over the counter?

How to buy Viagra Connect online

How to take Viagra Connect

Take one tablet one hour before having sex. You should swallow the tablet whole with water. Viagra Connect is active in the body for up to five hours, giving you plenty of time for sex.

Only take one tablet in any 24 hour period. If you find that Viagra Connect doesn’t work at the first or second time of asking, let your clinician know.

Viagra Connect only works if you’re sexually aroused.

If you experience any side effects, speak to your prescriber. Although it’s rare, some men get an erection that won’t subside. If you have an erection that doesn’t go away after four hours, you should seek emergency medical attention.

Is Viagra Connect effective?

What are the most common Viagra Connect side effects?

Headache is the most commonly reported side effect of Viagra Connect (more than 1 in 10 users are affected) followed by nausea, hot flushes, flushing of the face, stuffy nose, feeling dizzy, indigestion, blurred vision, visual disturbance and a colour tinge to vision.

You can reduce the risks of side effects by following the instructions in the patient information leaflet that comes with your tablet.

If I get side effects, what should I do?

When should I see a doctor?

Viagra vs Viagra Connect: which is better?

One isn’t ‘better’ than the other as such. It’s more a case of finding a dosage that’s effective for you, and that your body responds well to. So if the standard 50mg dose works for you, you may decide that Viagra Connect is slightly more convenient than Viagra, because it’s a pharmacy medication that doesn’t require a prescription. But if you’re more susceptible to side effects, or if you need a stronger dose than 50mg, the 25mg or the 100mg doses are options for you with Viagra.

So it really just depends on you and your body.

What should I do if Viagra Connect doesn't work?

Is Viagra Connect available for women?

Viagra Connect safety info

Before you take Viagra Connect, you should always read the patient information leaflet that comes with your treatment beforehand.

More info

Viagra Connect side effects

Viagra Connect can cause side effects, and isn’t suitable for men with certain medical conditions, or who are taking certain medications.

You should speak to a clinician right away if you experience:

chest pains
loss of sight
an erection that doesn’t subside after 4 hours
an allergic reaction
any skin reactions such as blistering, peeling and swelling, or fever
seizures or fits
any other side effects that concern you

Very common (more than 1 in 10 users):
Headache.

Common (up to 1 in 10 users):
Indigestion, feeling sick, dizziness, blocked up nose, flushing in the face, hot flush, blurred vision, visual disturbance and colour tinge to vision.

Uncommon (up to 1 in 100 users):
Being sick, acid reflux (including heartburn), upper abdominal pain, arm and leg pain, skin rash, tiredness, feeling hot, nosebleed, eye irritation, bloodshot or red eyes, eye pain, seeing flashes of light, sensitivity to light, visual brightness, watery eyes, pounding heartbeat, rapid heartbeat, high blood pressure, low blood pressure, muscular pain, drowsiness, vertigo, ringing in the ears, blocked or stuffy sinuses, blood in urine, inflammation of the lining of the nose.

Rare (up to 1 in 1,000 users):
Dry nose, fainting, swelling inside the nose, irritability, sudden reduction or loss in hearing, sudden cardiac arrest, stroke, heart attack, pains in the chest, reduced blood flow to the brain, irregular heartbeat, tightness in the throat, numbness in the mouth, double vision, bleeding at the back of the eye, reduced sharpness of vision, swollen eye or eyelid, abnormal sensation in the eye, spots in your vision, dilated pupils, seeing halos around lights, discoloration of the whites of the eye, blood in semen, penile bleeding.

Viagra Connect warnings

References

[1] NHS Inform. 2020. Erectile dysfunction (impotence). Available at: https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/sexual-and-reproductive/erectile-dysfunction-impotence [Accessed 22 February 2021].

[2] Wagner, G., Montorsi, F., Auerbach, S., Collins, M. 2001. Sildenafil Citrate (VIAGRA) Improves Erectile Function in Elderly Patients With Erectile Dysfunction: A Subgroup Analysis. Oxford Academic. [online]. The Journals of Gerontology: Series A, Volume 56, Issue 2, 1 February 2001, Pages M113–M119. Available at: https://academic.oup.com/biomedgerontology/article/56/2/M113/563357 [Accessed 22 February 2021].