What Drugs And Foods Should I Avoid While Taking Cialis (Tadalafil)
When you start using Cialis, also known as Tadalafil, you need to be aware of possible interactions. Asking the question “What drugs and foods should I avoid while taking Cialis (Tadalafil)?” is a valid undertaking.
But first you need to understand why this drug is prescribed. Erectile dysfunction is a common problem men suffer especially later in their life. The best treatment for this problem is Tadalafil which is a vasodilator with long-acting effect. Knowing the way it works and how it affects your erection can shed more light on knowing what drugs or food you need to avoid.
Tadalafil is classified as a PDE-5 Inhibitor, drugs like this specifically work on PDE-5 which is an enzyme present in the walls of blood vessels. It suspends the enzyme so that the muscles of the vessels can relax and dilate the arteries. This makes it possible for an erection to occur.
Drugs and foods that may mimic the way this medication works or that can prevent it from gaining access to the enzyme PDE-5 are what you may need to avoid as you treat erectile dysfunction with Tadalafil.
Erectile Dysfunction And Tadalafil
Tadalafil is often prescribed for men who fail to get an erection during sex or those who get weak erections that cannot support penetration of their partner. This medication is expected to increase the flow of blood to the penis so that it can get hard.
The efficacy of this drug may depend on different things. First of all, the cause of erectile dysfunction needs to be established. Some men fail to get an erection because they are just stressed or they are angry with their partner. In such cases, Tadalafil is not the best option.
On the other hand, a man who because of old age or smoking a lot may have developed hardened arteries, can fail to get an erection because the arteries are not letting through enough blood. This is when Tadalafil is likely to help treat the condition.
The amount of the drug can vary according to the patient’s condition. Some men need more of the drug than others. The different doses recommended for ED include 5mg to 20 Mg.
Patients with erectile dysfunction may use the medication when they are going to have sex, or they may use lower doses as daily treatment. The physician determines the best dose and at times this is done by starting with a low dose and seeing how the patient reacts to the dose.
In the end, a man with erectile dysfunction should be able to get a hardon 30 minutes after taking the medication and they will remain potent for 36 hours before they might need another dose to get hard again.
Drugs You Should Avoid While Taking Tadalafil
There are probably over 100 possible interactions with Tadalafil. The majority of them are drugs. If you are treating another condition other than erectile dysfunction, it helps to know if the medication you are taking might cause interactions. Here are some commonly used medications that might cause interactions.
Angina Drugs (Nitrates):
These are also vasodilators. Taking them along with Tadalafil will cause increased drop in blood pressure. It is life threatening if your blood pressure drops too low. One of the symptoms of low blood pressure is feeling light headed. Eventually you could pass-out.
Certain Hiv Drugs:
Some HIV drugs have the ability to increase the strength of Tadalafil by more than double. A person taking Ritonavir to treat HIV should not take more than 10 mg of Tadalafil within 72 hours. Some of the results of doing so include a prolonged erection, loss of consciousness, sudden blindness and other serious side effects akin to overdosing on Cialis.
High Blood Pressure Or Prostate Drugs (Alpha-Blockers):
This is another interaction that can result in an overdose. High blood pressure medication lowers blood pressure and the same applies to Tadalafil. Mixing the two drugs would cause too much nitric oxide in the body.
Stomach Acid Drugs:
These medicines are known to hinder the absorption of Tadalafil in the stomach. Do not take this medication too close to the time when you are taking medication for ED.
Epilepsy Drugs:
The amount of ED medication you take can be reduced when you mix it with epilepsy drugs. You will not get the full effect intended to give you a strong erection.
Antibiotics:
You need to talk with the doctor about the kind of antibiotics you can take. Some antibiotics increase the effect of Tadalafil and you may experience more severe side effects.
Other Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (Pah) Drugs:
Note that Tadalafil is also used to treat pulmonary hypertension. This means that drugs that do the same thing would be an overdose if you took them along with this one. Talk to your doctor if you are already undergoing treatment for pulmonary Hypertension.
Other Erectile Dysfunction (Ed) Drugs:
If you are already treating ED with other medications, you should not start on any other drug that contains Tadalafil. The mixture will become an overdose that can threaten your health.
Oral Antifungal Drugs:
Stay away from these as they are known to increase the strength of most oral ED drugs. You can end up experiencing strong side effects of Tadalafil if you mix the drugs.
Foods You Should Avoid While Taking Tadalafil
Your doctor may give you a detailed list of certain foods that you should avoid especially when you are on a particular dose. Grape fruit is likely to be one of the first foods you will be warned against taking while you are treating ED. This fruit, whether eaten or drunk, can cause serious side effects. The fruit contains nitrates and these will cause vasodilation just like Tadalafil.
You should also be cautious about eating junk food. Most junk food contains a lot of fat. These fats can line the stomach walls and reduce the absorption of Tadalafil. You will therefore not get the full effect of the medication.
Conclusion
Tadalafil is a proven drug for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. However, care needs to be taken when using this medication. Mixing it with certain drugs can cause failed treatment or reactions that cause more problems. Talk to the physician for detailed instructions about what to avoid while dealing with ED.
