Can you get Viagra without a prescription or without seeing a doctor?

No — in Australia every erectile dysfunction medicine needs a prescription, so none is sold over the counter. You see a doctor first, who assesses you and checks the medicine is right for you (healthdirect), and the TGA states that sildenafil and tadalafil "can only be supplied to Australians with a prescription" (TGA). The check is there for a reason: sex can put a strain on the heart, so the doctor needs to know you are fit enough for it (Viagra CMI), and about every medicine you take, including any spray or tablet for chest pain (healthdirect). With a prescription, the medicine can be bought from a store-based pharmacy or a reputable online pharmacy (healthdirect). How can I get Viagra without seeing the doctor? and is it possible to buy Viagra over the counter?

How long does Viagra take to kick in, and can you take it every day?

About 30 to 60 minutes, so it is taken about an hour before sex — and never more than once a day. Sildenafil "usually starts working in 30 to 60 minutes", its effects "can last for up to 4 hours", and you should not take more than one tablet in 24 hours (healthdirect). It may take longer after a heavy meal, and it works only if you are sexually excited (Viagra CMI). Tadalafil (Cialis) is taken at least 30–60 minutes before sex and can work for up to 36 hours; a 5 mg tablet once a day is the option for men who expect to use it at least twice a week (Cialis CMI). How long to wait for Viagra to kick in and is it OK to take Viagra every day? How long each tablet lasts is in how well Viagra works, and the doses in how much Viagra to take.

Which is better: Viagra or Cialis, 100 mg or 20 mg?

Neither is better for everyone; the tablets differ mainly in timing. Sildenafil, tadalafil, vardenafil and avanafil have similar efficacy, and the dose-response effects across them are small (Australian Prescriber). 100 mg is the maximum dose of sildenafil and 20 mg the maximum on-demand dose of tadalafil (EMA — Viagra; EMA — Cialis), so "20 mg Cialis or 100 mg Viagra" compares the top dose of each, and the practical difference is up to 4 hours against up to 36. Which tablet suits which situation is on our home page, brand against brand in Viagra vs Cialis vs Kamagra. The single questions: which is better, Cialis or Viagra?, what is the difference between 20 mg Cialis and 100 mg Viagra?, which erectile dysfunction drug is best?, what drug is safest and most effective?, the best pill for erection problems, is Viagra less effective than Stendra? and — Viagra being one brand of sildenafil — is sildenafil as good as Viagra?

Does Viagra work for women?

It is not made for them: the Australian leaflet says "VIAGRA is not for use in women". The Cialis leaflet says tadalafil "is not intended for use by women" (Cialis CMI). Does Viagra work for women? covers what has been studied; the "pink pill" sold as female Viagra is a different medicine — what is the pink pill for women? — and women's questions have their own section, ED medicines and women.

Does Viagra affect blood sugar, and does it work with diabetes?

Neither the Viagra nor the Cialis leaflet lists a change in blood sugar among its side effects. The Viagra leaflet asks you to check with your doctor first if you have diabetes, especially with eye problems, and tadalafil needs no special dosing for people with diabetes (Viagra CMI; Cialis CMI). Diabetes is itself a cause: you are more than twice as likely to have erectile dysfunction if you have it (Healthy Male), and in sildenafil's clinical studies 59% of men with diabetes reported better erections (EMA product information). Does Viagra affect blood sugar? and can erectile dysfunction caused by diabetes be reversed?

Will erectile dysfunction go away on its own?

Sometimes — it can come and go, and occasional problems are common. "Many people have ED at some time in their lives. It can come and go"; occasional problems may not need medical help, but if they continue, see your doctor, because erectile dysfunction is often the first sign of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol (healthdirect). Some men get back to normal erections simply by taking better care of their health (Healthy Male), though sometimes ED can't be completely cured and treatment is what makes sex possible (healthdirect). Is it possible for erectile dysfunction to resolve on its own?, is erectile dysfunction curable? and the treatments in how erectile dysfunction is treated. For living with it meanwhile: how to cope with erectile dysfunction — Healthy Male points out that a satisfying sex life does not depend on penetrative sex, and MensLine Australia answers on 1300 78 99 78, 24 hours a day (healthdirect).

Why does it happen?

The cause can be physical, psychological or both, and it is not always clear (healthdirect). The full answer — blood vessels, nerves, hormones, medicines and stress, and how to tell which is likely yours — is in our guide to erectile dysfunction; single causes, medicine by medicine, in can a medicine or a health problem cause ED? The questions answered in this section: what are the causes of male erectile dysfunction?, what can cause erectile dysfunction? and causes, symptoms and treatment in men.

Can Viagra do you harm?

Its common side effects are usually mild, the serious ones are rare — and one combination is dangerous. Headache, facial flushing, a blocked nose and indigestion are common; vision changes, priapism, sudden hearing loss, dizziness or fainting and allergic reactions are rarer and more severe (healthdirect). Taken with a nitrate for chest pain or with amyl nitrite ("poppers"), it can cause "a sudden drop in your blood pressure that is hard to treat", and an erection lasting more than 4 hours needs "the nearest hospital emergency department" (healthdirect). Can Viagra bring any harm?; every side effect in the side effects of Viagra.

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