Viagra Connect is an over-the-counter treatment for erectile dysfunction, and works for 74% of men who try it. It’s a pill that you can take once a day, ideally one hour before you want to have sex.

How does Viagra Connect work?

Viagra Connect works the same way as regular Viagra. It improves blood flow to your penis, making it easier for you to get an erection that’s hard enough for sex. Viagra Connect doesn’t force you to get an erection, it works by helping you to get an erection when you’re sexually aroused.

How long does Viagra Connect last?

• Viagra Connect starts working within an hour after you take it
• Viagra Connect normally lasts around 4 to 6 hours
• Viagra Connect may take longer to work if you eat a heavy meal or drink beforehand

Does Viagra Connect help you last longer in bed?

Like Viagra, Viagra Connect will only help you last longer in bed if you’re losing your erections partway through having sex.

Viagra Connect won’t help you last longer in bed if you’re ejaculating faster than you want to. If this is the case, you might want to think about getting premature ejaculation treatment.

Is Viagra Connect safe?

As long as you’ve completed an assessment and a doctor or pharmacist agrees you can take Viagra Connect then it should be safe for you to use.

Viagra Connect may not be safe if you take it without a doctor or pharmacists approval, and it can be dangerous for people with certain pre-existing health conditions or people who are taking other medications or illegal drugs. Viagra Connect can also cause side effects for some people.

See our Viagra Connect safety information section below for more details.

How to take Viagra Connect

Taking Viagra Connect is easy, just like any other tablet you swallow:

• Before taking Viagra Connect, read the patient information leaflet that comes with your medication
• Take Viagra Connect one hour before you want to have sex
• Swallow your tablet whole, with water if needed
• Do not take Viagra Connect more than once every 24 hours
• For the best results, avoid eating heavy meals or drinking alcohol before using Viagra Connect
• You may need to take Viagra Connect on up to 8 different days before you see the full effect

What dosages of Viagra Connect are there?

• Viagra Connect only comes in one dosage, 50mg
• If this dosage doesn’t work for you, you might be able to try a different dose of regular Viagra or Sildenafil, or you can try another medication
• Make sure to check with a doctor before switching the dosage of any medication

Viagra Connect is an effective treatment, but it doesn’t work for everyone:

• Viagra Connect works for 74% of men who try it
• Viagra has a rating of 8.7 out of 10 for erectile dysfunction treatment according to user reviews on drugs.com
• On average, patients who used Superdrug Online Doctor to order Viagra Connect treatment rate it 4.6 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot.com

Viagra Connect can cause some side effects and it may react with other medication you’re taking. For full safety information, please read the patient information leaflet that comes with your medication.

Side effects of Viagra Connect

Less than 2% of people appear to get side effects when taking Sildenafil medications like Viagra Connect. If you do get side effects they are likely to be mild, but you should still talk to your doctor.

The most common side effects of Viagra Connect include:

• headaches
• feeling sick (nausea)
• indigestion
• blocked or stuffy nose
• feeling dizzy
• suddenly feeling hot (flushes)
• changes to your sight (seeing colours and things looking blurry)

Less common side effects include:

• being sick (vomiting)
• stomach, chest, arms, leg or muscle pains
• trouble breathing
• parts of your face swelling up
• heartburn
• rashes
• nosebleeds
• tiredness
• bloodshot, irritated, red, watery or painful eyes
• sensitivity to light or seeing flashes of light and brightness
• increased heartbeat
• high or low blood pressure
• reduced sense of touch
• vertigo
• ringing in your ears
• dry mouth
• runny nose and sneezing
• blood in your pee

Rare side effects include:

• fainting
• swelling inside the nose
• feeling irritable
• skin reactions including peeling, swelling and blistering
• fever
• fits (seizures)
• an erection that lasts over 4 hours and is painful
• severe problems with eyes and eyesight
• loss of sight or hearing
• stroke
• irregular heartbeat
• heart attack
• tightening in the throat
• numb mouth
• bleeding from the penis
• blood in your sperm

Drug interactions

You should not take Viagra Connect if you’re already taking:

• nitrates such as glyceryl trinitrate, isosorbide mononitrate, isosorbide dinitrate
• nitric oxide donors such as amyl nitrite (“poppers”) nicorandil or sodium nitroprusside
• riociguat or other guanylate cyclase stimulators
• ritonavir

Make sure to tell your doctor or pharmacist if you’re already using:

• any other treatment for erectile dysfunction
• alpha-blockers such as alfuzosin, doxazosin or tamsulosin
• protease inhibitors (saquinavir)
• cimetidine
• medication used to treat fungal infections such as itraconazole or ketoconazole
• an antibiotic called erythromycin

Pre-existing conditions

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you want to take Viagra Connect and you:

• get breathless or have any chest pain when doing light activities
• have been told by your doctor to avoid sex
• have any heart problems
• have ever had a loss of sight because of damage to the optic nerve such as non-arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy (NAION)
• have an inherited eye disease (such as retinitis pigmentosa)
• have low or high blood pressure
• have liver or kidney problems
• have any disease or deformity of your penis such as Peyronie’s Disease
• have ever had long and painful erections
• have a stomach ulcer or bleeding disorder
• are under 18 years of age