Tadalafil

• In Aotearoa New Zealand tadalafil is available as tablets (5 mg, 10 mg and 20 mg).
• Tadalafil can be taken either on-demand (before sex) or every day. Your doctor can advise if everyday treatment is best for you.
• Always take your tadalafil exactly as your doctor has told you. The pharmacy label on your medicine will tell you how much tadalafil to take, how often to take it and any special instructions.

• For the ‘on-demand’ dose, 10 mg or 20 mg should be taken at least 30 minutes before you plan to have sex (it may still work 36 hours later). Do not take more than one dose in 24 hours.
• The everyday dose is 5 mg or 2.5 mg once a day. The once-daily dosing is for people who have sex more than twice weekly. It will cause an erection whenever sexually stimulated. Tadalafil must be taken everyday and for up to 1 week for a full effect.
• Swallow the tablet whole with a full glass of water. Do not take with grapefruit or orange juice.
• You can take it with or without food.
• Alcohol: Avoid excessive alcohol as it can lessen the sexual response.
• Effectiveness: PDE5 inhibitors do not work for everyone – about a third of men don't see an improvement. Many men need to try the medication a few (6–8) times before it works. If you don't have any improvement, do not increase your dose. Instead talk to your doctor as there may be other treatment options.

Tadalafil is available on prescription from your doctor. It is not funded in Aotearoa New Zealand. None of the PDE5 inhibitor medications are funded in New Zealand for general erectile dysfunction. You cannot buy tadalafil from a Pharmacy.

• Have you ever had a stroke?
• Do you have any heart or blood pressure problems?
• Do you have an eye problem called optic neuropathy?
• Do you have leukaemia (cancer of the blood cells) or multiple myeloma (a cancer of the bone marrow)?
• Do you have sickle cell disease?
• Do you have any disease or deformity of your penis?
• Do you have kidney or liver problems?
• Are you taking any other medicines including alpha blocker medicine (such as doxazosin, terazosin, prazosin)?
• Are you taking any over-the-counter and complementary medicines, eg, vitamins, minerals, herbal or naturopathic medicines?

If you have answered yes to any of these questions, it’s important that you tell your doctor or pharmacist before you take tadalafil. Sometimes a medicine isn’t suitable for a person with certain conditions, or it can only be used with extra care.

Like all medicines, tadalafil can cause side effects, but not everyone gets them. Often side effects improve as your body gets used to the new medicine.