Viagra Connect (branded Sildenafil)

Take one tablet 1 hour before sex. Works best on an empty stomach. Effects can last for up to 4 hours. Never take more than one tablet within 24hrs. Alcohol will limit Viagra Connect's effectiveness. Do not combine Viagra Connect with other ED medicines.

Viagra Connect's active ingredient (sildenafil citrate) increases blood flow to the penis. It enables a firmer, longer-lasting erection if you are sexually aroused.

The treatment will not resolve the underlying physical cause of your ED or increase your sexual desire.

Side effects are uncommon, but can include Viagra Connect side effects can include:

• nausea
• vomiting
• back pain
• diarrhoea
• allergic rash

Some men also experience facial flushing, headaches, light headedness, nasal congestion, indigestion, palpitations (racing heartbeat), and blurred vision.

For full information on side effects and correct use, see the patient information leaflet.

Viagra Connect treats ED in around two thirds of cases. If you have eaten a large meal or drunk more than 1-2 units of alcohol, you may find it is less effective.

We advise trying an ED treatment 8 times before giving up, considering a higher dose, or seeking an alternative.

Viagra Connect stays active in the body for up to 4 hours.

The only available dose is 50mg. If you require a higher (100mg) or lower (25mg) dose, you can try Sildenafil or Viagra, which contain the same active ingredient. Your age, height, weight, and the severity and cause of your ED will affect which dose is suitable.

Higher doses come with an increased chance of developing side effects.

Viagra and Viagra Connect have the same active ingredient and therefore work in the same way to treat ED. The only difference is that you do not need a prescription to obtain Viagra Connect. 

If you are taking alpha-blockers (such as doxazosin or tamsulosin), you should wait at least 6 hours between taking those and taking Viagra Connect.

You will be unsuitable for Viagra Connect if you are taking nicorandil or nitrates, such as GTN spray or isosorbide mononitrate tablets to treat angina.

It is important that you let us know which prescription, over-the-counter medicines and recreational drugs you are taking so that we can prescribe Viagra Connect safely.

Some men find counselling helpful as a means of exploring and treating psychological causes of ED.

If Viagra Connect does not work for you, contact us via your Patient Record so that we can discuss your treatment options. View all our ED treatments.

Viagra Connect offers a more convenient way to access the ED treatment, since there is no need for a prescription. In November 2017 the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) ruled that 50mg coated Sildenafil tablets were to be reclassified as a ‘P medicine’, meaning you do not need a prescription to get them. P medicines can only be issued after answering certain health questions to ensure they are safe to take. 

It was also thought that making an ED treatment like Viagra Connect so widely would cut down Viagra sales from unlicensed online ‘pharmacies’. 

You can request and pay for Viagra Connect online, however you will have to answer some questions before that request is approved. This is to ensure you are safe to take the treatment. 

Unlike Viagra or Sildenafil, you do not need a prescription for Viagra Connect. So you can go into selected pharmacies to get Viagra Connect. You will be asked to fill out a questionnaire either online or in-store to confirm your suitability for the treatment. 

To reorder Viagra Connect, go to your Patient Record and select ‘reorder’. You will be required to fill in the online questionnaire each time you reorder.