Common Side Effects of Generic Tadalafil Use

Put simply, one of the biggest differences between Cialis and tadalafil is branding.

Interaction	Description	Risk Level	Notes
Nitrates	Severe hypotension risk	High	Avoid combination
Alpha-blockers	Can cause blood pressure drop	Moderate	Use with caution
CYP3A4 Inhibitors	Increased Tadalafil levels	Moderate	Adjust dosage

Two names exist because Cialis is a trademark of the drug manufacturer Eli Lilly and Company. Though tadalafil was approved by the FDA in 2003 and sold exclusively as Cialis by Eli Lilly, the patent expired in 2018.

Year	Total Cialis Sales (Million USD)	Generics Sales (Million USD)	Market Share of Generics (%)
2017	400	50	12.5
2019	380	150	39.5
2023	350	200	57.1

This allowed other companies to begin selling the generic drug.

• Generic Cialis can be prescribed by a healthcare professional for ED.
• The onset of action for generic and brand Cialis is generally the same.
• Generic Cialis offers a discreet and affordable treatment option.
• The availability of generics is part of healthcare efforts to lower costs.

As of 2024, neither tadalafil nor Cialis is available as an over-the-counter drug. Whether you take the brand-name medication or the generic version, your dosage will be the same.

• The patent for Cialis expired in 2018, allowing generics on the market.
• Many online pharmacies sell generic Cialis, but check for reputable sources.
• Generic Cialis is often available in the same dosages as the brand.
• Insurance plans may cover generic Cialis to reduce out-of-pocket costs.

Treating ED and treating benign prostatic hyperplasia require different tadalafil dosages.

Safety and Considerations

Cialis and tadalafil are typically taken daily for BPH treatment or right before sexual activity for ED — but you can take them daily for ED as well. Daily Cialis and as-needed tadalafil before sex are similarly effective for treating ED, according to a 2017 review. If you’re wondering about differences cheap cialis canada online in effectiveness between tadalafil and Cialis, there are none. Since their chemical content is identical, any study on the efficacy of tadalafil can also be considered a study on Cialis. That’s because generic medications are required to be the same as their brand-name drugs in dosage, efficacy, strength, and safety, as well as how the medication is taken. For BPH, tadalafil is prescribed at a daily lower dose of 5 milligrams (mg). A higher Cialis dosage — usually 10 milligrams — is used for the treatment of erectile dysfunction as needed before sex.

Product	Dosage	Quantity + Bonus	Price
Cialis Black	80mg	360 + 20 Pills	639.78€ 609.31€	Buy
Cialis Generic	10mg	60 + 6 Pills	105.81€ 100.77€	Buy
Cialis Generic	40mg	10 Pills	37.79€ 35.99€	Buy
Cialis Professional	20mg	180 + 4 Pills	423.11€ 402.96€	Buy
Cialis Generic	5mg	20 Pills	41.99€ 39.99€	Buy
Cialis Professional	40mg	180 + 4 Pills	618.23€ 588.79€	Buy
Cialis Generic	2.5mg	120 + 6 Pills	128.93€ 122.79€	Buy
Cialis Generic	5mg	90 + 6 Pills	115.91€ 110.39€	Buy
Cialis Professional	20mg	270 + 6 Pills	623.07€ 593.40€	Buy
Cialis Black	80mg	60 + 4 Pills	150.98€ 143.79€	Buy
Cialis Generic	5mg	60 + 4 Pills	86.02€ 81.92€	Buy
Cialis Generic	60mg	30 + 2 Pills	85.33€ 81.27€	Buy
Cialis Generic	60mg	270 + 10 Pills	443.96€ 422.82€	Buy
Cialis Black	80mg	120 + 8 Pills	264.77€ 252.16€	Buy
Cialis Original	20mg	120 + 8 Pills	497.29€ 473.61€	Buy
Cialis Generic	20mg	60 + 6 Pills	117.76€ 112.15€	Buy
Cialis Black	80mg	90 + 6 Pills	207.88€ 197.98€	Buy

A 20-milligram Cialis dose can also be used as needed for erectile dysfunction. A daily 5 milligram dose can be used for erectile dysfunction for guys with more frequent or more spontaneous needs.

• Generic Cialis is produced following strict quality control procedures.
• The bioavailability of generic Cialis is proven to match the original.
• Pharmacists can help verify if a generic Cialis meets regulatory standards.
• Generic versions improve medication affordability and compliance.

While generic drugs have the same benefits as their brand-name counterparts, they also have the same possible risks, drug interactions, and side effects.

• Patent laws protect branded Cialis until they expire, enabling generics afterward.
• The efficacy and safety of generic Cialis are supported by extensive research.
• Patients with prescriptions can often opt for generic Cialis for savings.
• Regulations ensure that generic Cialis must be therapeutically equivalent to original.

Any medication, brand name or generic, can cause side effects.

Tadalafil (generic Cialis®)

Engel likes to analogize erectile dysfunction to a roller coaster. Typically, there is a slow movement toward ED. However, once erectile dysfunction begins interfering with sexual activity, it is a downward slope that generally cannot be reversed. Erectile dysfunction medications help improve blood flow to the penis at least transiently. However, the underlying vascular issues associated with ED typically worsen with age, and there’s simply nothing we can do about it.

Dosage forms

As such, eventually, these drugs will no longer offer satisfying erections, at which point we need to consider further treatments, including injections or penile prostheses (implants). While both drugs offer about the same quality of erection, slightly more men achieved a satisfactory erection with sildenafil, according to a study.¹ However, as mentioned above, tadalafil remains in the bloodstream longer and, in the same study, was preferred by more men, probably for that reason. With generic prices as low as they are, Dr. Engel believes that there is no single erectile dysfunction drug that should be prescribed to every patient. As mentioned above, each drug has its unique benefit and risk profile, which should be discussed during your consultation.

Can Cialis be used to treat ED after prostate surgery?

With prices as they are, most patients can safely order both sildenafil and tadalafil to see which works best for them. Of course, if you experience any side effects with either drug, stop and switch to the other medication. If the side effects are severe or long-lasting, seek prompt medical attention. Be ready for sex whenever you're in the mood Dealing with erectile dysfunction (ED) can be, well, hard — just ask the 30 million affected men in the United States. But choosing the right treatment can be even harder, which brings us to tadalafil versus Cialis®. If you’re taking these medications for ED, you may want to be on the lookout for the common side effects of Cialis: And while a prolonged erection may sound like a dream come true, no erection should last more than four hours. If your erection is sticking around past this timeline (a condition called priapism), seek medical advice from a healthcare professional immediately. You should also be aware of potential drug interactions between tadalafil and other medications, supplements, or even some foods.

Comparing Drug Interactions

If you’ve been exploring ED medications, you’ve likely come across Cialis and the generic drug tadalafil. Both are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and routinely prescribed for ED. Here, we’ll answer all your questions about tadalafil versus Cialis, starting with: Is tadalafil the same as Cialis? Cialis and tadalafil are basically the same medication, as tadalafil is the active ingredient in Cialis.

Will Cialis help me keep an erection after ejaculating?

They’re equally effective in treating erectile dysfunction, last the same amount of time, and carry the same risk of side effects. The main difference is that Cialis is a brand name, which usually makes it more expensive than its generic version, tadalafil. Both tadalafil and Cialis belong to a class of drugs called phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors (PDE5 inhibitors), which were initially developed to treat hypertension (high blood pressure). These drugs block the PDE5 enzyme, widening blood vessels and improving blood flow to the penis with sexual stimulation. This results in firmer, longer-lasting erections, no matter what’s causing ED symptoms.

Tadalafil may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:

After all, many factors contribute to erectile dysfunction, including: Tadalafil and Cialis are ED pills that can be taken daily or just before sex to improve erectile function, regardless of whether your ED is mental or physical. Although tadalafil received FDA approval later than similar ED medications, its ability to be taken daily or on-demand quickly made it a popular choice. Another unique aspect is tadalafil’s duration. The medication can support erections for up to 36 hours, much longer than other PDE5 inhibitors like sildenafil citrate (Viagra®), vardenafil (Levitra®), or avanafil (Stendra®). It can be prescribed for ED or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) — also known as enlarged prostate. These can increase your risk of experiencing serious side effects or affect how well the medication works.

Country	Patent Status	Generic Approval Year	Legal for Sale?
USA	Patent expired	2017	Yes
India	Not patent protected	2015	Yes
Japan	Patent protected	N/A	No

Besides their names (and the boxes they come in), another big difference between the two is the price.

How It Is Used

Both drugs take approximately 30 to 60 minutes to begin working and allow patients to achieve the erection they expect. Peak concentration in the blood is reached after two hours for tadalafil and about one hour for sildenafil. As such, we always suggest taking medication about an hour or two before sexual activity. The time it takes for the drug to function will vary between patients, so use prior experience as a guide. Of note, sildenafil, a generic Viagra, can be somewhat inhibited after eating a large meal containing fatty foods, and this is not a concern with tadalafil (generic Cialis).

What should I do if I accidentally use too much tadalafil?

We often suggest sildenafil for married couples or long-term partners with a more predictable sex life. Cialis may be more appropriate for patients who are dating, as the big meals often associated with early dating can cause sildenafil to be less effective. Regarding which medication allows an erection to last longer, the clear winner is tadalafil. Sildenafil remains effective for four to six hours, while tadalafil will enable patients to achieve erections up to 36 hours after ingestion, an effect usually seen in younger patients or lesser degrees of ED. In both cases, the drug does not increase desire, instead allowing for a better erection when the desire is present.

Off-label use for Cialis

As with any medication, side effects are associated with both sildenafil and tadalafil. Generally, however, both drugs are well tolerated and have few severe side effects. Patients taking sildenafil may experience headaches, nausea, flushing, stuffy nose, and on occasion, indigestion, or dizziness. Patients may also develop a blue hue to their vision. Most of these side effects are transient and will disappear after stopping the drug. Generic medicines typically cost less than brand-name drugs because generic versions don’t have to repeat the costly studies required to prove safety and efficacy. The cost of tadalafil can vary depending on the dosage you use.

How Effective Is Cialis?

Loss of vision is a potentially severe side effect of sildenafil in certain very rare clinical situations, and you should stop the drug and get medical help immediately if this occurs, as this can, in very rare cases, lead to permanent blindness. Patients with certain eye problems, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases (high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes), and smokers may be at higher risk. Patients taking tadalafil have a slightly different side effect profile. Like sildenafil, tadalafil can cause headaches, indigestion, and nasal congestion. However, tadalafil can also cause unique symptoms like back pain, cough, and upper respiratory tract infections.

Are they approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration)?

Interestingly, while both drugs have side effects, recent studies have shown that they may reduce the risk of early death from heart disease by up to 25%. This does not make them a treatment for heart disease, nor does it replace any therapies you may currently be taking for cardiovascular issues. Both drugs have a relatively mild risk profile. It is worth noting that any side effects experienced from tadalafil will typically last longer because the drug remains in the bloodstream significantly longer than sildenafil. If you’ve been prescribed ED medication in the past, or if you are looking for a prescription now, you will undoubtedly be asked whether you take nitrates.

Side effect details

Nitrates like nitroglycerin can cause a sudden drop in blood pressure and even lead to heart attack or stroke. Patients on nitroglycerin typically have serious cardiovascular issues that make taking ED medication risky in the first place. Patients taking recreational “poppers,” including amyl nitrate, amyl nitrite, and butyl nitrate, should not cheap cialis 80mg take ED medication. Speak to your doctor or pharmacist about other drug interactions to ensure safety when taking your ED meds. Dr.