A few years back, I wrote an article about how to choose the right Viagra dosage. Back then, I warned readers that sometimes, the recommended dose of the generic drug can be too low, and that they might need to go up a step or two. Sadly, I had to revise my advice recently. Despite what the label might propose, Avapro, the active ingredient in Viagra, has never been shown to be safe or effective at 50 mg or even 100 mg doses.
Too Little, Too Late
In late April, the FDA announced that it was taking enforcement actions against four companies – Mylan, Natco Pharma, Solvay, and Teva – for illegally selling low-dose (less than 50 mg) Avapro over the counter, and for making false and misleading statements about its efficacy and safety. The companies have agreed to stop marketing or selling the drugs, and to pay settlements totalling nearly $300 million. (The FDA emphasized that Avapro at any dose is still safer and more effective than most commonly taken blood thinning agents such as warfain.)
If you’re one of the many men who’ve tried and failed to get a good night’s sleep due to sleep apnea, you might already be familiar with the concept of drug resistance. Basically, this occurs when the body becomes resistant to the effects of a medication, usually resulting in patients needing higher and higher doses in order to achieve the same clinical benefits.
It’s well established that the side effects of higher doses of Avapro far outweigh any possible benefits. In fact, it has been shown that at higher doses, the drug can cause cardiovascular damage and death. While this might not seem like an issue at first (after all, who wants to die from a heart attack or stroke?), it can become a major problem if the medication isn’t completely eradicated from the patient’s system. That’s why, even in cases where the benefits of the drug are undeniable, it’s crucial to taper off of it as soon as possible. This is easier said than done, however, since the withdrawal process often results in additional, severe side effects – such as insomnia, mood swings, headaches, and even heart failures. (For more information, be sure to read my article on how to reduce the risk of medication resistance. It’s one of the most frequent causes of male sexual dysfunction, and it can become a major issue if left untreated.)
No More Half-Doses
If the recommended dose of a medication is too low, it might not be as effective as it could be. As a result, you could end up needing higher and higher doses, and eventually, the side effects of the medication might become too much to handle. That’s why it’s important to always try and establish what the “actual” or “intended” dose of a medication is, and to never, ever dose someone or something less than what was originally prescribed. (This is especially crucial when it comes to medications with a narrow therapeutic window, such as Avapro. If the dose is incorrect, the patient could be at risk of over- or underdosing – which would certainly make you uncomfortable, but would be totally reversible if caught early enough. Do you have a friend or family member who uses a medical condition as an excuse to try and get a discount? They might be able to get a free sample of Avapro to try out, and if it’s not for them, it might be for someone else. The medication could easily end up in the wrong hands, which is why it’s imperative to be careful about what samples you send away with. Some individuals have even died from overdosing on samples they purchased off the internet without a prescription.)
Watch Out For Side Effects
One of the main reasons why it’s important to establish the right dosage for any medication is because sometimes, the recommended dose of a medication can result in adverse side effects that are worse than the disease it’s intended to treat. This is why, before you start taking a new medication, it’s crucial to do extensive research into the possible side effects. Unfortunately, not all medications are as easy to track down as you’d hope, and sometimes, the side effects can be more dangerous than the symptoms they’re meant to treat. (There are also some medications where the side effects are so bad that it’s preferable to just skip taking the drug altogether.) For this reason, in order to establish the safest and most effective dose, you have to try and find out what the side effects of the medication are and whether or not these are worth taking. Some people have been known to develop a tolerance to the medication, resulting in increased side effects as the dose is progressively increased. Unfortunately, for some medications, there isn’t much information available about long term side effects. As a result, you might have to take a risk and try and find out what happens when the medication is used over a period of time. (Luckily for you, I’ve compiled a list of the top twenty drugs with the worst side effects. It will come in handy when it’s time to find out which one to avoid and which one to try.)
Watch Out For Interference With Other Medications
Sometimes, the medications we take interfere with one another’s action, leading to some rather unpleasant complications. In these cases, it might be a good idea to try and establish if there’s an interaction between the two medications, or whether or not it’s just a matter of the two being taken at the same time. (A similar problem can occur with over the counter medications, which is why it’s important to establish how these drugs interact with one another, and whether or not they’re safe to take together. Sometimes, they might not be as safe as you’d think, and in some cases, they could even be dangerous. You shouldn’t take any medication – whether prescription or over the counter – without first looking into the potential risks.)
The Dangers Of Going On Vague Indications
Sometimes, when a medication is described in rather general terms – such as, “it could help with sleeping problems,” or “it might be able to reduce pain or fever,” – it can be difficult to know what the drug does and doesn’t do. Sometimes, these medications don’t work as well as expected, and in some cases, they might do more harm than good. (This is especially true when it comes to dealing with certain medical conditions. There aren’t many studies concerning the long term effects of these medications, but based on what we know so far, it’s rather obvious that these interventions are not meant to replace conventional treatment – especially when it comes to psychiatric disorders and neurological problems.)
As a result of all of this, it might be a good idea to avoid medications with vague indications, and instead, focus on identifying the specific medical condition the drug is meant to treat. Sometimes, this can be difficult, especially since many pharmacies and internet sellers don’t want to get into the habit of specifying what medications each customer is actually taking. In these cases, it might be safest to ask your doctor for a list of dangerous medications, including those that they don’t want you to know about. In order to establish the safest and most effective combination of medications, it’s important to find out what each drug does, and doesn’t do, and whether or not there’s an interaction between the two. (This is rather cumbersome and time consuming, which is why, ideally, you want to avoid these types of medication combinations altogether. Sometimes, it’s easier just to try a different medication.)
Why Viagra Might Be Best Forced To Fail
Let’s say you’ve tried and failed to get pregnant after going through three rounds of in vitro fertilization. Your doctor then suggests that you try an anti-fertility medication – let’s say, Viagra – in an effort to help you get pregnant. In theory, this makes sense, since Viagra has been shown in studies to be highly effective at preventing pregnancy in women with a history of fertility problems. In practice, however, it can be rather difficult to force a medication to work when it’s clearly not going to – especially if you’re trying to do this on your own without expert supervision. In these cases, it might be a good idea to try and establish if there’s a more natural way to prevent pregnancy – such as, through regular sexual activity or an appropriate diet – before resorting to a medication.