Adderall doesn’t directly affect blood flow to the penis. But it can produce an emotional climate that doesn’t mesh well with sexual feelings. A man considering taking Adderall or a similar drug doesn’t need to worry that it will affect the hydraulics of his erections. But he should be aware that emotional effects of the drug can indirectly affect his sex drive, and this can cause a self-reinforcing cycle of problems. It can also lead to relationship problems if not understood properly.
I Was Diagnosed with ADHD and Take Adderall Can That Be Causing My Erectile Dysfunction?
In the United States, nearly 10% of children from age three to 17 are diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD. The disorder causes people to have difficulty controlling impulsive behavior and concentrating and can cause kids to have trouble in school.
ADHD is more than the typical childhood fidgetiness, and many children (around 60%) who are diagnosed with ADHD as children continue to experience symptoms as adults.
ADHD can affect adults as well as children.
Stimulant medications are, perhaps counterintuitively, prescribed to treat ADHD. In many people, stimulants like Adderall and Ritalin have the effect of helping with focus, reducing fidgeting, and curbing impulsive behavior. For this reason, drugs prescribed for ADHD have made it to the black market and are regularly abused, particularly on college campuses.
Like any drugs, Adderall and Ritalin have side effects, some of which can be serious. An overdose can result in cardiac arrest, but the more common side effects of anxiety and transient depression (when “coming down” from the drug) can be plenty bothersome. ADHD medications like Ritalin and Adderall are addictive and are controlled substances.
This is supposed to mean that use of them is closely monitored by physicians, but in reality, people play fast and loose with ADHD drugs all the time. One side effect people don’t talk about much is erectile dysfunction.
For the last 18 months, I have struggled with recurring bouts of deep depression. During this period, it’s been all but impossible for me to get an erection. Is Viagra likely to help?
Depression can be caused by a wide array of factors, including an inability to function normally sexually. If for example, that is the specific cause of your depression, Viagra might help. However, for most cases of ED that are psychological in origin, PDE5 inhibitors are not the answer.
You’ll need psychological counseling to get to the root of your depression. Once you’ve confronted whatever demons may be causing your depression, you likely will be able to regain normal sexual function.
And you probably will be able to do it without needing pharmaceutical help. However, you should be aware that many of the medications prescribed for the treatment of depression interfere with normal sexual function and don’t work well with Viagra either. Ask your doctor or psychiatrist to prescribe an antidepressant that’s not known to interfere with erectile function.
Why do men choose Staxyn over Levitra?
The main reason is convenience. Since Staxyn is designed to dissolve, users don’t have to worry about having access to something to drink or a water fountain in order to take it. This may make a little more sexual spontaneity possible than traditional tablets.
What is Staxyn and How Does it Work for Erectile Dysfunction?
In June of 2010, GlaxoSmithKline and Merck & Co., Inc. announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Staxyn as a treatment option for erectile dysfunction. The drug became available later that year. The active ingredient in Staxyn is vardenafil HCl, the same as the active ingredient in Levitra. Staxyn, however, is an orally disintegrating tablet that the user places under the tongue. It dissolves without the necessity of drinking water.
Staxyn contains the ingredient in Levitra, with a different delivery system.
Like Levitra, Staxyn belongs to the class of drugs known as PDE-5 inhibitors. Each orally-disintegrating tablet of Staxyn contains a 10-mg dose of the active ingredient, along with inactive ingredients and flavorings that make it palatable.
What side effects are possible with Staxyn?
The side effect profile of Staxyn is similar to that of Levitra. Less serious side effects that have been reported include a feeling of warmth or redness in the face, chest, or neck, runny or stuffy nose, headache, upset stomach, or back pain.
The most serious side effects are typically signs of an allergic reaction like hives, swelling of the face, tongue, lips, and throat, or difficulty breathing. This is an emergency and requires emergency treatment. Likewise, dizziness, numbness, or tingling in the chest, arms, neck, or jaw should be investigated right away.
Serious side effects that are not necessarily medical emergencies include vision changes, sudden hearing loss or ringing in the ears. If these occur, contact your doctor. You may or may not need emergency treatment.
I know that Viagra is called a PDE5 inhibitor, but I have no idea what that really means. How do drugs of that type work and, more importantly, will Viagra work for me?
Sildenafil citrate, the active ingredient in Cialis, belongs to a family of medications known collectively as PDE5 inhibitors. They are so called because they are able to temporarily sideline an enzyme known as phosphodiesterase-5, which can interfere with blood flow to the penis.
Erections originate in the brain when that organ detects feelings of sexual desire or physical stimuli to the male genitals or other erogenous zones. When the brain receives such signals, it releases a flood of nitric oxide coursing toward the pelvic region, setting off secondary chemical reactions as it goes. One of those reactions triggers the synthesis of a substance known as cyclic guanosine monophosphate or cGMP.
The cGMP, in turn, signals the smooth muscle tissue lining the arteries that supply the penis to relax, and as they do, blood flow through those vessels increases sharply. Once the spongy erectile tissue of the penis has been filled with blood, erection is achieved. To ensure that the erection lasts until sexual activity is complete, the cGMP signals the veins that carry blood away from the penis to constrict, trapping blood in the penis and sustaining the erection.
One of the primary tasks of the PDE5 enzyme is to break down cGMP, which isn’t a serious problem in men with robust vascular systems because more cGMP is created to take its place. However, in men whose vascular systems are already compromised, the PDE5 can overwhelm the cGMP and sabotage the erection. PDE5 inhibitors hold the PDE5 enzyme at bay for four to 36 hours, allowing a window of opportunity for an erection to occur and sexual activity to be completed.
As previously noted, Viagra and the other PDE5 inhibitors are designed primarily to help men suffering from erectile dysfunction caused by insufficient blood flow to the penis, the single largest cause of ED. If your symptoms of ED are psychological in origin or caused by traumatic or congenital damage to your genitals, Viagra might be of little help.
How long does it take for Staxyn to become effective?
Most men find that Staxyn becomes effective in about 15 minutes. That’s faster than the action of traditional Levitra, Viagra, and Cialis. Because it dissolves under the tongue, Staxyn can enter the bloodstream faster than a regular tablet. Still, however, doctors advise taking Staxyn one-half to one hour before sexual activity.
How long do the effects of Staxyn last?
A single dose of Staxyn is designed to last around six hours. However, if you take Staxyn and end up with an erection that lasts longer than four hours, it’s a medical emergency and you need to seek treatment immediately, or you risk permanent damage.
Staxyn can still be effective six or more hours after it’s taken.
What’s the active ingredient in Viagra?
Viagra’s active ingredient is sildenafil citrate, a chemical compound that was first synthesized by pharmaceutical scientists working at a Pfizer research facility in Sandwich, England. It’s a member of the family of drugs known as PDE5 inhibitors, which help to temporarily improve blood flow to the penis.
What’s the active ingredient in Viagra?
Viagra’s active ingredient is sildenafil citrate, a chemical compound that was first synthesized by pharmaceutical scientists working at a Pfizer research facility in Sandwich, England. It’s a member of the family of drugs known as PDE5 inhibitors, which help to temporarily improve blood flow to the penis.