Viagra Stopped Working? Compounded Alternatives May Help

Erectile dysfunction is one of the most commonly diagnosed sexual function problems that affect men. Research indicates that ED affects as many as 30 million men in the United States, even though the condition may be underreported because a lot of men hesitate to speak with their care provider when they have an issue.

In order to be diagnosed with ED, you must have an issue maintaining an erection long enough to participate in satisfactory sexual activity with a partner. Usually, a doctor will discuss things like:

• If you have problems getting an erection all the time or just periodically

• If you can get an erection, but simply can't maintain it

• If you always have a problem getting an erection

The doctor will also look at several aspects of your health that could interfere with sexual function. For example, some medications can be linked to erectile dysfunction, such as Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs), which are commonly prescribed for depression. Likewise, a number of unattended or untreated medical conditions may lead to problems with penile function, such as diabetes and heart disease.

Viagra is a phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE-5) inhibitor. When you get aroused, a chemical is released by your body that opens up the blood vessels found in your penis. This chemical, referred to as cyclic GMP, starts to break down when the brain and body believe that the erection is no longer needed. The GMP is broken down by PDE5, so the blood vessels return to their normal state and the erection subsides.

Viagra, as a PDE-5 inhibitor, prohibits PDE5 from breaking down the GMP. Therefore, blood flow can still fill the relaxed and widened vessels in the penis, so you maintain an erection. The medication tends to start working in about 30 minutes, if it is going to work, and you may have an erection for a few hours after consumption.

Viagra is purely a chemical that is inhibiting biological chemicals in your body, so it does not do anything for arousal. However, if the penis is functioning as it should, even without psychological arousal, some men find boosted sexual confidence and arousal is a natural secondary reaction.

Drugs like Viagra should produce an erection within a few hours. If you don't have an erection within four hours, there is a chance the medication is not going to work. It's extremely important that you don't take a double dose in an effort to get an erection; you should wait a full 24 hours before trying again.

Viagra doesn't produce desirable results for every man, which is to be expected, because not every man is going to be dealing with the same issues when it comes to ED. The medication's efficacy can vary depending on different conditions. Here is a look at effectiveness for men with certain conditions:

• 57% of men with diabetes-related ED saw improvement

• 83% of men with a spinal cord injury saw improvement

• 43% of men saw improvement after prostate removal

• 84% of men with psychological causes saw improvement

So, the research does indicate that not every man who takes Viagra will experience improvement. Further, some men find the effectiveness to wane after taking Viagra continuously for some time.

If Viagra stopped working for you or has never delivered substantial results, it may be best to consider something beyond a PDE-5-inhibitor type drug. A handful of medications that are available through a compounding pharmacy have been shown to help men with ED achieve an erection.

Bremelanotide or PT-141 is a cyclic heptapeptide melanocortin analogue, which is most often prescribed in an injectable form to treat hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) in women. However, the medication can be compounded as an intranasal spray that may be helpful for men who have problems getting or maintaining an erection.

In a study of 342 men with erectile dysfunction who did not respond to sildenafil, intranasal bremelanotide worked for 33 percent of participants. Further, those in the group receiving bremelanotide also reported significant increases in how satisfied they were with sexual intercourse.

Another study was done on men who reported they experienced an erection less than half the time when taking Viagra. These men were given PT-141 via an injection in the skin, and the results showed a statistically significant difference in erectile response.

As an adage, taking Viagra and bremelanotide together has shown to offer significantly greater responses than just Viagra alone, and did not lead to further undesirable side effects than what could be expected with either medication.

As simple as it sounds, sometimes, low testosterone levels can be the main culprit behind erectile dysfunction. Research has shown that men who are not responsive to medications like Viagra may have improved erectile function with testosterone therapy. Further, response to PDE-5 inhibitors may actually be better when a man is also undergoing testosterone therapy.

Oxytocin, which is a body-made hormone released by the brain, plays a major role in sexual function in both men and women. The hormone is often referred to as the "feel-good" hormone because of its relation to sexual arousal and activity. Studies have shown that oxytocin may enhance sexual desire, but it may also help induce an erection in men that normally struggle to do so.

In one particular case study in which a man was being treated for high-functioning Asperger's with intranasal oxytocin spray, there was a 46 percent increase in sexual function, including achieving an erection. It was further noted that the subject also experienced heightened libido and orgasm and had no major adverse side effects.

Even though medicines like Viagra have been used for a long time to help men with ED and they can be effective, PDE-5 inhibitors are not the only option. ED can have several underlying causes, and, sometimes, other medications or something as simple as testosterone may help with sexual performance.

If you would like to know more about options beyond sildenafil and other PDE-5 inhibitors, discuss options with both your doctor and your compounding pharmacy. At Harbor Compounding Pharmacy, we will be happy to help you on your path to finding a solution that works for you.