As Viagra turns 20... All you need to know about THAT little blue pill
IT IS the little blue pill, made in Britain, that revolutionised sex lives the world over.
Launched in 1998, this year Viagra turns 20 – and the best-known drug treatment f or erectile dysfunction, prescribed to more than three million men in the UK, is going to be more easily available than ever.
From t his spring, men will be able to buy it from a pharmacist without needing a prescription, providing they meet stringent medical criteria.
But despite being one of the most talked-about drugs of the 21st Century many myths and misconceptions still surround the treatment and the subject of erectile dysfunction.
Here, leading experts in the field reveal everything you never knew about Viagra and the things you really ought to…
I TAKE IT EVERY DAY – IT’S LIKE POPPING AN ASPIRIN
HE SAYS: ‘ Like all men who have had surgery for prostate cancer, I took medication for erectile dysfunction afterwards. Although techniques have improved vastly over the years, surgery in that area will always damage the nerves responsible for erections.
‘It takes time, but they do gradually recover. Taking Viagra, or a similar medication, helps that happen faster by stimulating blood supply to the area, which aids healing. That’s why we suggest that men start taking it as soon as they stop feeling tender after surgery.
‘I now tell patients that I recommend the same thing that I have done myself: a low dose of the drug every day with a larger dose as and when needed for activity.
‘Five years on from my own operation, I only need to take the low daily dose and don’t need the “as and when” dose when my wife is feeling friendly – because my nerves have recovered sufficiently. Some men experience facial flushing and headaches, but I have found there are no real side effects. It’s like popping an aspirin. You don’t even realise you’ve taken it.
‘Men are less embarrassed talking about the subject of erectile dysfunction now, especially if they’re talking after prostate cancer. But of course there’s a stigma. We don’t want to admit vulnerability.
‘I was actually involved in the early trails and launch of Viagra back in 1998, and there were scare stories at the time that it would bankrupt the NHS, turn people into sex fiends and trigger heart attacks.
‘Of course, none of this came true, and we now know it’s just a very safe, helpful drug that is very much part of 21st Century life.’
NOT ALL WOMEN WANT THEIR MAN TO TAKE IT
SHE says: ‘When Viagra launched, people thought it would be an instant solution to their flagging sex lives. But like all quick fixes and solutions in a pill, there are caveats.
‘Let’s not forget, there are two people in every couple and both need to be considered when drugs like this are being used. It can’t be a decision that just one person takes. These days there is pressure on all of us to look great and have loads of sex – not everybody wants that, though. There are certainly some women who are relieved when the sexual side of a relationship slows down.
‘Many hitting their 60s may be dealing with post-menopausal symptoms that mean sex is painful or their libido may have waned. The last thing they want is for the focus to be about sex. Time and again, I see couples who are on a different page sexually. But you need to look at why exactly you are thinking about taking a drug like Viagra. Is it because you want more sex or because you both want more sex?
‘One thing that’s certain is that taking a pill won’t fix a broken relationship. Viagra is not going to change the fact your husband is bone-idle and lazy. Sex is just one part of the jigsaw.’
IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A HEART PILL
HE SAYS: ‘Viagra – as it’s used in its current form – was an accidental discovery. The drug was originally designed to help angina but an unexpected side effect was that the men trailing it were getting erections.
‘As well as dilating their coronary blood vessels, as expected, the drug was acting on the blood vessels in the penis.
‘And Viagra very nearly didn’t happen at all. In fact it was very nearly shelved for being morally wrong: there were concerns over “selling sex”. And very few people thought there was a market for it.
‘Back in the early 1990s, erectile dysfunction, or impotence, as it was more commonly known, was not considered a problem. Or certainly not one that was ever talked about.
‘ And the vast majority of people thought it was “all in the mind”. GPs said patients didn’t mention it, but then they also never asked about it, not like today.
‘ Viagra’s biggest achievement in the past 20 years has been to put the very embarrassing, but very widespread problem of erectile dysfunction on the map, and that can only be a good thing.’
TAKING A TABLET WON’T FIX A RELATIONSHIP IF IT’S BROKEN