Varimax

What is Varimax?

Varimax is a treatment for erectile dysfunction in men. Its active ingredient vardenafil increases blood flow to the penis, which stimulates erections for sex. When blood reaches the penis, it fills sponge-like tissue called the corpora cavernosa, which makes the penis expand. If you are having problems getting erections, it may be that the blood vessels near your penis have become too tight and blood isn’t able to get into it.

There are lots of reasons why this can happen. Sometimes blood flow can be slowed down by a medical condition like high cholesterol or high blood pressure. Other times, there may be a breakdown in communication between arousal centres, the brain and blood vessels, which stops them from dilating. Stress, anxiety, drinking too much alcohol or smoking are some possible causes of this.

Vardenafil is a low risk treatment and you’re less likely to get side effects with it. It is thought to be easier to tolerate for men who are sensitive to side effects, older men or men who have pre-existing health conditions.

How does Varimax work?

Vardenafil, the active ingredient in Varimax, is a PDE5 inhibitor. PDE5 is an enzyme that tightens the blood vessels in the penis. Vardenafil prevents this from happening by dilating the blood vessels, allowing blood to flow into the penis and giving men firmer and longer-lasting erections.

Vardenafil is more potent than drugs in other ED medications, like sildenafil. So, you don’t need as much of it for it to be effective. The starting dose for sildenafil is 50mg, while for vardenafil it's just 10mg. As you're not getting as much of the drug, the risk of you getting side effects when you take vardenafil is lower.

I took Varimax but it doesn’t work. What should I do?

If you take Varimax and you find that it doesn’t have any effect, takes too long to work or doesn’t last for very long, let us know. Switching to a higher dose or adjusting your dose could fix the problem. So if you take Vardenafil and it doesn’t work as well as it should, let your doctor know.

To get the best results out of Vardenafil, you might also have to:

• limit your alcohol intake
• quit smoking if you smoke
• eat a light meal when taking it
• get some form of physical exercise daily
• maintain a healthy lifestyle.

But remember, Vardenafil is a pill for erections and doesn’t help in increasing your sex drive. It works only if you’re sexually aroused.

How to take Varimax

Take one Varimax tablet 30-60 minutes before sexual activity. Swallow it whole with water either with or without meals.

If the dosage isn’t as effective as you’d like it to be, consult your doctor. Varimax only works if you’re sexually aroused.

If you have any side effects that persist for long and cause you much trouble, speak to your doctor.

Varimax with food and alcohol

If you take Varimax with a large or high-fat meal, it may take longer to become active.

Drinking alcohol in excess can cause erectile dysfunction, so you should moderate how much you drink.

You should also avoid drinking grapefruit juice if you’re taking Varimax. Grapefruit juice actually enhances the mechanism of the drug and makes it much more potent in the body, so it significantly increases your risk of getting side effects.

What dosage of Varimax is right for me?

There are three doses of Varimax available: 5mg, 10mg and 20mg.

Men usually start on Varimax 10, which is a 10mg dose, and this tends to be prescribed if you haven’t used Varimax before. If you find that Varimax 10 isn’t effective enough, your doctor may recommend that you try Varimax 20, which is the 20mg dose.

If you experience any mild side effects, such as a headache or indigestion, you may be prescribed the 5mg dose instead. Men with underlying kidney or liver issues may also be issued with a 5mg dose.

Medically reviewed by

Dr Navkaran Singh Sandhu

Clinical Lead

on August 02, 2022.

Meet Navkaran