Cialis Overdose: How Much Is Too Much Cialis?

From health problems to confidence issues, there are a lot of ways that erectile dysfunction can impact your life. While an ED medication like the active ingredient tadalafil (brand name Cialis®) can help, and is typically an effective ED treatment, it can also be problematic if taken incorrectly.

Like many ED drugs, tadalafil is in a class of medications called phosphodiesterase type 5 enzyme inhibitors (or PDE5 inhibitors). It works by increasing blood flow to the blood vessels of your penis, and elsewhere. Unfortunately, common side effects like low blood pressure can occur, and they can be more dangerous when you take too much.

Below, we’ve covered the symptoms of an overdose, dosages and circumstances to be mindful of, and what you should do to avoid a risk of overdose altogether.

If you’re using Cialis as prescribed, it’s usually a safe medication with some normal side effects of Cialis to be expected. Taking more than the prescribed dose risks more serious side effects.

Calling it an “overdose” isn’t exactly the right terminology, but we’re referring to upping your dosage. Increasing your dosage will increase your risk for both the mild and serious side effects associated with the medication. 

This FDA-approved medication is commonly prescribed by healthcare professionals to treat ED, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and pulmonary arterial hypertension, a type of high blood pressure in the lungs. The dosage you’ll be prescribed will vary depending on the medical conditions being treated.

Depending on how you take it, Cialis can treat ED for up to 36 hours, which is where its reputation as a “weekend ED med” comes from. But let’s be clear: taking any ED medication incorrectly can raise your risk of those adverse effects — and make them more severe.

And those problems can be a lot worse than having to put intimacy on hold for the night.  

Whether it’s for sexual activity or an enlarged prostate, taking too much Cialis will typically cause side effects to occur, which may include sudden and serious drops in blood pressure, among others.

Common, mild side effects of Cialis include:

• Indigestion

• Headache

• Back pain

• Muscle pain

• Flushing 

• Congestion

• Pain in limbs

While side effects are often out of your control, in the case of Cialis, they can largely be dose-dependent. In other words, taking a large mg dose of tadalafil will make side effects comparably worse. 

Taking too much Cialis also increases your risk of experiencing not just worse versions of the mild side effects, but also more severe adverse effects. These may include:

• Difficulty breathing or swallowing

• Blurred vision

• Chest pain

• Dizziness

• Sudden decrease in blood pressure

• Skin peeling or blistering

• Sudden loss of hearing and/or loss of vision

• Hives or rash

• Swelling

• Heart failure

• Painful erection (priapism)

If you develop any of these side effects — mild or severe — seek medical help ASAP so that a healthcare professional can advise you on what to do.

That said, using Cialis as prescribed can unfortunately lead some folks to experience some of the effects of “overdose,” which could include a stroke or heart attack. While these are very rare, they can happen even with normal doses of Cialis.

Your healthcare provider will tell you how much Cialis to take. Typically, they will prescribe it either for as-needed or daily dose usage.

Daily Cialis is prescribed at either 2.5mg or 5mg. It’s meant to be taken every day at the same time, rather than as needed.

When prescribed for use as needed, there are three common dosages of Cialis that your healthcare provider may recommend.

• 5mg: This lower dose is suggested if the normal 10mg starting dose produces too many side effects. 

• 10mg: The FDA recommends this as the starting dose when trying tadalafil for the first time. Research has found that a majority of men with ED who used tadalafil at a 10mg dose were able to have penetrative sex with their partner.

• 20mg: This is the maximum dose prescribed for ED and is usually what’s suggested if 10mg isn’t effective.

Keep in mind that these doses assume you’re not on other medications. If you are, you’ll want to share all of this information with a healthcare provider, so that they can give safe medical advice on how and when to take Cialis — and possibly adjust your dosage.

Because other medications and substances can increase the effects of tadalafil, you could see similar side effects from drug interactions with medications such as:

• Nitrates like nitroglycerin or nitrite supplements

• Alpha-blockers 

• Over-the-counter ED supplements

• Other prescription drugs for ED like Levitra® (vardenafil), Stendra® (avanafil) or Viagra® (sildenafil)

• Angina medications like isosorbide

Some foods, most notably grapefruit juice, can also increase the effects of tadalafil.

There are many reasons not to take Cialis the wrong way. Aside from the risk of allergic reaction or a phone call with poison control, you should always take medications the way healthcare professionals recommend, pharmacies advise, and experts direct. There’s a reason these medications come with a prescription, as they require individualized recommendations for anyone who takes them. 

The TL;DR on Cialis overdose:

• It is not safe to take more than your prescribed dosage of Cialis, and a larger dose won’t make you last longer in bed anyway. (If anything, it could be a total mood killer, since you may be dealing with adverse reactions.)

• Tadalafil overdose can lead to serious side effects and death. If you have cardiovascular health conditions, your heart could stop by taking too much of this medication.

• If your prescribed dosage of tadalafil isn’t working, your doctor may recommend addressing other potential causes of your ED, like lifestyle and psychological factors, as well as specific health issues.

Now that you know you shouldn’t take extra Cialis, you may be wondering if there are other ways it can help you perform. Check out our guide to how to get the maximum effect from Cialis.

If you want to explore options, we also offer erectile dysfunction treatments like those mentioned above, and like our convenient hard mints chewable ED meds.

Do the right thing for your health: Ask questions, get advice and take your medications seriously (and as prescribed).