Liquid Cialis: Uses, Dosage & Side Effects

If you’ve Googled Cialis, you might have seen mentions of a liquid version — maybe even advertisements saying you can get it now. Cialis® is the brand-name version of tadalafil — a prescription medication for erectile dysfunction (ED). Liquid Cialis, meanwhile, doesn’t technically exist.

In the U.S., as-needed and daily Cialis tablets (and their generic versions) are currently the only FDA-approved medications for erectile dysfunction that have tadalafil as the active ingredient. While some compounding pharmacies might be able to make a liquid version for special cases, it can be a complicated process — and not actually approved for ED treatment.

Below, we’ll explain what liquid Cialis actually is and how liquid tadalafil works, plus details on dosage and how it’s used. And for those looking for liquid help with ED, we’ve got some suggestions, so read on.

Here’s the big disclaimer: Liquid Cialis isn’t actually on the market in the U.S. Why? The pharmaceutical manufacturer of Cialis (Lilly) doesn’t make a liquid formulation.

The FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) has approved a liquid form of tadalafil called Tadliq® to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). But this medication doesn’t have the stamp of approval for ED.

Cialis is an FDA-approved phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitor — a complicated way of saying it interrupts an enzyme that restricts blood flow. Ultimately, this helps you get and maintain erections hard enough to have sex.

Can I Get Liquid Cialis?

As noted, Cialis is currently only available in the United States in tablet form. However, compounding pharmacies may offer liquid tadalafil as a custom formulation for guys who may not be able to take the pills, for whatever reason.

A compounding pharmacy is a pharmacy that prepares custom medications for people with special needs. For instance, it might make a drug in a specific potency, without a certain (non-active) ingredient or in a different form.

So getting liquid tadalafil is kind of like ordering from a restaurant’s “secret menu.”

Your healthcare provider would have to write a specific prescription for the liquid version, and then you might be able to order it from a compounding pharmacy. But this can be a complicated process, and not all insurance policies will approve it.

How Long Does Liquid Cialis Last?

The liquid and pill versions of Cialis last about the same amount of time — which is to say, anywhere from 24 to 36 hours.

This medication takes at least 30 minutes to kick in, so men often take it a half-hour or more before planned sexual activity.

In its solid form, Cialis is a medication designed to treat ED by dilating blood vessels in the penis to help with erections. But, as noted, tadalafil can be used to manage other cardiovascular conditions like pulmonary hypertension.

How liquid Cialis is used is ultimately based on who’s using it and what it’s prescribed for.

If you have a Tadliq prescription, you probably won’t be using it for ED. Tadliq oral suspension is — technically — only supposed to treat PAH, according to the FDA.

We’re not yet aware of any situations where Tadliq has been prescribed off-label for the treatment of ED. (Off-label is when a medication is prescribed for something it’s not FDA-approved for). But it’s possible that in the coming years, there’ll be off-label use cases shared in studies.

At the moment, it’s probably not a good idea to try and get your hands on Tadliq for purposes it’s not intended for, including ED. While both the tablet and liquid forms contain the same active ingredient, there’s a major difference in how these medications are given — specifically, dosage.

There are many things you need to understand about the difference between liquid and tablet medications — but by far, the most critical is that the dosages aren’t necessarily going to be the same.

Tadliq is prescribed for pulmonary arterial hypertension in 40-milligram (mg) daily doses.

Liquid Cialis (or rather compounded liquid tadalafil) typically comes in a dropper bottle with an applicator for measuring each dose.

Cialis pills and generic tadalafil pills come in a range of dosages, from 5 to 20 milligrams for as-needed use. Then the daily-use medication comes in 2.5 or 5 milligrams.

For liquid medications, most compounding pharmacies will print dosage info on the label. Dosage for liquids is usually by the milliliter (mL), with note of the concentration in milligrams of active ingredient per milliliter of liquid (mg/mL).

For more information on tadalafil dosing, check out our Cialis dosage guide.

Is There a Tadalafil 30mg Liquid Dosage?

Liquid tadalafil and tablet versions of the medication are usually dosed the same way. The max dosage for ED is typically 20 milligrams for the tablet, but a tadalafil 30-milligram liquid dosage (converted into milliliters depending on the compounded concentration) might be prescribed in special cases.

How Much Cialis Should I Take for ED?

Maybe we’re stating the obvious, but if you’re prescribed a compounded medication at a certain dosage, it’s vital to take the recommended dosage.

If you get a special compounded formulation, you’ll still want to use it as directed by your healthcare provider. Ask them for medical advice if you have any concerns or need a guideline explained. Otherwise, you could experience adverse side effects.

For the most part, the side effects of liquid tadalafil seem to be in keeping with Cialis side effects for tablets. That means headaches, stuffy nose, nausea and flushing could happen with either version.

Serious side effects of liquid tadalafil might include:

• Chest pain

• Back pain

• Priapism (a prolonged, painful erection)

With Tadliq, however, side effects may include other short- or long-term issues that haven’t been identified yet. Since this medication is so new, we don’t have concrete details about the differences in side effects between tadalafil tablets and the liquid version.

What we can say is that the biggest risks of liquid tadalafil likely come from user error — like taking too much, doubling up on doses or mixing medications.

Underdosing on Cialis is never really an issue, except for the fact that you won’t get the full benefits of the medication. 

But if you take too much, you could experience vision problems, hearing loss, fainting or other effects of sudden low blood pressure, including death.

These serious side effects can be avoided by reading the instructions and following your healthcare provider’s guidelines to a T.

If you get a liquid Cialis prescription for any reason, follow the directions from your provider and the compounding pharmacy on when, how and how often to take it.

These are the biggest things to keep in mind about safely using the medication.

• Use it as directed. Wondering, How many drops of liquid tadalafil should I take? Ask your healthcare provider. Remember, this medication was intended to treat high blood pressure before it became a treatment option for ED, so it can definitely affect your blood pressure if not used correctly.

• Discuss drug interactions with a professional. Many medications can mess with tadalafil, so let your healthcare provider know about any other prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) drugs you take. This includes PDE5 inhibitors like Levitra® (vardenafil) or Viagra® and medications for heart disease like alpha-blockers, supplements or nitrates.

• Get it safely. You’ll have to talk to a licensed healthcare provider before you can legally purchase and use Cialis to treat erectile dysfunction — since Cialis isn’t sold over the counter, you’ll need a prescription.

• Don’t fall victim to online OTC scams. Over-the-counter ED drugs are risky and not regulated well. Some might even contain unlisted ingredients.

• Learn to dose with a dropper. To measure the correct dosage, use the dropper provided with your liquid medication. Don’t go over, even by just a little bit.

• Look out for side effects — even if tablets didn’t give you any. Although Cialis is a safe medication for most men, it can cause certain side effects and drug interactions. These may be more severe if Cialis isn’t dosed correctly.

Cialis is only available as a tablet for ED. But some compounding pharmacies might be able to create a liquid version if you have a medical issue that makes it impractical or hard to take the medication in its standard form. 

If you decide to pursue this option, talk to a healthcare professional. 

Here’s what to keep in mind if you’re interested in liquid ED treatments:

• Cialis, which contains the active ingredient tadalafil, is a popular medication used to treat erectile dysfunction and BPH.

• The FDA has yet to approve Cialis in liquid form for ED. However, with the right prescription, some compounding pharmacies may be able to make a liquid tadalafil solution.

• Tadliq is a brand-name tadalafil liquid, but it’s not designed for ED.

• Some vendors market liquid versions of Cialis and other ED medications for sale online, usually labeled as “research chemicals.” These products aren’t approved by the FDA or intended for human consumption. While some might contain tadalafil, there’s no way to know if the labeled dosage is accurate — or if these medications are manufactured safely. Avoid them.

Medications like sildenafil (the generic version of Viagra) and Stendra® (avanafil) might be alternative erectile dysfunction treatments if you’re having problems with Cialis tablets. You might also consider our chewable ED meds hard mints.

We offer Cialis, tadalafil and other ED medications online. To get Cialis or a similar medication to treat erectile dysfunction, you can talk to a licensed healthcare provider and, if appropriate, get a prescription.