Like ice cubes melting, Staxyn is a medication designed to “melt” under the tongue. It doesn’t have to be taken with water, and many men with erectile dysfunction (ED) find that convenience worthwhile.
For centuries men suffering the frustration of impotence were forced to rely on folk remedies, a handful of widely touted but only marginally effective aphrodisiacs, and prayer. For a man, being unable to achieve and maintain an erection strikes at the very core of his concept of manhood.
All that changed in 1998, when Pfizer introduced Viagra, the first widely effective medication for the treatment of impotence. In the years that followed, other pharmaceutical companies brought to market drugs that had effects similar to those of the little blue, diamond-shaped pill.
Vardenafil Debuts in 2003
Among the other impotence medications introduced in the wake of Viagra’s debut was vardenafil, marketed as Levitra and first available in the United States in 2003. Originally marketed jointly by Bayer Pharmaceuticals, GlaxoSmithKline, and Schering-Plough, only Bayer and GSK retain distribution rights to the drug today, Schering-Plough having merged into Merck & Co. in 2009.
Like Viagra, Levitra is sold in pill form, specifically round orange pills that are available in doses of 2.5, 5, 10, and 20 milligrams. Like most pills, Levitra should be taken with water.
Staxyn Dissolves in Mouth
Then in 2010, the pharmaceutical team behind Levitra came up with a new, easier-to-take formulation of vardenafil called Staxyn. Technically known as orosoluble, Staxyn comes in pill form but dissolves quickly on the tongue. Available only in 10-milligram pills in the United States, Staxyn offers a quick and discreet way to take an impotence drug that requires no water.
Staxyn’s directions suggest that the pill be taken an hour before sexual activity, although many users report anecdotally that Staxyn often seems to take effect in a significantly shorter time period.
Easy to Take
The benefits to users are obvious. If a romantic stroll along the beach or on a woodland path seems to be leading slowly but inevitably toward sexual activity, the man can pop a Staxyn into his mouth surreptitiously and be ready for action when the moment comes.
Although orosoluble vardenafil is available as Staxyn in the United States, in the United Kingdom and other European countries a comparable formulation of the drug is available under the Levitra brand name.
PDE5 Inhibitors
Vardenafil, the active ingredient in both Staxyn and Levitra, belongs to a family of drugs known as PDE5 inhibitors. They all work in much the same way, blocking temporarily the effects of an enzyme known as phosphodiesterase-5. To fully understand how these drugs make it easier to achieve an erection, it is first important to learn a bit about the mechanics of erection.
Erection occurs when the penis fills with blood, a process that occurs when the blood vessels supplying the penis dilate or expand, and the blood vessels carrying blood away from the penis contract, temporarily keeping the penis filled with blood.
PDE5 vs. cGMP
According to Medical News Today, a man’s feelings of sexual desire trigger a release of nitric oxide into his penis. The nitric oxide then sets off a chain of chemical reactions that are all part of the erection process. The nitric oxide causes an enzyme known as guanylate cyclase to produce a byproduct called cyclic guanosine monophospate, or cGMP, which in turn regulates the contraction and expansion of blood vessels carrying blood to and from the penis.
The PDE5 enzyme, which is targeted by all the so-called PDE5-inhibiting drugs, destroys cGMP and thus either prevents erection or ends it prematurely. By temporarily blocking the effects of PDE5, modern impotence drugs allow erection to be achieved and also prolong the duration of erection.
Sleek Slide-Container
The beauty of Staxyn is its ease of use, which is more in keeping with the essential spontaneity of sexual activity. Its packaging offers further convenience. The drug comes in a sleek slide-container that typically holds four Staxyn tablets. Each of the pills is inside an individual blister pack and can be released from the packaging by pressing on the blister. The slide-container fits easily in the pocket. Because no water is necessary to take Staxyn, a pill can be easily popped from its packaging pocket and then quickly dissolved on or under the tongue.
If you are among the 18 percent of American men who suffer from chronic impotence, you should talk to your doctor about taking Staxyn or one of the other ED drugs currently on the market. If he decides you are a good candidate for impotence medication, he will write you a prescription for the drug that you can take to your local pharmacy or use to purchase the drug online.
Buy Through eDrugstore
An excellent choice for online impotence drug purchases is eDrugstore.com, which is U.S.-owned and operated and provides only FDA-approved medications. All drugs ordered through eDrugstore are dispensed by U.S.-licensed pharmacies.
If you’re among the many men who feel somewhat uncomfortable discussing personal sexual problems with your doctor, eDrugstore offers online consultations with U.S.-licensed physicians. You’ll be asked to fill out a medical questionnaire, much the same as you do in a doctor’s office. The questionnaire covers your medical history, prescription and OTC drugs you are now taking, and details about your sexual dysfunction.
One of eDrugstore’s contract physicians will then carefully review your medical questionnaire and prescribe an impotence medication if he or she feels that one is indicated.
Doctor Visits Still Vital
Although eDrugstore offers these online consultations as a service to its customers, it stresses that this service should be used only as an adjunct to regular visits with your personal physician and not a substitute. In fact, eDrugstore requires that you have had a recent physical checkup with a doctor before you can obtain an online consultation and prescription for one of the medications it carries.
Underlining the importance of consulting with a physician — either in person or via an online consultation — is the fact that Staxyn and other PED5 inhibitors are not suitable for those with certain underlying medical conditions or those who are taking specific medications.
Not for Weak of Heart
Staxyn is obviously not appropriate for individuals who have been advised by a medical professional to refrain from sexual activity because of a weak heart or recent heart attack. Because Staxyn contains the amino acid phenylalanine, the drug should not be used by men who have been diagnosed with phenylketonuria, a condition in which the body cannot properly break down phenylalanine.
Staxyn and other PDE5 inhibitors should never be taken by men who are also taking nitrate-based drugs, which are widely prescribed for the treatment of angina. Also incompatible with PDE5 inhibitors are recreational drugs known as poppers, most of which contain either amyl nitrate or butyl nitrate. Because both nitrates and PDE5 inhibitors cause a temporary drop in blood pressure, taking them together can cause a dangerously steep decline in blood pressure.
Few Side Effects
Although almost every prescription drug has some adverse side effects, Staxyn has relatively few. The most common side effects are headache, runny or stuffy nose, flushing, dizziness, upset stomach, indigestion, and back pain.
Rare but serious side effects include an erection that lasts for four or more hours and a temporary loss or noticeable deterioration in hearing or vision. If you experience any of these more serious side effects, you should discontinue use of the drug and contact a medical professional immediately.
If you are interested in ordering Staxyn online, we invite you to visit eDrugstore.com.
Don Amerman is a freelance author who writes extensively about a wide array of nutrition and health-related topics.
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