WHAT IS Levitra/Vardenafil?

• Levitra/Vardenafil relaxes muscles and increases blood flow to particular areas of the body.
• Levitra/Vardenafil is used to treat erectile dysfunction (impotence).
• Levitra/Vardenafil may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I MISS A DOSE?

• Since Levitra/vardenafil is used as needed, you are not likely to be on a dosing schedule.

WHAT SHOULD I DISCUSS WITH MY DOCTOR BEFORE TAKING Levitra/Vardenafil?

• If you have any of these conditions, you may not be able to use Levitra/vardenafil or you may need a dosage adjustment or special tests during treatment.
• Although Levitra/vardenafil is not for use in women, it is not known if Levitra/vardenafil passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
• You may need a lower dose of this medication if you are older than 65. Follow your doctor's instructions.
• A small number of patients have had a sudden loss of eyesight after taking Levitra/vardenafil. This type of vision loss is caused by decreased blood flow to the optic nerve of the eye. It is not clear whether Levitra/vardenafil is the actual cause of such vision loss. Sudden vision loss with Levitra/vardenafil use has occurred most often in people with heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or certain pre-existing eye problems, and in those who smoke or are over 50 years old.
• FDA pregnancy category B: Although Levitra/vardenafil is not for use in women, this medication is not expected to be harmful to an unborn baby. Do not use Levitra/vardenafil without telling your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment.
• Before taking Levitra/vardenafil, tell your doctor if you have:
  • retinitis pigmentosa (an inherited condition of the eye);
  • a personal or family history of "Long QT syndrome";
  • a history of stroke or blood clots;
  • a stomach ulcer;
  • a bleeding disorder such as hemophilia;
  • heart disease or heart rhythm problems;
  • a physical deformity of the penis (such as Peyronie's disease); or
  • high or low blood pressure;
  • if you have been told you should not have sexual intercourse for health reasons.
  • liver disease;
  • kidney disease (or if you are on dialysis);
  • a recent history (in the past 6 months) of a heart attack, angina (chest pain), or congestive heart failure;
  • a blood cell disorder such as sickle cell anemia, multiple myeloma, or leukemia;
• Do not take Levitra/vardenafil if you are also using a nitrate drug for chest pain or heart problems. This includes nitroglycerin (Nitrostat, Nitrolingual, Nitro-Dur, Nitro-Bid, and others), Sorbitrate tr/isosorbide dinitrate (Dilatrate-SR, Isordil sublingual/Isordil , Sorbitrate tr/Sorbitrate ), and Monoket/isosorbide mononitrate (Imdur, ISMO, Monoket ). Nitrates are also found in some recreational drugs such as amyl nitrate or nitrite ("poppers"). Taking Levitra/vardenafil with a nitrate medicine can cause a serious decrease in blood pressure, leading to fainting, stroke, or heart attack.

WHAT SHOULD I AVOID WHILE TAKING Levitra/Vardenafil?

• Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with Levitra/vardenafil. Discuss the use of grapefruit products with your doctor. Do not increase or decrease the amount of grapefruit products in your diet without first talking to your doctor.
• Avoid drinking alcohol, which can increase some of the side effects of Levitra/vardenafil.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I OVERDOSE?

• Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine.
• Symptoms of a Levitra/vardenafil overdose may include back pain, muscle pain, or vision problems.

HOW SHOULD I TAKE Levitra/Vardenafil?

• Do not take Levitra/vardenafil more than once a day. Allow 24 hours to pass between doses.
• Store this medication at room temperature away from moisture and heat.
• ake each dose with a full glass of water.
• Levitra/Vardenafil is usually taken only when needed, 30 - 90 minutes before sexual activity. The medication can help achieve an erection when sexual stimulation occurs. An erection will not occur just by taking a pill.
• Avoid taking High-fat food before taking Levitra as it may cause the medicine to take more time to start working.

WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF Levitra/Vardenafil?

• Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
• If you become dizzy or nauseated, or have pain, numbness, or tingling in your chest, arms, neck, or jaw during sexual activity, stop and call your doctor right away. You could be having a serious side effect of Levitra/vardenafil.
• Stop using Levitra/vardenafil and call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:
  • penis erection that is painful or lasts 4 hours or longer.
  • swelling in your hands, ankles, or feet;
  • shortness of breath;
  • chest pain or heavy feeling, pain spreading to the arm or shoulder, nausea, sweating, general ill feeling;
  • vision changes;
  • feeling light-headed, fainting; or
  • irregular heartbeat;
• Continue taking Levitra/vardenafil and talk with your doctor if you have any of these less serious side effects:
  • stuffy nose;
  • upset stomach; or
  • warmth or redness in your face, neck, or chest;
  • back pain.
  • headache;
• Stop using Levitra/vardenafil and get emergency medical help if you have sudden vision loss.
• Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.

Do not take Levitra/vardenafil if you are taking the following medications:

• nitroglycerin-type drugs for the heart or chest pain such as amyl nitrite, Sorbitrate tr/isosorbide dinitrate, Monoket/isosorbide mononitrate, nitroglycerin, even if these are only taken occasionally. This includes some recreational drugs called 'poppers' which also contain amyl nitrate and butyl nitrate.

Levitra/Vardenafil may also interact with the following medications:

• certain antibiotics such as Biaxin/clarithromycin, P.c.e/erythromycin, Zagam/sparfloxacin, troleandomycin
• bosentan
• alpha blockers such as Uroxatral/alfuzosin ( UroXatral ®), Cardura/doxazosin ( Cardura ®), Minipress/prazosin ( Minipress ®), Flomax/tamsulosin ( Flomax ®), or Hytrin/terazosin ( Hytrin ®), used to treat high blood pressure or an enlarged prostate.
• Isoptin sr/verapamil
• pimozide
• arsenic trioxide
• grapefruit juice
• some medicines for treating depression or mood problems (Asendin/amoxapine, maprotiline, Rapiflux/fluoxetine, Luvox/fluvoxamine, nefazodone, pimozide, phenothiazines, tricyclic antidepressants)
• certain medicines to control the heart rhythm (e.g., Pacerone/amiodarone, disopyramide, dofetilide, flecainide, ibutilide, quinidine, procainamide, propafenone, Betapace/sotalol)
• methadone
• rifabutin, rifampin, or rifapentine
• nicardipine
• Aralen/chloroquine
• Diltia cd/Diltiazem cd/diltiazem
• medicines for fungal infections (Diflucan/fluconazole, Sporanox/itraconazole, Nizoral/ketoconazole, voriconazole)
• certain medicines used for seizures such as Epitol/carbamazepine, Dilantin/phenytoin, and phenobarbital
• pentamidine
• certain medicines for the treatment of HIV infection or AIDS
• cisapride

What is the shelf life of the pills?

• The expiry date is mentioned on each blister. It is different for different batches. The shelf life is 2 years from the date of manufacture and would differ from batch to batch depending on when they were manufactured.