Whether your sex partner is male or female, when one or the other has difficulty with a firm erection, satisfying sex can be frustrating, difficult, and downright impossible. I thought that as long as I had a strong desire for sexual contact, that urge in itself would cause my penis to come alive and stand up. WRONG! 

Some twenty years ago while on a relaxing vacation in Canada, I became more than extremely depressed when I could not maintain an erection strong enough for penetration. I felt sexy, frustrated, unmanly, impotent. I knew nothing about ED (Erectile Dysfunction).

Years later while carrying a sheet of plasterboard, the chest pains I’d been suffering for many weeks urged me to see my doctor. Within a few days, an emergency quintuple heart bypass spared my life.  

Now I know that clogged blood vessels are one of the principles of ED. And I have the greatest respect for Viagra, because it has spared my sexual life and my masculine ego by compensating for the effects of clogged blood vessels. Since that time, I’ve often wondered what makes the diamond-shaped blue pill work. It would seem that any drug, which is organ specific, must be a complicated affair. To satisfy my curiosity, I did a bit of research.  

The information that follows came from: "How Viagra Works" by Marshall Brain, 08 November 2004.  HowStuffWorks.com. (health.howstuffworks.com/viagra.htm)    A quick glance at the diagram shows vessels in any penis that can become clogged for a variety of reasons. In my case, high cholesterol, probably salt deposits, etc. This diagram clearly shows veins and arteries, so what happens when I swallow Viagra?

1.  First, as the tablet dissolves, the drug sildenafil citrate circulates throughout my entire body including my penis.

2.  Thankfully, it then attaches itself to a specific penis enzyme (PDE5) and disables it.

3.  With this enzyme knocked out, my soft muscled penis tissue relaxes opening gates to flood my organ with blood.

3.  As I become sexually stimulated, my brain sends pleasurable signals to penis cells where nitric oxide builds up.

4.  The nitric oxide relaxes the penis arteries further, allowing even more blood to flow. It overwhelms the emptying veins.

5.  Ta-dah! I have a strong erection.

Because the PDE5 enzyme is found only in soft muscle tissue, Viagra works only on the penis muscle. I have noticed some side effects which are normal. With Viagra in my bloodstream, all white light appears lightly tinted a slight blue hue. The tint does not impair vision in any way—sight is not blurred or foggy or out of focus. In fact, sometimes it is outright enjoyable seeing the world in this rather unique light. For me, the erection time period lasts from four to six hours but only when I’m stimulated. The product warns that a massive erection lasting longer than four hours should take one to an emergency room. 

To sum up, if you find yourself frustrated by an inability to satisfy your sex partner, or yourself for that matter, due to erectile dysfunction, my best advice would be to see your doctor. But do yourself a life-saving favor. “The loss of erections is a harbinger of subsequent cardiovascular disease and demands a comprehensive cardiovascular workup” (http://www.seekwellness.com/mensexuality/).

Do not be satisfied to accept a prescription for Viagra unless your talk to your physician about having your body, particularly your heart and the blood vessels (carotids) leading to and from your brain, checked for blockage which could lead to major problems—a stoke or a heart attack. I am lucky to be alive physically. Sexually, I feel whole again with a satisfied masculine ego—and thank God for Science.