Very uncomfortable: cialis effect?

I've been taking 10mg of Cialis twice a week for a month and a half.  For the last two weeks I've been dealing with a very painful upper back, neck, and shoulder.  It feels like a pinched nerve in the neck with pain that extends into the right shoulder.  I'm aware that Cialis causes lower back discomfort, but has anyone experienced problems of this severity in the upper back.

Being relatively new to the PCa experience, I've also been worrying that the pain could somehow be related to the prostate cancer, though I've had a bone scan and surgery so recently that doesn't seem at all likely.

Maybe it's just the result of autumn yard work.  I'm far from home until next Monday and reluctant to seek treatment until we get back home, but would appreciate any comments or thoughts. 

Happy Thanksgiving to all.

I asked my doctor about how it worked and he gave me a prescription. I only took one Cialis one time to try it out. It caused so much pain in my legs it will be a long time before I ever try it again.

Thanks for the answers. But are the side effects alway in the lower back and legs, or do they also occur in the upper back and neck?

I was supposed to take a Cialis today, but I think I won't and see if the pain starts to go away.

I get pretty annoying muscle aches in my legs after Cialis, delayed by about 24-36 hours after taking the pill. That's the non-daily "let's do it now" dose, not the daily.

The aches can be knocked out with ibuprofen, and go away in less than a week.

All three of the ED drugs can have side effects. Viagra gives me the stuffed up head, Cialis would give me lower leg cramps and back pain. Levitra gives me cramps in my arches. I hadn't had those since I was a teen-ager.

I would agree with another post that Ibuprofen does help.

I have arthritis and degenerative disc disease, so it's not clear whether certain aches are due to Cialis. I am fairly certain my leg aches are from the Cialis. While annoying, it's not really a problem with me, especially since I'm accustomed to treating the arthritis. Given the positive effect of the Cialis, the little aches are minor.

These types of side effects are common with all the ED medications. They were discovered during clinical trials and are well documented. Talk to your doctor about your experience, but I wouldn't get too concerned, or discouraged.

I could not believe how much the muscle aches hurt from Cialis when I first took it after surgery. BUT - Advil makes all but go away completely.  It is a very treatable and controllable ache for most men. Do NOT let it deter you.

Best of all - the aches went away completely after taking Viagra for a while...I came back to Cialis  and have no side effects whatsoever. Even the Viagra side effects are mostly gone. I am a little stuffed  up - but only to the point that I know it's going to work. If I don't have that feeling, I know the meds are not going to work.

Don't give up on any of these drugs permanently due to the side effects. Most men experience a lessening of the side effects over time with occassional use. Give them a rest, then try them again before going to bed so, if your side effects are uncomfortable, you can sleep through many of them. Take a couple anti-inflamatories and you should be fine. Talk to your doc about using two smaller doses of different drugs as Pog says.

Keep it up!

Paul

What has your primary care physician said when you advised him of the side effects?

Hi NEIrish!  My husband had his second post-op check-up and also got a script for Cialis.  We have some samples, and I thought he should try it before getting the script filled.  The cost is $160 for eight pills.  Does that sound right?  Maybe he misheard the pharmacy clerk.  He is trying to get the insurance company to pick up more of the tab.

I am really worried about the side effects, since he still has testicle pain on one side.  Is it worth it?

Thanks,

Aimzee

Cialis gave me pain in the upper shoulder (blade) area. So much I quit taking it.

Aimzee, you gotaa remember that like everything else, you will usually hear only the negative or worse side of things here, as the people who have no trouble with a pill, procedure or treatment tend to move on and not hang around discussing problems they don't have. so the results here are skewed, I think. There are side effect, to be sure, but notice that every response here described them as negative, and no one responded that they didn't get the side effects. I am sure there are just as many or more guys who can report no problem and praise it as a miracle. It's just that they aren't here reading....

I would suggest, if you haven't already, that he ask the doc for samples of all 3 of the pills and try them all. Usually, one will be tolerable. The Muse is a different category. You insert the semi-solid gel pill into the penis, using a little straw like device inserted down the urethra. Most guys report the same side effects of the Caverject (straight Alprostadil)- the aching, pain, etc. That's the same ingredient used in Trimix, and the ingredient not used in Bimix. If the 3 ed pills don't produce results, don't get discouraged. Healing and recovery takes time, and you may not see results for another year or more. In the meantime, penile therepy is recommended daily, using the pills, and a pump. I don't know how far along he is in the process, but at 2 to 3 months, he should be talking to his doc about getting a pump, and maybe beginning the injections. The injections are usually painless and can usually produce 'like old times' results early in the process, giving you a way to get back to a 'normal' sex life again. The best chance of full erection recovery is early and active rehab, using the combo of pills, pump, and pricks. If you need any detailed info, I got lots of links for you to read up on it, just ask.

Just a quick reply as prompted by JamesC -- us guys who have no pill side effects should chime in too. I have no bad side effects from any of the Big Three ED pills. And no I don't consider 'Stuffiness' a side effect to complain about -- that's just sissy stuff.

Also a slight correction on what James said about MUSE. It is not a liquid when injected but is a tiny little pellet (suppository actually) (which then melts from body heat and moisture in urethra and is absorbed. At first I got quite an ache from MUSE, especially when standing. But that was only the first few times. No pain at all after that.

Also Aimzee, if you have sticker shock on Cialis you will also have some for MUSE -- around $30 copay for a 6 pack (around $200 if pay all). -- and that is all you get per month (at least on my plan). Currently I get it thru Medco -- 18 packs delivered at once every 90 days for 80 copay. When I was getting from local CVS it was getting ridiculously frustrating since if you were off by even one day ordering too soon you might only get part of the pack and have to go back again for the rest --stupid rules of exactly 30 days -- instead of just monthly.

Also for recovering prostate patients I'd go for the 1000 mcg MUSE -- full strength. You could hedge on the first batch at 500 level if cautious. Your doc will suggest one or the other depending on how quickly he wants to move your husband along. (Usually trying it out in his office once to be sure he knows how to do it and what the effect will be).

Have fun!

NEIrish,

The 2.5 and 5MG Cialis are "daily" doses. The 10 and 20 are one-time doses, and I was told by the GP and the pharmacist that if you are at that level, they should be taken no more than 2 times in a week.

Since my objective is simply increased blood flow, I split the 20mg into quarters for daily use. There is no expectation for it to do anything more for me.