Spedra strengths & dosages

Spedra is the brand name for the oral medicine avanafil, which can help treat men aged 18 and over living with erectile dysfunction (ED) symptoms. Spedra can work by helping men achieve and maintain an erection hard enough for sex, generally within 15 to 30 minutes of taking it.

Like other ED medicines such as Viagra, Spedra helps you to get and maintain an erection if you’re already sexually aroused. It’s important to remember that Spedra isn’t a cure for erectile dysfunction and can only treat the symptoms of it. 

Spedra is one of a number of different erectile dysfunction medicines which are available through the Boots Erectile Dysfunction Online Clinic. If you’re interested in trying Spedra, you’ll only be offered the treatment through our clinic once you have completed an online consultation and one of our clinicians has checked to see whether the treatment is suitable for you. 

Men who have never previously used Spedra are likely to be prescribed the 100mg starter dose if it is suitable for them (subject to availability and clinician approval). Future prescriptions of Spedra could be for 50mg or 200mg depending on a number of factors. Never take more Spedra than you are prescribed.

What Spedra strength works well for a man can depend on a number of things such as general health, lifestyle choices, as well as the severity of his ED symptoms. 

What Spedra strengths are available through the Boots Erectile Dysfunction Online Clinic?

There are currently three different strengths of Spedra which are available through the Boots Erectile Dysfunction Online Clinic. The strengths are Spedra 50mg, Spedra 100mg and Spedra 200mg, with prices starting from £23. All dosages of Spedra available through the clinic are subject to suitability and clinician approval. 

Spedra 50mg

This is the lowest dosage available at Boots. This particular dosage tends to be prescribed if you have unwanted side effects using the 100mg starter dose. Spedra 50mg will only be available to first time users of our online clinic if they have been previously prescribed Spedra 50mg by a GP or an online doctor.

Spedra 100mg

This is the most commonly prescribed dosage of Spedra and is the standard starter dose for those new to the drug. 

Spedra 200mg

This is the highest dosage available at Boots. The 200mg strength may be prescribed if a man doesn’t quite get a hard enough erection when using the 100mg dose. The effects of the 200mg will last for the same amount of time as the Spedra 50mg and 100mg, but you may notice more side effects. Spedra 200mg will only be available to first time users of our online clinic if they have been previously prescribed Spedra 200mg by a GP or an online doctor.

How often should I take my prescribed Spedra dosage?

No matter what strength of Spedra you have been prescribed, it should only be taken once in the space of 24 hours. If you’re using a 50mg dosage, take one tablet around 30 minutes before having sex. For higher dosages such as 100mg or 200mg of Spedra, one tablet is usually taken about 15-30 minutes before sex. Spedra will only work once you’re sexually aroused. 

Spedra can be taken with or without food, but it’s important to know that it may take longer to work if you’ve had a large high-fat meal before. Other factors that can stop Spedra from working effectively include drinking alcohol at the same time as taking Spedra as it can impact your ability to get an erection. Avoid eating grapefruit or drinking grapefruit juice as this can affect how well Spedra works.

Spedra must only be taken once a day. Taking more than one dosage of Spedra a day will not cause the medication to work any better and, if anything, can actually result in an increase of side effects. The dosage you’ve been prescribed will have been based on its suitability for you so it’s important that you stick to the dosage instructions.  

If you have or think you have taken more than the recommended amount within a space of 24 hours, contact your doctor straight away or call 111. 

What are the side effects to Spedra?

Like all medicines, Spedra can cause side effects. The most common side effects linked with Spedra, which one in 10 people may get, are:
• Headache
• Flushing
• Nasal congestion

There’s a chance you may get other side effects when taking Spedra, so for a full breakdown of side effects, including those that are uncommon and rare, please read the patient information leaflet.

What should I do if the dosage of Spedra doesn’t work for me?

If the dosage you’ve been prescribed isn’t effective the first time, this doesn’t mean that it won’t work for you at all. It’s suggested that you use oral ED treatments on at least eight different occasions (but never more than one a day) before considering a higher strength. 

If you find that Spedra still isn’t working effectively after eight attempts, you could consider moving up a strength or even try a different oral ED treatment. The Boots Erectile Dysfunction Online Clinic offers a suite of treatments that may be able to help with your symptoms, including Viagra, Sildenafil, Cialis, Tadalafil and Levitra. All are subject to an online consultation and clinician approval.

Factors such as smoking, drinking alcohol or eating a heavy meal before taking the tablet can affect how well Spedra works. 

Is it a good idea to speak to my doctor? 

You should speak to a GP if you do experience erection problems. This is because ED, in some cases, can be a symptom of an underlying medical condition such as Parkinson’s disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, multiple sclerosis or heart disease. It’s important that your doctor can get you checked out and offer you the help and support you may need.

ED may also be caused by psychological problems such as stress, depression or anxiety. If this is the case, then you may need to see a counsellor to address the reasons why you’re struggling to get an erection. 

Remember, ED is nothing to be embarrassed about. It’s a common condition that affects most men (either as a one-off incident or a recurring problem) at some point in their lives, so you shouldn’t worry about discussing the problem with your doctor.