Brand-name Levitra (vardenafil): hard to find in Spain, and how the dose works
| Availability: | Yes |
| Delivery: | 4-7 days |
| Payment: | credit cards, bank transfer |
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Levitra is Bayer's original brand of vardenafil, an erectile dysfunction medicine from the same family as Viagra and Cialis. It's still licensed, but CIMA lists Bayer's own Spanish packs as not marketed. Only a few parallel-imported packs are shown as available, and most prescriptions in Spain are now filled with generic vardenafil.
This page covers what you can actually get at a Spanish pharmacy, how to take vardenafil, when the dose is lowered and who shouldn't use it. We sell 20 mg tablets only, the maximum dose, and don't state where they come from. In Spain, prescription-only medicines may not be sold online, and customs can hold a parcel that contains them. We do not check prescriptions: talk to your doctor before you order.
| What it is | A brand-name PDE5 inhibitor for erectile dysfunction. |
|---|---|
| Active ingredient | Vardenafil (as hydrochloride); vardenafilo in Spanish. |
| Licence holder | Bayer AG; in Spain, Química Farmacéutica Bayer. |
| On sale in Spain? | Licensed, but Bayer's 5, 10 and 20 mg packs are listed on CIMA as not marketed. Only some parallel-imported 20 mg packs (2, 4 or 8 tablets) appear as marketed. |
| Prescription? | Yes. Not funded by the public health system. |
| Dose | 10 mg, 25 to 60 minutes before sex; 5 or 20 mg depending on response. 20 mg at most, once a day. |
| Appearance | Round orange tablet with the Bayer cross on one side and «20» on the other. |
| In this shop | «Levitra Brand» 20 mg, 4 to 120 tablets (up to 8 extra free). No supplier, batch or origin given. |
Why your Spanish pharmacy may not have it
If you were prescribed Levitra back home, don't be surprised if the farmacia here can't supply it. Bayer no longer markets its Spanish packs. What's left are parallel imports: Levitra made for another EU country, bought by a licensed importer and relabelled in Spanish. A pharmacy can try to order them, but stock is patchy.
Generic vardenafil is the easy option. It's widely stocked in 5, 10 and 20 mg, sold as «Vardenafilo» plus the maker's name (Cinfa, Stada, Aurovitas, Qualigen and others) or under brands such as Levatik and Sarilen. Some come as 10 mg orodispersible tablets that melt on the tongue. Be aware those aren't bioequivalent to a standard 10 mg tablet, so don't swap one for the other without asking your doctor.
The largest Levitra pack authorised in the EU holds 20 tablets, and in Spain you'll only see 2, 4 or 8. The lots on this page run up to 128 tablets and match no Spanish pack.
How vardenafil works in practice
- One tablet with water, 25 to 60 minutes before sex. For some men it works within 15 minutes.
- Food is fine. A very fatty meal delays it by around an hour; an ordinary meal makes no difference.
- Half of the dose is cleared in 4 to 5 hours, and like the others in its class it only works when you're aroused.
- No more than one dose a day.
What's the usual starting dose for you?
Choose the situation that fits you best. The answer summarises the Levitra product information; your doctor sets the actual dose.
Who must not take it
On top of the situations above, the product information rules it out if you:
- have serious heart disease that makes sex inadvisable, such as unstable angina or grade III to IV heart failure;
- have had a stroke or heart attack in the last 6 months, or have blood pressure below 90/50;
- have an inherited retinal disease such as retinitis pigmentosa;
- have lost sight in one eye from NAION;
- are allergic to vardenafil.
Peyronie's disease, sickle cell anaemia, myeloma, leukaemia, bleeding disorders and an active stomach ulcer all need a doctor's view first.
Side effects
Headache affects more than 1 man in 10. Dizziness, flushing, a blocked nose and indigestion are also common. They're nearly always short-lived and mild to moderate.
- you get chest pain or a pounding heartbeat, or you faint; don't use GTN, and say you've taken vardenafil;
- an erection lasts 4 hours or more;
- you suddenly lose sight or hearing;
- your face or throat swells, or breathing gets difficult.
Report suspected side effects at notificaRAM.es.
Interactions worth knowing
| Medicine | Effect |
|---|---|
| Nitrates, poppers, riociguat | Severe low blood pressure. Contraindicated. |
| Ritonavir, indinavir | Very high vardenafil levels. Contraindicated. |
| Oral ketoconazole, itraconazole | Up to ten times more vardenafil. Avoid; contraindicated over 75. |
| Erythromycin, clarithromycin | About four times more vardenafil. 5 mg maximum. |
| Grapefruit | Can raise levels. The product information says to avoid it. |
Alcohol doesn't change how vardenafil is absorbed, but heavy drinking lowers blood pressure and makes erections harder.
Levitra, Viagra and Cialis side by side
| Vardenafil | Sildenafil | Tadalafil | |
|---|---|---|---|
| When to take it | 25 to 60 min before | About an hour before | 30 min or more before |
| Half-life | 4 to 5 h | 3 to 5 h | 17.5 h |
| Fatty meal | Delays it | Delays it | No effect |
More on generic Levitra, original Viagra and original Cialis. If one hasn't worked after several tries at the right dose, your doctor may switch you to another.
Getting a prescription in Spain
A médico de familia at your centro de salud (you'll need a tarjeta sanitaria), a urologist or a private doctor can prescribe vardenafil once they've checked your heart, blood pressure and other medicines. If you don't mind about the brand, ask for it to be prescribed by active ingredient so the pharmacy can give you whichever generic it has. Prescriptions from other EU countries are accepted if they include the required details; UK ones aren't. You'll pay the full price either way.
Delivery
We don't sell in person or offer collection. Orders go by post or courier; see delivery conditions.
Common questions
Can I buy Levitra without a prescription in Spain?
No. Vardenafil, brand or generic, is only dispensed by pharmacies, on prescription.
Has Levitra been withdrawn in Spain?
It hasn't been withdrawn: the licence is still valid. Bayer simply doesn't market its Spanish packs, so you'll only find it, sometimes, as a parallel import.
Is generic vardenafil the same as Levitra?
In every way that matters: same active ingredient, same dose, and bioequivalence proven to the AEMPS. Name, look and price differ.
How long does Levitra last?
A few hours. Half is cleared in 4 to 5 hours, much like sildenafil and far shorter than tadalafil.
Is Levitra better if I have diabetes?
It has been studied in men with diabetes and works for them, as do sildenafil and tadalafil. None is clearly better; your doctor chooses based on your situation.
If 20 mg doesn't work, can I take more?
No. 20 mg once a day is the licensed maximum. Talk to your doctor: there may be another cause, or another treatment may suit you better.
Sources: Levitra and generic vardenafil product information and leaflets (CIMA, AEMPS); Levitra EPAR (European Medicines Agency); BIFIMED, Spanish Ministry of Health; Royal Decree 81/2014. General information only, not a substitute for medical advice. In Spain, prescription-only medicines may not be sold online, and customs can hold a parcel that contains them. We do not check prescriptions: talk to your doctor before you order.
