Q. What Happens if You Take Viagra and You Don't Really Need It?

A. Men who say they don't have any problems achieving or maintaining erections say that using Viagra dramatically changes the sexual experience, but not always in a good way.

They say taking Viagra gives them a far more rigid erection that is so intense that it's almost uncomfortable, causing them to lose some sensation and making it difficult to finally achieve orgasm. One person described the feeling like puffing your cheeks full of air and then pushing them out as hard as you can.

Others say the physical reaction happens so effortlessly that it becomes intense long before the man's own level of excitement can catch up, creating a feeling of detachment. "The disembodied feeling is a really profound feeling," says the ViagraStories.com editor, a 33-year-old San Francisco man who has used the drug three times.

Mr. Brykman, managing editor of National Lampoon, used only one of the six pills his doctor gave him, and also says he felt disassociated from the experience. He says that although physically it worked, "it didn't have anything to do with arousal. As far as excitement levels or arousal levels, it didn't live up to my expectations."

Those who have used Viagra "recreationally," however, say the drug, nonetheless, makes it much easier to sustain an erection and achieve a second erection relatively quickly after orgasm.

Pfizer balks at the notion of a recreational use for Viagra, contending that if someone can feel the effect of Viagra, then they, by definition, have lost some sexual function. And the reality is, sexual function starts to fade in the 20s.

"Viagra helps to improve erectile function which isn't optimal, " says Pfizer's Dr. Sweeney. "If you're a 20-year-old college guy with no diseases and you have great erectile function, it's not going to do anything for you. It can't make it go beyond normal."

Q. How does Viagra work?
Q. What Happens When a Man First Takes a Viagra Pill?
Q. How long does the effect of Viagra last?
Q. What are the side effects of Viagra?
Q. Can Viagra be used by women?
Q. Viagra and alcohol?
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Q. How often can Viagra be taken?
Q. What is the recommended dosage of Viagra?
Q. Does Viagra work immediately after it is taken?
Q. Who should not take Viagra?