Caverject

Caverject is an injection treatment for men with erectile dysfunction. It’s a branded treatment that works a little differently to ED tablets like Viagra and Cialis, so it can be useful for men who’ve tried these and found they haven’t worked very well. Some men who can’t take ED tablets for medical reasons may also be recommended Caverject instead.

There are two types: Caverject (sometimes called Caverject Vials) and Caverject Dual Chamber (sometimes known as Caverject Impulse). With ‘regular’ Caverject, you’ll get a powder and liquid solution which you’ll need to manually mix together when you use it. Caverject Dual Chamber is a little more convenient to use, because the two parts (powder and solution) are contained within the injection and you mix them together by twisting the plunger.

It contains a drug called prostaglandin E1, and this relaxes blood vessels so blood can circulate into the penis more easily. By doing this, it helps to make erections firmer and last for longer.

You can get Caverject in 10mcg, 20mcg or 40mcg dosage packs, and Caverject Dual Chamber in 10mcg or 20mcg, depending on the country it’s being sold in. The plunger enables you to set the dose so you can apply the exact amount of Caverject the prescriber has recommended.

They’ll likely start you out on the smallest dosage. For many men, this is enough to get the desired results, but you can always talk about increasing the dosage with our clinician if needed.

The starting dosage for Caverject is 1.25 to 2.5mcg. It’s rare that dosages of over 20 mcg will be needed, but tell our prescriber if you don’t feel like these higher strengths are working well.

There are two versions of Caverject: the regular powder and solution pack, also known as Caverject Vials; and Caverject Dual Chamber (or Impulse).

They’re the same treatment but the way they’re prepared and applied is slightly different.

Your first use of Caverject will need to be demonstrated by a nurse or doctor, so you shouldn’t try to do it yourself without having been shown first. The instructions below give an overview of how the treatments are applied, but aren’t comprehensive. You should follow the instructions in the leaflet and those given to you by our clinician closely during use.

This pack comes with two needles and a vial to combine the powder and solution.

To prepare the injection:

• open the vial and wipe the larger needle
• twist it to join the needle itself to the syringe, then remove the cover
• put the needle into the top of the vial and push the plunger to start mixing the ingredients, and then give it a good swirl
• turn the vial upside down and draw the solution into the syringe by extending the plunger

The injection and solution is contained within the syringe with Caverject Dual Chamber, so you don’t need to manually mix it.

• Take out one injection device and needle.
• Fix the needle to the device and turn it clockwise until it’s firmly on.
• Remove the outer protective cap.
• Holding the device pointing upwards, with the plunger rod fully out, twist the plunger rod to mix the powder and solution together.
• Gently shake to dissolve the powder.
• Remove the inner needle cap. If the needle is bent, don’t use it and replace it with another one.
• Flick the pen to remove any bubbles.
• Fully turn the plunger rod so it is rotated as far as it will go and immediately push it in.
• Turn the plunger rod to set the recommended dose.
• You then have 24 hours to use the injection.

• Tap the syringe to remove any air bubbles.
• Set the dose your prescriber has recommended by pushing the plunger to the correct amount.
• Make sure the needle isn’t bent. If it is, don’t use it and attach a new one.
• Take hold of your penis with your fingers underneath and thumb on top and gently apply pressure so the injection site at the base of the penis bulges out.
• Maintain a firm grip and push the needle into the penis, making sure to avoid any veins or blood vessels.
• Push the plunger to deliver the dose.
• If the liquid doesn’t come out easily, don’t force it. Move the needle very slightly and retry.
• Once the dose is delivered, remove the needle from your penis, and apply gauze pad gently to the injection site.Discard the remaining mixture.
• Your clinician will be able to show you how to use and mix the Caverject.