Roman ED Reviews

During sexual arousal, your brain, hormones and nervous system collaborate to drive the blood necessary for an erection into your penis. Erectile dysfunction (ED) can occur when one or more of these systems perform inadequately.

Multiple treatments are available as ED affects up to 20% of men worldwide; first-line therapy is phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors. These drugs work to increase blood flow to your penis during arousal by blocking the action of PDE5, an enzyme involved in the regulation of blood vessel diameter.

To combat this problem, Roman offers a subscription service for Viagra and Cialis, as well as their generic forms, through telemedicine technology. From the comfort of your own home, you can manage your ED in conjunction with a U.S. licensed physician and have medication shipped to your doorstep.

In this review, we will tackle Roman’s subscription process, as well as the safety and efficacy of their products.

Getting Started with Roman

Treating your ED with Roman is achievable in 3 steps:

1. Your Online Visit

As Roman provides medical treatments for ED that require a prescription, the first step is to meet with a physician. This service is offered remotely through its telemedicine platform. Simply submit your photo, a form of I.D., and a recent blood pressure measurement to determine eligibility.

While ED is often due to malfunction of one or more of the aforementioned systems, certain lab tests can paint a clearer picture of the underlying cause. Though not mandatory, Roman strongly suggests sending them your recent blood tests for a free analysis - this serves to optimize your treatment.

Physicians diagnose your ED through Roman’s platform as they would for any in-office visit – through a detailed history of your symptoms and assessment of your general health. You play a key role in this process as this information can help determine the best treatment options available for your needs.

Roman lists a number of important details to share with the physician prior to starting treatment; be honest and thorough. Any history of heart, vascular or lung disease, should be detailed. Recent surgery, liver or kidney issues, as well as a list of current medications must be shared during this visit.

2. Free Deliveries

Once the appropriate treatment for your ED is selected, place your order, and simply wait as your medication arrives with free 2-day shipping. The total cost to manage your ED is a function of the number of doses and shipping frequency.

3. Follow-Up Care

Roman offers free, unlimited follow-up visits through their telemedicine platform. Your feedback is an important part of your treatment plan. You can message the physician anytime so they are aware of the results, if any, as well as side effects you may be experiencing. Your treatment regimen may need to be altered.

What Medications Are Available and How Do They Work?

Roman offers Viagra and Cialis, as well as their generic forms, sildenafil and tadalafil, respectively. What’s the difference between the name brand and generic medications? Pricing (more on this later).

As the patent for Viagra expired in 2012, while that of Cialis in 2018, other drug companies began the manufacturing and sale of the generics. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires rigorous testing prior to a drug being made available for sale.

Additionally, the FDA applies standards to all generic medications requiring them to be created equally when compared to the brand name in terms of dosage, safety, and efficacy.

Sildenafil

ED occurs when psychological cardiovascular, or metabolic factors hinder the flow of blood to your penis. The latter two categories can be effectively managed with ED medications.

Sildenafil is the active ingredient in Viagra. As a phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitor, it is considered first-line treatment for ED. This drug class works to block the action of PDE5, an enzyme that works to control the diameter of blood vessels, thereby allowing for increased blood flow.

When you become sexually aroused, sildenafil facilitates the blood flow into your penis that is required to achieve and maintain an erection. Doses at 25, 50, or 100mg are labeled as Viagra or its generic form. Doses at 20mg are considered Revatio or its generic form.

While Revatio and its generic are used to treat pulmonary hypertension, the Roman physicians may prescribe doses of this medication at 20mg increments in what is technically an “off-label” use. Again, the active ingredient, safety, efficacy, and route of administration are identical to Viagra.

Sildenafil has an onset of action of about 30 minutes, while it works for up to six hours. As this is the shorter-acting medication of the available options, it is prescribed to be used as needed and must be taken within 4 hours of sexual activity.

Tadalafil

Also a PDE5 inhibitor, tadalafil is the active ingredient in Cialis and its mechanism of action is comparable to that of sildenafil. Tadalafil differs from sildenafil in that its effects can last 24-36 hours. This allows for both a daily dosing regimen or an as-needed prescription.

Roman offers both Cialis and generic tadalafil in identical doses. For both medications, 2.5–20mg tablets can be prescribed for as-needed use. If you prefer daily use, only the 2.5 and 5mg doses are available for this treatment option.

The Takeaway

Viagra and Cialis are the brand names for sildenafil and tadalafil, respectively. Sildenafil is short-acting and prescribed as needed, whereas as tadalafil’s longer-lasting actions allow for both daily and as-needed use. The brand name drugs are identical to their generic counterparts, though the generics are significantly cheaper.

Do These Medications Work?

Sildenafil

The International Index of Erectile Capacity Form (IIEF) is a commonly used survey to measure various self-reported aspects of erectile performance, where higher scores indicate improvement. On average, this score nearly doubled after 1-month of treatment with 50mg of sildenafil in 141 patients and more than nearly 85% of patients in this study benefited from treatment at 6-months.

In another study, the efficacy of tadalafil and sildenafil did not differ. Additionally, the FDA reports a study comparing sildenafil treatment to placebo in 1,700 patients in which more than 60% of those treated with sildenafil reported improved erectile performance.

Tadalafil

In a review of 4 studies comparing once daily and as-needed use of tadalafil in more than 1,000 patients, daily use demonstrated a greater improvement in IIEF. Another investigation demonstrated successful intercourse within 30-minutes of tadalafil treatment in 52% of the patients included.

The FDA cites more than 20 studies, 7 of which were randomized controls, in which the efficacy of tadalafil was investigated in over 4,000 subjects. The US trials demonstrated significant improvements in patient-reported erectile performance in both academic and community centers.

The Takeaway

Both drugs offer a variety of effective dosing regimens for the treatment of ED. The timing of doses with regards to sexual activity differs between sildenafil and tadalafil, with patient and partner preferences in favor of the latter.

What’s Your Best Option?

Roman offers plenty of options. Your medical history and symptoms will largely determine your eligibility for telemedicine ED treatment. Once approved, your price range, frequency of sexual activity, and interest in spontaneity will guide your physician in selecting the best plan of care for your needs.

In light of its shorter-acting effects, sildenafil requires careful planning as you must take it 4 hours prior to sexual activity. Tadalafil eliminates this requirement as it can be active for up to 72 hours. This increases spontaneity, while also allowing for daily or as needed dosing; both patients and partners seem to prefer it for these reasons.

The Takeaway

Consider your frequency of sexual activity, interest in spontaneity, and budget as Roman can offer options to accommodate most needs.

Are These Medications Safe?

While efficacy is similar for both drugs, they also have similar safety profiles. Nonetheless, they are not without risk, nor are they for everyone with ED.

The rate of adverse effects are similar for both medications and commonly include:

• Nasal congestion
• Upset stomach
• Headaches
• Back pain

Being thorough in your medical history prior to starting treatment is imperative. Share any history of heart, lung, liver, kidney, or bleeding disorders.

Be sure to provide a detailed medication list; drugs used to treat chest pain, blood pressure, HIV, and fungal infections can interact dangerously with ED medications.

Lastly, priapism, a painful, prolonged erection, is a medical emergency – seek immediate medical attention.

The Takeaway

A detailed medical history, description of symptoms, and a list of medications are important to share with your physician as ED treatment can be dangerous in certain conditions or in conjunction with certain medications.

How Much Does Treatment Cost?

This will vary patient to patient and depend on numerous factors, though there are some constants. For example, your membership, first visit, subsequent follow-up visits, and 2-day shipping remain free. No commitment necessary.

Pricing can vary greatly depending on medication, dosing regimen, and frequency of sexual encounters. Price per dose for each medication is detailed in the chart below.

Can I Obtain These Medications Elsewhere?

Both the brand name and generic medications are available from other telemedicine services with similar platforms that allow you to skip the office visit and have your medication delivered to your doorstep.

BlueChew and hims are 2 options; both offer free visit with licensed physicians, free 2 day delivery, and a variety of dosing regimens.

Generic forms of first-line ED medications decrease cost substantially, monthly orders can still add up, however. A daily regimen of generic Cialis would approach $3,000 for a year of treatment with Roman.

Though these telemedicine services are convenient, it may be worth exploring the potential of your insurance provider in covering ED treatment (Medicare and many private insurers do not cover medications used to treat ED).

Another option includes doing some investigation of your own as regular drugstores and some discount online programs offer these medications at just pennies on the dollar.

What Are Customers Saying About Roman?

Based on 48 reviews here on HighYa, Roman averages 3.1-stars (out of five). In examining these reviews, it is apparent that Roman staff is extremely responsive – definitely a plus for this company. They seem to readily reply to both favorable reviews, as well as to those form customers with poor experiences.

While most praise Roman for their fast shipping and effective products, their less than perfect rating is related mainly to negative reviews from more recent customers that had a single issue with the shipping process. These reviews centered around experiencing slower than advertised transit or being charged in error.

In these instances, a representative from Roman reached out to apologize and rectify the situation by providing additional contact information as well as offering credit for another shot at their services.

Digging back farther, there were also a number of complaints regarding the fee for the initial visit. As Roman no longer charges this fee it seems as though they are willing to implement customer feedback.

The Bottom Line

Roman provides a wide variety of dosing regimens for brand name and generic ED treatments. The medications offered are effective, and safe if used correctly.

These medications are not without risk, however, so sharing a detailed medical history is paramount prior to starting treatment. Dangerous effects can occur in those being treated for cardiovascular-related issues.

The convenience of telemedicine treatment for ED can be costly; even the pricing for generic medication adds up over time.