Vardenafil 20mg Tablets: What They Look Like and What to Expect
Genuine branded Levitra 20mg tablets are orange, round and film-coated, with a debossed BAYER cross on one side and "20" on the other.
Generic vardenafil 20mg tablets contain the same active ingredient at the same strength, but their appearance varies by manufacturer, since there is no single standard look for a generic medicine.
This page covers what vardenafil 20mg tablets actually look like, what comes in the pack, how to store them, and how to tell a genuine tablet from one worth double-checking.
If you are in the UK and want reliable information before taking vardenafil, collecting a dispensed pack, or checking whether branded and generic tablets match what you expected, getting these checks right helps you avoid counterfeit medicines and make sure what you have been supplied is what you intended to receive.
The Short Answer
Branded Levitra 20mg film-coated tablets have a specific, consistent appearance: orange, round and film-coated, with a debossed BAYER cross on one side and the number 20 on the other, identifying the strength.
That appearance is set out in the medicine's own product information and does not vary between packs.
Generic vardenafil 20mg, by contrast, has no single appearance, because different manufacturers produce it with their own tablet design.
Branded Levitra Versus Generic Vardenafil
Levitra's Consistent Appearance
Because the branded product has a documented appearance, that is what you would expect when supplied with branded Levitra 20mg.
If your tablet looks different, check the packaging and confirm it with the supplying pharmacy.
Why Generic Appearance Varies
Generic vardenafil 20mg contains the same active ingredient at the same strength, and is held to the same regulatory standards for content and effectiveness.
What is not standardised is physical appearance. Different manufacturers use different tablet shapes, colours and markings, all of which can be entirely genuine.
That means there is no single correct look to check a generic tablet against, unlike the branded product.
Why Appearance Alone Does Not Prove a Tablet Is Genuine
A tablet looking a certain way is not, by itself, evidence that it is genuine or safe.
That matters most for generic vardenafil, where legitimate manufacturer variation already means tablets look different from each other, which makes a copy harder to spot on looks alone. It also matters for branded Levitra, since a consistent, well-documented appearance is exactly the kind of detail someone imitating it would copy.
The more reliable checks are about where the medicine came from: whether it was dispensed by a GPhC registered pharmacy, following a genuine clinical assessment, in original, intact packaging with a patient information leaflet included.
Those checks matter more than colour or shape, precisely because appearance can be replicated in a way that a genuine supply chain cannot.
What Is Actually in the Pack
A properly supplied pack should have clear product and strength information, an expiry date, and the relevant patient information leaflet. The exact packaging and pack size vary between products and manufacturers.
Loose tablets with no leaflet, no clear strength labelling, or packaging that looks tampered with or repackaged are all worth treating with caution, regardless of how the tablets themselves look.
Checks Worth Making on a New Supply
- Check the blister foil is intact and has not been opened, resealed or tampered with in any way
- Check the strength printed on the blister and outer packaging matches what you were expecting, and matches the tablets described in the enclosed leaflet
- Check the expiry date is present, legible and has not passed
- Check a patient information leaflet is included, not just the tablets on their own
- Check the manufacturer or brand name printed on the packaging is legible and consistent across the box, blister and leaflet
None of these depend on knowing exactly what every generic vardenafil tablet should look like, which is genuinely difficult given how much legitimate variation exists.
They focus instead on whether the supply as a whole looks complete, intact and properly labelled, which is a more reliable indicator than the tablet's appearance on its own.
Film-Coated Versus Orodispersible
Film-coated and orodispersible vardenafil are different formulations, even when they contain the same labelled strength, and they should not be treated as automatically interchangeable.
If you are unsure which formulation you have been prescribed, check with your pharmacist or prescriber.
Storing Vardenafil 20mg Tablets
Keep the tablets in their original packaging until you need them. The blister protects them, and it keeps the leaflet and expiry date together with the medicine.
Store them out of sight and reach of children, and away from direct heat or damp, such as a bathroom cabinet exposed to steam.
Never transfer tablets into an unlabelled container, since that removes the strength, expiry and batch information that matters if a question comes up later.
If you have tablets you no longer need, or that have passed their expiry date, return them to a pharmacy for safe disposal rather than throwing them away or keeping them indefinitely.
Why Original Packaging Matters Beyond Tidiness
The blister strip and outer carton are part of how the medicine stays identifiable and traceable.
Moving tablets into a pill organiser or a different container means losing the batch number and expiry date printed on the original packaging, which matters if you ever need to check a specific supply against a query or a recall.
Keeping the leaflet with the tablets, even loosely together in a drawer, is a simple habit that avoids the problem entirely.
If a Tablet Does Not Match What You Expected
If a tablet looks different from a previous supply, that does not automatically mean something is wrong, particularly if you have switched between branded Levitra and a generic, or between different generic manufacturers, since appearance genuinely does vary.
It is still worth checking directly with the pharmacy that supplied it, especially if the packaging, labelling or leaflet also looks unfamiliar, or if you have any doubt about where the medicine came from.
If anything about the tablet or its source seems unclear, speak to a pharmacist before taking it.
What Affects How a Tablet Looks
| Factor | What it means |
|---|---|
| Branded Levitra 20mg | Fixed appearance: orange, round, film-coated, with a BAYER cross and 20 debossed |
| Generic vardenafil 20mg | Same active ingredient and strength, with appearance varying by manufacturer |
| Film-coated versus orodispersible | Different products at the same labelled strength, not interchangeable |
| Packaging | Should always be a sealed blister pack with a patient information leaflet |
| Appearance alone | Not sufficient to confirm a tablet is genuine. Source and packaging matter more |
| A tablet that looks unfamiliar | Worth checking with a pharmacist, particularly alongside unfamiliar packaging |
Getting Genuine Vardenafil 20mg
The most reliable route is a regulated one: a GPhC registered pharmacy, following an individual clinical assessment, with tablets supplied in intact, correctly labelled packaging alongside a patient information leaflet.
Vardenafil is not available over the counter, so a clinical assessment is part of any legitimate supply. Buying from unregulated websites increases the risk of counterfeit tablets.
An online consultation with UK registered prescribers is built around exactly that process, confirming suitability before any medicine is dispensed.
Medical Disclaimer
This page is for general information only and does not replace individual clinical advice. Vardenafil is a prescription-only medicine, and treatment suitability can only be confirmed following an individual clinical assessment.
Do not take more than one dose in any 24-hour period, and do not exceed the dose prescribed for you.
Vardenafil must not be taken with nitrates, nitric oxide donors or guanylate cyclase stimulators, because of interactions that can cause a dangerous drop in blood pressure. If you take alpha blockers or other medicines that lower blood pressure, speak to a prescriber before taking vardenafil. A lower dose may be needed with some interacting medicines, including HIV protease inhibitors.
Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may increase vardenafil exposure, so check with your prescriber or pharmacist before consuming either. Caution is also needed in people with sickle cell anaemia, leukaemia, multiple myeloma or bleeding disorders.
If you have cardiovascular disease or other significant heart-related concerns, speak with a prescriber before using vardenafil, particularly if you have been advised that sexual activity may be unsuitable for you.
Seek urgent medical attention by calling 999 or attending A&E if you experience an erection lasting longer than four hours, a painful erection, chest pain, severe dizziness, fainting, a sudden decrease or loss of vision or hearing, or signs of a severe allergic reaction.
