When I First Start Taking The Medication How Many Days Do I Have To Take The Medication In Order For It To Protect Me From An Hiv Exposure
The PrEP medication must reach and maintain a certain level in the blood and the bodys mucus membranes to provide protection. The amount of time it takes may vary from person to person. For people taking daily PrEP who engage in anal intercourse, the medication must be taken each day for 7 days to reach the level needed for full protection. Cis-gender MSM who are taking on-demand PrEP, must take two pills, 2-24 hours before having sex. For the receptive partner in vaginal intercourse, it takes approximately 20 days of taking the medication consistently to reach the level of full protection in the female genital tract. This is why cis-gender women and transgender men who have receptive vaginal intercourse should not take on-demand PrEP. People of transgender experience should talk with their healthcare provider about their specific sexual practices to best determine the length of time it will take to be fully protected.
Is Prep For Me Icons / Angledown Icons / Angleup
Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis is for HIV-negative people who may be at risk of HIV. Many things influence risk, including:
- Whether and how often you use condoms
- Whether you know the HIV status of your sexual partners
- Whether your HIV-positive partners are undetectable
- Whether you are having sex with casual partners
- The types of sex you have
- Whether you inject drugs or use methamphetamines during sex.
It is important to understand what is involved in taking PrEP and to make sure that you can take the medication as prescribed. Your circumstances and your risk of being exposed to HIV should all play a role in deciding whether PrEP is right for you.
If you decide to take PrEP this does not mean that you must take it for the rest of your life. There are ways to safely stop using PrEP at any time. Speak with a doctor about whats best for your circumstances.
What Else Is Involved With Taking Prep
PrEP is part of a comprehensive HIV prevention strategy that includes safer sex practices and routine medical appointments.
The first step is to make sure a person is HIV negative before they start PrEP. They should also be tested for STIs and hepatitis A, B and C, and they should have their kidney function checked.
A person using PrEP needs to take it as prescribed by their healthcare provider. They must also attend regular medical appointments, typically once after the first 30 days on PrEP and then every three months thereafter. These regular visits are necessary so that the person can be tested for HIV and other STIs, monitored for drug side effects and receive ongoing adherence and risk-reduction counselling.
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Who Is Prep For
PrEP is recommended for people who are considered at risk of getting HIV. You may be at risk if you:
- Are a man or transgender woman who has anal sex with men and does not always use a condom
- Have a heterosexual partner who has HIV and you want to have a baby
- Have a partner who is HIV positive but has not achieved an undetectable viral load, and you dont always use a condom
- Are a person who injects drugs
I Prefer Sex Without A Condom So I Don’t Always Use Them Would Prep Still Work To Prevent Hiv If I Don’t Use Condoms
If a person takes the PrEP medication consistently as directed, it provides a high level of protection against HIV. Condoms provide protection against sexually transmitted infections . People who are on the PrEP medication but are not using condoms may be exposed to an STI. It is important to be aware that having an STI can increase a persons chance of getting HIV if exposed to the virus. Some STIs dont have symptoms or symptoms may disappear on their own for periods of time. If you are not using condoms regularly, it would be especially important to have regular testing for STIs and to get treated as soon as possible if you have an STI. Screening for chlamydia and gonorrhea should include swabs of a persons genitals, rectum and mouth. Learning about the signs and symptoms of STIs is helpful in identifying whether you or one of your partners has an STI. Condom use is recommended but choosing to not use condoms routinely should not prevent you from being prescribed PrEP.
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What Happens When Im On Pep
PEP isnt just a one-time pill its a regimen where you take many pills over many weeks. If your nurse or doctor gives you PEP, youll need to take medicine 1-2 times a day for at least 28 days . Its important that you take every pill as directed and dont skip doses, otherwise PEP may not work as well.
PEP isnt 100% effective, and it wont prevent future HIV infections like PrEP can. So its important to keep protecting yourself and others from HIV while youre on PEP. Use condoms every time you have sex. If you inject drugs, dont share needles or works. This helps protect you from being exposed to HIV again. And it lowers the chances of giving HIV to others if you do have it
If you develop symptoms like a fever or rash while using PEP, talk with your doctor. These may be signs of the beginning stages of HIV.
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How Do I Get Prep
You can get PrEP from some health clinics or Planned Parenthood health centers, local health departments, and doctors offices.
Your nurse or doctor will talk with you about the sex you have, the protection you use, and your medical history to see if PrEP is right for you. Theyll also give you tests for HIV, Hepatitis B and C, and other STDs. And they’ll test your kidneys to make sure theyre working well.
Some nurses and doctors dont know about PrEP, or they dont want to prescribe it because they dont have all the facts about PrEP. If you dont have a doctor, or your regular doctor or nurse doesnt prescribe PrEP, you still have options. The doctors and nurses at your local Planned Parenthood health center can provide up-to-date, accurate, non-judgmental information about PrEP, and help you get a prescription if PrEP is right for you.
There are also other organizations that can help you get and pay for PrEP. Greater than AIDS has a tool that can help you find PrEP near you.
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Prep Can Help Anyone Prevent Hiv Why Do So Few People Take It
Aabout 60% of older Americans take a cholesterol-lowering statin to prevent heart attacks, strokes, and other forms of cardiovascular disease. In contrast, only 25% of eligible HIV-negative people take pre-exposure prophylaxis , a safe and highly effective way to prevent HIV infection.
But recent changes in how health care providers should think about PrEP and who it is for have the potential to transform the HIV epidemic in the United States and perhaps put it in the rearview mirror. .
PrEP is an HIV prevention regimen for HIV-negative teens and adults that involves medication and periodic blood and HIV testing to ensure health and safety. The Food and Drug Administration approved a daily oral PrEP pill in 2012, and last month approved a long-acting injectable version given every two months. Other methods of delivering PrEP are on the horizon, and one day people will have a menu of HIV prevention options that suit them, just like birth control.
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PrEP reduces the risk of HIV transmission through sex by almost 99% and through injection drug use by at least 74%.
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What If I Dont Have Medicare Icons / Angledown Icons / Angleup
If you do not have Medicare there are still affordable ways to access PrEP. You can import PrEP from overseas with your prescription, where the same generic medication is a lot cheaper, around $20 per month.
If you can travel to the Alfred Hospital and do not have Medicare you can visit the new PrEPMe clinic . PrEPMe offers free PrEP testing and prescription and allows you to pick up your medication at a nearby pharmacy for just $50 a month. Alternatively, you can use your PrEPMe script to access a free PrEP coupon through PAN
For information on buying PrEP head to pan.org.au or prepdforchange.com
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Should I Consider Taking Prep
PrEP may be useful for you if you are HIV-negative and the following applies to you:
You are heterosexual and you:
- Have a partner who is HIV positive
- Have multiple partners, a partner who has multiple partners, a partner with unknown HIV status and you have increased risks of HIV infection such as:
- You dont use condoms having sex with people who inject drugs
- You dont use condoms having sex with bisexual men
You are a gay/ bisexual man and you:
- Have a partner who is HIV positive
- Have multiple partners, a partner who has multiple partners, a partner with unknown HIV status and you:
- Have anal sex without condom or
- Recently had another STIs
You are a drug user and you:
- Are at risk of getting HIV from sex
If you have a partner who is known to be HIV-positive and are considering pregnancy, PrEP may be an option to protect you and your baby from acquiring HIV infection when you are trying to conceive, during pregnancy and during breastfeeding period.
Dont hesitate to speak to your doctor.
Is It True That There Is A Medication That Can Actually Prevent Someone From Getting Hiv
Yes. PrEP involves working with a healthcare provider to make an individualized plan to take medication to prevent HIV. Clinical trials have shown that PrEP is 99% effective at reducing sexual transmission of HIV. As of January 2019, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved two medications as PrEP for HIV: Truvada , and Descovy . Note: Descovy is not approved for use by cis-gender women.
Key Points About PrEP:
- PrEP medication is prescribed by a healthcare provider. People interested in PrEP can work with a healthcare provider to determine how PrEP can be tailored to their individual needs and circumstances.
- PrEP is only for people who are not living with HIV. HIV testing should be conducted before starting PrEP and repeated every three months to make sure the person is not living with HIV. Testing may be done by the healthcare provider or at a conveniently located community-based organization , healthcare facility or lab.
- Some people benefit from counseling and support for taking the medication regularly. If this is needed, the person can talk with the healthcare provider, a trusted CBO, a peer worker, or other provider.
- People at risk for HIV are also at risk for sexually transmitted infections . Counseling about using condoms to prevent STIs and periodic screening for STIs is important and may be provided by the healthcare provider, a trusted CBO, or other provider.
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How Is This Possible
The likelihood of passing on HIV is directly linked to the amount of the virus in your blood. The lower the amount of virus in your blood, the lower the chance of it being passed on and vice versa.
When taken correctly, HIV treatment reduces the amount of virus in someones blood. When the virus is reduced to extremely low levels to the point where a laboratory test cannot pick it up, the virus cannot be passed on. This low level of virus in the blood is what is called an undetectable viral load. Different laboratories may have different cut-off points when classifying an undetectable viral load however, most clinics in the UK classify undetectable as being below 20 copies of HIV virus per millilitre.
It is important to note that a key goal of treatment is to ideally get everyone living with HIV to have an undetectable viral load. While an undetectable viral load does not mean there is no HIV present, it helps people with HIV to live long and healthy lives.
How Does Prep Work Does It Work The Same Way As Vaccine
PrEP works differently from vaccine. Vaccine helps your body fights off infection by building antibodies. PrEP are made up of pills that are taken daily by mouth. The presence of the medicine in your body can help stop HIV from occurring and spreading in your body. However, if you do not take PrEP every day, there may be insufficient medicine to block off the virus.
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Is Prep Safe Any Other Side Effects
PrEP does not cause any serious life-threatening side effects. Common side effects include nausea in certain people, but the symptoms improved over time with repeat consumption of the medication.
Currently, there are no significant negative health side effects reported for people who are HIV-negative and taking PrEP for up to 5 years.
What Does Prep Do
PrEP is a medication that helps to reduce the risk of HIV transmission by preventing the virus from multiplying or growing within the body. PrEP is a combination of two drugs which help to fight off infection and also stop HIV from reproducing within a healthy host.
Before a person can be prescribed PrEP by their doctor, they must first be tested for HIV. PrEP is intended to be taken before a person is exposed therefore, if they already have HIV, they need to seek another HIV treatment as opposed to PrEP.
PrEP must be taken daily for at least seven days before it is effective at preventing HIV transmission through anal sex. This is because PrEP tends to collect in the colorectal tissue first before it is more present in other bodily tissues. However, it is still recommended that condoms are used during intercourse for additional protection.
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The Effectiveness Of Prep
Several studies have shown that PrEP significantly reduces the risk of HIV infection. The World Health Organization supports the use of PrEP .
PrEP can work for heterosexual men and women. In a study done with couples in Africa, it reduced infections by 75%. But some other studies had less impressive results, because too many of the people taking part did not take PrEP regularly.
post-exposure prophylaxis
A month-long course of antiretroviral medicines taken after exposure or possible exposure to HIV, to reduce the risk of acquiring HIV.
In studies, when PrEP appears not to have worked for someone, this was because the person was not actually taking the medication. In people who are able to take PrEP regularly, only occasionally missing doses, PrEP appears to prevent almost 100% of infections.
In a study done with gay men in England, use of Truvada as daily PrEP reduced HIV infections by 86%. In a study with gay men in France, PrEP taken before and after sex also reduced infections by 86%.
In a study, daily Truvada was found less effective for trans women. This was due to lower adherence and concern among trans people about interactions between daily Truvada and hormone therapy. However, interactions are unlikely due to differences in metabolism and clearance between PrEP and feminising hormones. Currently, there are no data on effectiveness of daily Truvada for trans men.
Tops Bottoms And Prep: What You Need To Know About Hiv Prevention
Nearly 70% of people living with HIV are homosexual and bisexual men and thankfully the use of PrEP for HIV prevention is increasing among this group. According to a recent study, the number of gay and bisexual males taking PrEP increased by 500% from 2014 to 2017. However, only 35% of gay and bisexual males who were at high-risk of HIV transmission were taking the medication.
It is important that everyone takes the proper precautions to protect themselves from HIV transmission. While some people are at more risk than others due to lifestyle choices or other practices, there is a common misconception that your risk of HIV transmission is higher or lower depending on your sexual orientation or preferred sexual position.
PrEP is designed to help protect any person regardless of sexual orientation from HIV transmission. But, you may be wondering if PrEP could affect you differently or be more or less effective depending on if you are a top, bottom, or vers.
For instance, many tops assume they do not need to take PrEP since they are at a lower risk of contracting HIV than a bottom since they are not penetrated.
So, does PrEP work differently for tops and bottoms?
Well first, lets explain what puts you most at risk for HIV transmission and why you should consider taking PrEP in the first place regardless of sexual orientation.
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On Demand Prep Or Event Based Dosing
This dosing option is only suitable for anal sex, not vaginal or frontal sex.
If youre using On Demand its really important not to miss any doses.
On Demand dosing is as effective as daily PrEP for anal sex.
If you know that you might have condomless sex 24 hours in advance:
- take 2 pills 2 24 hours before sex
- take 1 pill 24 hours later
- take 1 more pill 24 hours after that
If youre having sex for an extended period of time, perhaps over a few days or a weekend, continue to take a pill every 24 hours until you have 2 sex-free days.
This option is not recommended if you have an active hepatitis B infection. The drugs in PrEP also supress the hepatitis B virus and so starting and stopping PrEP can cause viral flare-ups and liver inflammation.