Author Topic: PEP questions (Read 6809 times)

Scaredtodeath123 · « **on:** March 21, 2010, 03:22:41 am »

Hello, first I want to thank everyone for their noble and selfless work to help educate us all!

Now to my question. Approximately 23-24 hrs ago, I had unprotected vaginal sex with a woman whom I feel has great risk factors for HIV. I didn't find out till we were talking AFTER the sex. Dumb I know.. That she frequntly has sex with men who identify as bisexual and also worked as a prostitute for a year shen she was 19. She was tested but never went back for her results.. Additionally, I spoke to a friend of hers earlier today that suspects she is hivmpositive from some things she has hinted at in conversations with her . So this obviously added to my worries. I made a trip to the emergency room and told my story and they gave me several STD tests including HIV and wrote me scripts for 7 days for truvada reyataz and norvir. I took the truvada and norvir right there in the er around 11 am, less than twelve hours after exposure. Then had to go find reyataz seperatley which I was able to do and I took that pill about two hours later. So now I have all three presciptions filled and day two is tomorrow. I have to make an appointment with an infectious disease dr next week I guess to see if continued pep is warranted. Now on to my questions. Question 1, is there any big concern that I took the reyataz two hours after the truvada and norvir for today's dose? And also. I didn't notice if the norvir came refridgerated from the pharmacy. I presume they realize the importance of such things and acted appropriatley but if they didn't have it refridgerated and worse case scenario, it lost potency, would the other two still be an effective pep regime in and of themselves? Hopefully all this made sense. Needless to say I am totally freaked out and have learned a big lesson. Any help on these questions would be greatly appreciated. Especially if there are any pharmacists and or infectious diseases specialsts on here. Thanks!!!!

Andy Velez · « **Reply #1 on:** March 21, 2010, 09:48:20 am »

There's no problem about having begun one medication at a different time than the others. Just make sure you are in compliance going forward to completion for the 28 days of PEP.

Your time for counting to testing for a final result is 13 weeks from when you complete PEP. You can test initially at 6 weeks after that but to be absolutely sure of a result it has to be at 13 weeks.

You described having the conversation with the woman after the sex as being dumb. No, the dumb thing you did was to have sex without a condom. No matter what she said to you afterwards, you should not be having unprotected intercourse with anyone. Everytime you have vaginal or anal intercourse you need to be wearing a condom. No exceptions. By doing that it doesn't matter if the person is HIV+, because you will be well protected.

Scaredtodeath123 · « **Reply #2 on:** March 21, 2010, 12:12:31 pm »

Hey andy. Thanks for the response any info about my particular pep regimen and my question about norvir/ potency in my first post? Thanks again

Andy Velez · « **Reply #3 on:** March 21, 2010, 12:46:56 pm »

That brief time differential would not matter. Just make sure you comply with the regimen. As you may already know the drugs are powerful and not infrequently have uncomfortable side effects. The upside is they have proven to be very effective when begun promptly and the regimen is followed.

Scaredtodeath123 · « **Reply #4 on:** March 21, 2010, 01:21:32 pm »

I'm just saying in the event that the norvir hadn't been kept refridgerated properly, and lost potency , would the truvada and reyataz combo still be a good one? Sorry just trying to determine if I need to go back to the pharmacy to get more norvir if there is a chance potency could have been lost

Matty the Damned · « **Reply #5 on:** March 21, 2010, 03:58:02 pm »

Quote from: Scaredtodeath123 on March 21, 2010, 01:21:32 pm

I'm just saying in the event that the norvir hadn't been kept refridgerated properly, and lost potency , would the truvada and reyataz combo still be a good one? Sorry just trying to determine if I need to go back to the pharmacy to get more norvir if there is a chance potency could have been lost

The norvir will not have lost potency. It can last for a month at temperatures of around 25 degrees celsius.

MtD

Scaredtodeath123 · « **Reply #6 on:** March 21, 2010, 11:21:40 pm »

Thanks Matty, also I know that HIV drugs have some sort of disfiguring effects like fat loss etc when used longterm. Am I at any risk of those with the relatively short pep regime?

Matty the Damned · « **Reply #7 on:** March 21, 2010, 11:30:41 pm »

Quote from: Scaredtodeath123 on March 21, 2010, 11:21:40 pm

Thanks Matty, also I know that HIV drugs have some sort of disfiguring effects like fat loss etc when used longterm. Am I at any risk of those with the relatively short pep regime?

No, your PEP combo is not high on the list of lipo causing regimens and besides you're only going to be on it for about 5 minutes so lipo isn't an issue here.

Truvada contains tenofovir which can cause kidney damage.

MtD

Scaredtodeath123 · « **Reply #8 on:** March 21, 2010, 11:34:05 pm »

Would the possible kidney damage again be Something that would not be likely in a short pep regimen?

Matty the Damned · « **Reply #9 on:** March 21, 2010, 11:44:12 pm »

Quote from: Scaredtodeath123 on March 21, 2010, 11:34:05 pm

Would the possible kidney damage again be Something that would not be likely in a short pep regimen?

Dunno. You should ask the doctor who prescribed it for you.

MtD

Scaredtodeath123 · « **Reply #10 on:** April 02, 2010, 03:34:41 pm »

Have there been any studies about if there are any long term negative effects from a 4 week pep course featuring truvada, norvir and reyataz? I am obviously concerned about HIV since I'm taking the course, but I don't want to have any long term kidney or liver damage obviously. Can anyone speak to this possibility? Or is pep safety pretty well established?

Scaredtodeath123 · « **Reply #11 on:** April 02, 2010, 03:35:57 pm »

Also, tomorrow is the halfway point of my pep. Would stopping at two weeks be detrimental or reduce efficacy?

Ann · « **Reply #12 on:** April 02, 2010, 05:10:37 pm »

Scared,

You're not going to get any long-term effects from four weeks on PEP.

It's totally up to you whether or not you continue to take it. PEP isn't recommended for the insertive partner in unprotected vaginal intercourse where the receptive partner is of unknown hiv status. You are very unlikely to become infected over this, PEP or no PEP.

Ann

Scaredtodeath123 · « **Reply #13 on:** April 05, 2010, 10:27:59 pm »

Thanks Ann, I decided to finish out the pep course as directed. I have taken my pills close to the same time every day , but I was taking them between 11am and noon, but yesterday and today it was closer to 1pm. This will absolutley not cause any efficacy problems will it? I have not missed any days. I'm
just feeling really anxious because since Saturday I have had a bit of a sore throat, and saturday was basically the two week point of exposure. I'm really scared.

Matty the Damned · « **Reply #14 on:** April 05, 2010, 10:40:55 pm »

Quote from: Scaredtodeath123 on April 05, 2010, 10:27:59 pm

Thanks Ann, I decided to finish out the pep course as directed. I have taken my pills close to the same time every day , but I was taking them between 11am and noon, but yesterday and today it was closer to 1pm. This will absolutley not cause any efficacy problems will it? I have not missed any days. I'm
just feeling really anxious because since Saturday I have had a bit of a sore throat, and saturday was basically the two week point of exposure. I'm really scared.

This minor time variation in taking your dose will have no impact of the effectiveness of your PEP regimen.

MtD

Scaredtodeath123 · « **Reply #15 on:** April 25, 2010, 11:47:47 pm »

Hello again all. Thought is give a bit of an update. So yesterday, Saturday was 5 weeks since the incident and 1 week that I've been finished with my pep regimen. I've heard some conflict about when I can test. Would 5 week post exposure but one week post pep give me any kind of idea of my status? Obviously this has been nerve wracking and I just want it to be behind me as soon as possible. Thanks

Matty the Damned · « **Reply #16 on:** April 25, 2010, 11:52:02 pm »

You elected to take PEP and so you must deal with the consequences of that.

PEP "resets" the window period. You will need to have your antibody test 13 weeks from the date you ceased the PEP regimen.

MtD

Forums Index

Welcome

Welcome to Do I Have HIV?

Author Topic: PEP questions (Read 6809 times)