How at risk am I

[CW]

Hi I recently had an encounter with another male. He penetrated me and I realised he wasn't wearing a condom. He was inside me for 10-20 seconds, although later I did notice some bleeding. I started PEP within 24 hours. How much of a risk of infection do I have. Ps. I did later txt him and he said he was clean but doubt the truth of this

[Ann]

CW,

Your risk is rather on the low side (it was brief with no ejaculation) and with starting PEP in a timely manner, there is practically no chance that you'll be infected.

I hope you were given a baseline rapid hiv test before they prescribed PEP for you?

You need to know that taking PEP increases your window period by four weeks (PEP is taken for four weeks). The earliest you should test is at six weeks post-PEP. The vast majority of people who have actually been infected will seroconvert and test positive by this time, with the average time to seroconversion being only 22 days.

A negative six week post-PEP result is highly unlikely to change, but must be confirmed at the three month post-PEP point.

By the way, stop asking people if they're clean. I'd give you the same answer - I'm clean, I shower daily. I also happen to be hiv positive. It's insulting when people use the word "clean" as a euphemism for being hiv negative. It implies that those of us who are living with hiv are dirty.

It's no use asking people their status anyway - far too many people have no idea they're poz and only assume they're neg. And some people will lie.

Keep taking your PEP and you'll be just fine where hiv is concerned.

You also need to be tested for all the other, MUCH more easily transmitted STIs. You can test for most of them at ten days to two weeks following a possible exposure, but syphilis shares a three month window period with hiv for a conclusive negative result. (Please be aware that syphilis is on the rise in MSM, so make sure you also test for this, along with chlamydia and gonorrhea.)

Ann

[CW]

Thanks for the reply

I didn't mean to be offensive by using the term 'clean' I simply couldn't think of another word to use.

One final question, since starting the PEP (Kaletra and Truvada) I have had a couple of nosebleeds, could this be related to the PEP and if so should I be concerned.

[Ann]

CW,

I doubt very much that your nosebleeds have anything to do with PEP (and certainly not hiv), but if they continue, you may want to ring or go in to your local GUM clinic just to be safe.

Most people using the combo you're on for PEP have very few side-effect. The most common one is diarrhea. If that happens and it makes life tricky or interferes with work, call your GUM. They'll probably recommend Imodium, which you can get over-the-counter at your local chemists.

Ann

[CW]

Thank you again

The NHS already supplied Loperamide for diarrhoea and Domperidone for nausea.

[Ann]

CW,

Good to hear - you're being taken care of very well. Loperamide = Imodium.

Ann