Ars and PEP?

[Fouiii]

Hi,

I've had a high risk exposure.  I had receptive anal sex with ejaculation (twice) with no lubrification.

I was hard drugs involved though none intravenously.

I started peps 36-48 hours later.  I know this isnt optimal.  Plus my partner had a high risk profile.

Now 13 days later I dont know if i am experiencing symptoms of Ars, anxiety or side effects of peps.

My lymph nodes are not swillen but sensible.  My throat is slightly sore.  I feel a litte fever coming and going.   Could it be seroconversion?  Can you still react to HIV sith mild symptoms but end up negative because of pep or does it mean it s ineffective?

[Jeff G]

PEP is very effective and although you did have a risk the odds are you are going to come out of this HIV negative .

You are probably experiencing side effects from the medication and it has nothing to do with ARS . Just keep taking your medication and retest at the appropriate time .

Anyone who is sexually active should be having a full sexual health care check-up, including but not limited to hiv testing, at least once a year and more often if unprotected intercourse occurs.

If you aren't already having regular, routine check-ups, now is the time to start. As long as you make sure condoms are being used for intercourse, you can fully expect your routine hiv tests to return with negative results.

Don't forget to always get checked for all the other sexually transmitted infections as well, because they are MUCH easier to transmit than hiv. Some of the other STIs can be present with no obvious symptoms, so the only way to know for sure is to test.

Use condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, correctly and consistently, and you will avoid hiv infection. It really is that simple!

[Ann]

I started peps 36-48 hours later.  I know this isnt optimal.

PEP can be started up to 72 hours after a risk. You started in good time.

You are taking powerful drugs and it is not uncommon for someone to experience side effects from them, particularly in the first four to six weeks. Be thankful you only have to take them for four weeks.

And yes, stress and anxiety can also cause physical symptoms. Nothing you are reporting is hiv specific.

You can read more about the meds you are taking here.

You need to understand that taking PEP extends the testing window period by four weeks.

The earliest you should test is at six weeks after your last dose of PEP.

A six week negative (6w post-exposure when not on PEP; 6w post-PEP when taking PEP) is highly unlikely to change, but must be confirmed at the three month point.

You can confirm a negative result at three months after your last dose of PEP.

Provided you take your meds every day as directed, without missing doses, there is no reason to think you will test anything other than hiv negative.

Please learn from this and stop having unprotected anal or vaginal intercourse with people of unknown hiv status.

Use condoms, correctly and consistently, and you will avoid hiv infection. It really is that simple!!!

Ann

[Fouiii]

PEP can be started up to 72 hours after a risk. You started in good time.

You are taking powerful drugs and it is not uncommon for someone to experience side effects from them, particularly in the first four to six weeks. Be thankful you only have to take them for four weeks.

And yes, stress and anxiety can also cause physical symptoms. Nothing you are reporting is hiv specific.

You can read more about the meds you are taking here.

You need to understand that taking PEP extends the testing window period by four weeks.

The earliest you should test is at six weeks after your last dose of PEP.

A six week negative (6w post-exposure when not on PEP; 6w post-PEP when taking PEP) is highly unlikely to change, but must be confirmed at the three month point.

You can confirm a negative result at three months after your last dose of PEP.

Provided you take your meds every day as directed, without missing doses, there is no reason to think you will test anything other than hiv negative.

Please learn from this and stop having unprotected anal or vaginal intercourse with people of unknown hiv status.

Use condoms, correctly and consistently, and you will avoid hiv infection. It really is that simple!!!

Ann

I thought the delays about testing were a myth.  So a test after six weeks after exposure will be completly unreliable? 

Also, what are the numbers on PEPs efficacy percentage.  I have big suspicions that my partner is positive after talking to him and I m prettu sure the virus had plenty of opportunities to infect me with all the crazy drug induced behavior.

As for my ' lesson', I simply need to quit hard drugs.  They are the root of all my problems.  I do not engage in risky behaviors at all I am sober.

[Ann]

Fouiii,

A test six weeks post-exposure after taking PEP will not be conclusive. It would be only two weeks after your last dose of PEP and would only really tell you that you were negative approximately six weeks before starting PEP.

I don't know any exact percentages, but I do know that in over twelve years of being a member of these forums, I have never seen a person who took PEP following a sexual exposure go on to test positive.

In fact the only person I have ever known, or heard, or read about who became infected despite PEP was a nurse who had hiv positive blood, with an extremely high viral load (over a million), injected directly into her blood stream during a needle-stick accident. It is exceedingly rare for someone to become infected despite starting PEP in a timely manner, which you did.

I m prettu sure the virus had plenty of opportunities to infect me with all the crazy drug induced behavior.

The only "opportunities" in your situation would be unprotected anal intercourse - unless of course you were also sharing drug injecting equipment with him.

I seriously do not believe you will ultimately test anything other than hiv negative, provided you take your PEP each day as directed, without missing doses.

Ann

[Fouiii]

Fouiii,

A test six weeks post-exposure after taking PEP will not be conclusive. It would be only two weeks after your last dose of PEP and would only really tell you that you were negative approximately six weeks before starting PEP.

I don't know any exact percentages, but I do know that in over twelve years of being a member of these forums, I have never seen a person who took PEP following a sexual exposure go on to test positive.

In fact the only person I have ever known, or heard, or read about who became infected despite PEP was a nurse who had hiv positive blood, with an extremely high viral load (over a million), injected directly into her blood stream during a needle-stick accident. It is exceedingly rare for someone to become infected despite starting PEP in a timely manner, which you did.

The only "opportunities" in your situation would be unprotected anal intercourse - unless of course you were also sharing drug injecting equipment with him.

I seriously do not believe you will ultimately test anything other than hiv negative, provided you take your PEP each day as directed, without missing doses.

Ann

There wasnt any needles involved but the anal sex was pretty rough.  No lubricant at all, he ejaculated a few times and insert huge dildos up there with his semen slushing in my butt.  Sorry for the details.  Combined with the fact that my immune system was probably wrecked by the 20 speed pills, an 8-bal of cocaine and 30oz of rhum I ingested. 

My vital signs were pretty bad even the next day after according to my MD.

I like to think I am just anxious and that the numbers are on my side but my lymph nodes are stil aching and that sore throat isnt a product of my imagination.

I guess iI ll just have to wait and hope.  Thank you for your feedback.  Your comment on how you ve never heard of a contributor whose treatment failed reassured me.  Hopefuĺly i wont be the exception.

[Andy Velez]

You've got a good attitude about this. Work on giving your attention to other things in your life while waiting to test. Doing that will really help to have the time pass more comfortably. Neither symptoms or lack of same is ever a good barometer either way about HIV status.

Fingers crossed for you and we'll be waiting to hear.