Post PEP test.

[RB2014]

Hello Friends, i have unprotected sex with a strange woman, i was drunk. 20 hours later i started pep, witch i took for 28 days. I've done tests at 4 weeks, 8 weeks, 12 weeks and 17 weeks post exposure. All my tests were done with the Architect Combo 4ª generation, by abbott. During all this period, i have some stomach and intestinal problems. And two days after my last test,  developed ringworms, and i never had any skin problems before. My doctor said that i don't need more tests. What did you think folks. Sorry about my english.

[Jeff G]

I agree with your doctor, you are HIV negative . 

[RB2014]

Friends, looks like CDC change the pep guidelines to test 4 months post exposure, am i right?
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23917901

And the State of New York in the new guideline says that 3 month post exposure is suficient, even after pep.
http://www.hivguidelines.org/clinical-guidelines/post-exposure-prophylaxis/i-might-have-been-exposed-to-hiv-what-should-i-do/

Also the Australian guidelines for PEP follow up, said 3 months is suficient.

http://www.ashm.org.au/pep-guidelines/NPEP_PEP_guidelines_Dec_2013.pdf

It seems that more and more guidelines are going to the 3 month window period even after PEP.

Changing subject...

I've read some posts at "I just test POZ" and others forum, and lots of people are worry with the money to buy the medicins. Here in Brazil, the government distribucted all the HIV medicines for free, to brazilians and non-brazilians. I think that all countries in the world should do the same. Is very sad, discover yourself with hiv and dont have money to purchase the medicins.

[Jeff G]

The testing window period is 6 weeks and 3 months to confirm the results . If you are on a pep regimen for 4 weeks it extends the testing window period to 6 weeks past PEP and again at 3 months . That is 4 months past initial exposure .

[Ann]

Friends, looks like CDC change the pep guidelines to test 4 months post exposure, am i right?

RB,

The CDC didn't change their guidelines, they've always been to test at three months past your last dose of PEP, at least since they changed them years ago from six months past the last dose. A course of PEP lasts for 28 days (four weeks), so it does end up being four months post-exposure. Testing is also recommended at three months post-PEP in the UK.

We advise adding the month on PEP to the testing window because of how hiv and how PEP both work.

PEP works exactly the same as it does in a confirmed positive person. It stops the virus replicating during various times in its life-cycle. When a person has very recently been infected and PEP is initiated within three days (72 hours), the virus can be stopped in its tracks, before it gains access to the various reservoirs in the body where it can hide from the meds. The fact that hiv hides in reservoirs is one of the reasons why a cure for hiv is so elusive.

The theory is that if hiv gets into the reservoirs before PEP is initiated, once PEP is stopped it can come out of hiding and start replicating in the blood again, because the meds are no longer in the blood. This means the process of antibody production starts within a week or so, when there is enough virus in the blood to trigger this response from the body's immune system. That's why we count the window period from the last day of PEP.

The biggest question mark over this process is that we don't know for sure whether or not hiv that may be hiding in the body's reservoirs can trigger antibody production. I'm not sure if we'll ever be able to answer this question.

A negative test result at six weeks post-PEP is highly unlikely to change, just like when someone has not taken PEP but is testing following a risk. However, it is still prudent to confirm that negative result at the three month point and I feel the same about this following PEP. Better safe than sorry, regardless of what the health departments in some areas say.

You are hiv negative - please do not put yourself in the position where you need PEP again.

Here's what you need to know in order to avoid hiv infection:

You need to be using condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, every time, no exceptions until such time as you are in a securely monogamous relationship where you have both tested for ALL sexually transmitted infections together.

To agree to have unprotected intercourse is to consent to the possibility of being infected with an STI. Sex without a condom lasts only a matter of minutes, but hiv is forever.

Have a look through the condom and lube links in my signature line so you can use condoms with confidence.

ALTHOUGH YOU DO NOT NEED FURTHER HIV TESTING AT THIS 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

[RB2014]

Friends, i would like to use my last post to thank you all for the help. This is a very nice site and you are great people. I would like to send a hug for Mr. Velez, i speek spanish and read a lot at the spanish forum. A last question, where is "jkinatl2"? His anwers were always nice, and he is very pacient with the worry folks like me. A kiss to Ann, and a hug for Jeff. Good bye friends!

[Ann]

RB,

You're welcome.

JK is currently taking a break from the forum. We all need to recharge our batteries from time to time.

Ann