Hi guys, in a serodiscordant relationship. I'm on prep as a secondary precaution. Partner is undetectable. I was on the 2 active drug combo - I think it's Truvada. Then I had a bad reaction to the side effects and couldn't function. Got switched over to Acriptega and I've been fine since with the nightmares, nausea, etc. After searching around, I noted this wasn't a norm & opinions are conflicting as to if it's optimal. After consulting with said Dr. he advised it was still a suitable substitute, and the risk of infection remains negligible such that with proper adherence I shouldn't worry about infection and therefore the possibility of drug resistant strains. That said, I adhere to the instructions on the prep as instructed. But what's the view on Acriptega as prep - does anyone have any studies I could look at or knowledge.

Hello everyone.
I'm doctor Mark and I'm a postgraduate doctor undergoing residency training in virology, infectious diseases and sexually transmitted infections with specific studies in HIV/AIDS.
Today is World Aids Day 2024 and I want to remind you all how terrible this disease can be but how, thanks to the great achievements of medical and virologic research, we have obtained massive results in the early diagnosis, effective treatment and management of the HIV infection.

HIV is currently the deadliest virus known to mankind, with a mortality rate of 100% within 15 years from the initial infection.
Today's antiretroviral treatment (HAART) is able to grant the same life expectancy of a seronegative person, but once the patient has achieved undetectable viral load for at least 6 months straight they are no longer able to transmit the virus sexually.

How is HIV transmitted?
- unprotected vaginal, anal or oral sex (oral sex is extremely low risk)
- sharing injective tools (syringes) or needlestick occupational injury
- infected blood transfusion
- through pregnancy (vertical transmission) from mother to baby, during breastfeeding and during the natural birth

How is HIV not transmitted?
- daily activities such as hugging, shaking hands, sharing kitchen tools, bug bites, sharing the same toilet, coughing or sneezing
- when a condom (either made of latex or synthetic materials) is properly used
- performing mutual masturbation, receiving oral sex (receptive fellatio or cunnilingus), touching each other's genitals (frotting) without internal penetration, licking non genital skin, rimming or other sexual activities that do not involve penetrative unprotected contact

What's the U=U rule?
"U=U" is a common acronym that means "undetectable = untransmittable".
A HIV+ person undergoing ART/HAART treatment who has achieved an undetectable viral load for at least 6 months in a row is not able to infect others sexually even during unprotected penetrative intercourse.

How do I know if I have HIV?
HIV acute seroconversion syndrome is not always showing and a diagnosis cannot be made entirely on symptoms. This is because the symptoms are entirely aspecific and they're similar to influenza, mononucleosis or other viral infections.
The only way to know if someone has been infected with HIV is to get tested.
I strongly advise everyone who is sexually active to have an HIV test at least one time per year, possibly during a full STDs screaning including other sexually transmitted infections such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, etc.

How does the antiretroviral therapy works?
Today in most countries, the majority of positive people is treated with a combinations of different antiretroviral drugs. This therapy does not cure completely from the infection but is able to keep the viral replication under control, lowering the viral load and the number of virions in the blood until this amount is no longer detectable by modern lab machines.

How will we ever erase HIV in the future?
Until we'll have an efficient HIV vaccine, whose research poses a great challenge to virology and to immunology, what we can do to fight off the infection rates worldwide is breaking the infection chain. And we can do so using every tool we have to avoid infecting others or ourselves, including using personal protections such as condoms, PrEP or PEP, along with regular testing, avoiding high risk exposures, discussing about HIV with our sexual partners and educating as many people as possible to a healthy approach to sex and sexuality. Do ask, do tell! Don't be afraid to talk about HIV with others.

If left untreated, HIV quickly progresses to AIDS within 5-6 years from the infection and AIDS kills.

HIV knows no sexual orientation, gender or age.
Anyone can be at risk for HIV, if exposed to risky behaviors such as unprotected penetrative intercourses with someone who is HIV+ and not on treatment or sharing injective equipments.

Take care of yourself and take care of your partner(s).
Talk about HIV, educate as many people as possible with scientific, peer-reviewed facts, get tested and, if needed, get treated as soon as possible. HIV is not a death sentence, if treated!

Science saves lives and anyone can make a difference in a future free from HIV!

I’ve been on prep since October 23rd. I got my first refill last week. I’ve been taking it daily but I counted my tablets today. Between my first bottle and this one it should be 60 tablets and I currently have 23 tablets left. If I’m doing the math correctly I’m thinking I missed a day or two? I fucked someone once BB (I was the top). This was a couple weeks back. I feel like I’m safe but just a little concerned cause it’s possible I missed a dose or two somewhere between when I began prep. What happens if you miss a day? Does it take another week to reach maximum protection? I normally take it in the morning and I’m usually pretty good about taking it.

Hi everyone,

Never had sexual relations with men but I know I am heavily sexually attracted to men. Visiting Japan next month where there are men-only saunas, you know where I'm going with this.

Of course I'm planning to use condoms and such but as a safety precaution, reading online that people at these sorts of places and in this specific country do not necessarily use contraception, should I start using prep? Or how many days/weeks before estimated date of exposure should I start taking? And when can I stop? We can get prep for free in my country btw.

This is just me expanding my horizons and possibly would be a one-time thing, depends on how the experience turns out. I am both scared and excited and I need every bit of help/advice regarding this. Thank you

I am on prep around 9 days,starting from 2 pils, according to my doctor's advice. Probably I forget take one dose today-not sure for 100%, yesterday had sex with condom,nothing wrong happened Should I take today double dose?

Hi how are you I take the 6th dose of pep delayed 8 hours also I donnot take pep at the same time sharply each day like sometimes i take it 1 or 2 hours earlier and other times I take it 1 or 2 hours delayed or late from the original hour is there any effect?

I had receptive anal sex two weeks ago where we got to know the condom broke right before the guy nutted inside me.

I don't have anal sex more than once a month, hence why I do the 2-1-1 regimen. I followed it exactly as how it's supposed to be: 2 pills 24 hours before the encounter, right before the encounter and 24 hours after the encounter. I did it for two extra days just in case.

I developed some flu symptoms recently that are probably unrelated. I have been reading that on demand is effective but probably some words from humans could help relieve anxiety.

Anyone got on PrEP from Kaiser? What were the steps and how long did it take and co-pay costs?

I just took it my first dose a few hours ago, I fell sleep and I had the worst nightmare I could have in my life and I almost never dreams things or I don’t remember, someone happens through this?

Due to having missed an appointment I won’t be able to get my next apretude dose. The care team at the doctor office is going to share the concern with the new doctor, who for some reason is reluctant to send a refill for apretude over without having seen me. I get her concern but also, I just don’t know what happens next since I know they say if you will miss your next dose to use prep but don’t know what happens if you have to miss it without alternative form of protection. Should I just refra from sexual activity in the meantime and wait until my appointment with my doctor next month to discuss. I’m just annoyed I have to miss my next dose because preventative treatment with apretude was going good.

So I am not as sexually active right now - my doc put me on the 2-1-1 prep. You take 2 before sex and then 1 the next two days after sex. Today I was planning on having sex and took my two pills. Naturally the guy flaked on me and I didn’t end up having any sex. Does anyone know if I still need to take the two other doses over the next two days? May sound like a dumb question, but I genuinely don’t know. Thanks!

After 8 weeks of pep, I got full STD panel done. In which CHLAMYDIA TRACHOMATIS PCR, NEISSERIA GONORRHOEAE PCR, VDRL (RPR) FOR SYPHILIS and PCR rna hiv and combo hiv test is negative. But the value of HERPES SIMPLEX VIRUS I (HSV)-IGG value is 516.69. Now when will I have to get tested for HIV or is this test enough.

Hi. Sorry for nme english. Im taking paxil for anxioty and now im trying to take prep but, i cant hold the bad sensation whb im on it. I feel tired and drunk. I cant use it. Anybody feel the same taken paxil and prep?

Anyone here is having daily prep with Hep B?

I went to the local health clinic for PREP thinking that I could do it on-demand

However, the doc said I am Hep B carrier and I need to take it daily and I should not stop taking it as the med is also used for controlling the Hep B

The thing is I didn't start the prep yet as my boyfriend is not living in the same town as me and I have no hook up.

For people who've experienced this: I'm a SW and I just started on demand. So far I cannot keep anything down, which is awful since I'm trying to take something for the headache it's causing. What did you find was the best remedy for this? Hard to take clients when I'm trying not to throw up lol

I can't find any literature to support this. As a layman , I know Prep is the same as PEP except it has one less compound.

I am taking Discovy PEP by the way.

I was on a PEP dose from 2 days before I had a potential exposure and am still on PEP 3 days after that exposure.

My PEP course ends tomorrow (4 days after the exposure). It had started last month .

If literature supports my question, I will not continue PEP further after my original course ends tomorrow.

If the answer is NO, then I will continue PEP for another month

What side effects does this make you experience? The ones who have been on it a while have you ever had a liver or kidney panel done? I’m anxious to start this medication.

I met with my Prep Specialist, and they suggested I switch from Truvada to injectable Prep. Apparently, insurance will cover it since you can have absorption issues after bariatric surgery. My issue is it sounds like a pain cause my STI workup would be every 2 months instead of 3. Just wondering if anyone else has had the same issue/question. It appears my insurance will cover the shot, just not sure if it makes a difference.

Anyone have experience with switching? I still have about 15 pills left of Truvada and am picking up my new Descovy prescription today. Do I just stop taking the Truvada and start on Descovy? I’ll ask the pharmacist as well but wondering if anyone had any feedback. TIA

Hi everyone, the last time that I went to the pharmacy of the hospital for My PrEP, they gave me a new pills, but this pills are white and instead of have the letters "PE" they have letters "TE" it is normal or maybe the pharmacy guy gave me the wrong medicine?

Hey everyone. Title says it all. Is my liver gonna be okay?

Will I still get covered? This company seems to offer only shit insurance (or at least HDHP at a similar premium to what state marketplace offers for EPOs). I'm considering it for a few reasons but wondering if PrEP will truly still get covered like my current PPO plan?

Thanks!

I was going to take PrEP today for the first time... But I did some lines of coc•in•, and I don't know if it's OK to take it now.... My doctor mentioned (and also gave me a very cute informative paper) that drugs and alcohol are metabolized through the kidney, whereas PrEP is through the liver, so one can take PrEP and do party-things and no interaction will be happening...

So my question is... Can I take the pill while currently under the effect of a substance?

Thanks in advance (and please, be nice to me... Don't need to be rude on answers, I'm already crawling on the daily because of depression and self-esteem issues... Been getting better step by step (little step by step)

This is a very serious post!

For those on PrEP, if you have been taking your medication from them, you would know that HeyMistr and QCare ask for typical STD testing every 3 months, along with a few extra parameters to check critical damage to the liver and kidney.

As I had issues with my insurance fulfilling my prescription through their partner pharmacies, I contacted CVS MinuteClinic for a PrEP (Truvada) prescription. Other than STD testing, they additionally asked me to get a Comprehensive Metabolic Panel done.

Thanks to it, I discovered that I have diabetes! Other than that, my liver enzyme levels were also out of the range, along with low sodium and chloride levels, because of frequent urination. These wouldn't have been detected if I didn't get these extra tests done.

So, in case you have a family history of diabetes or even any other chronic disease, I highly recommend getting a full metabolic panel done every 3 months. As I did, it is better to switch to another clinic if HeyMistr or QCare are not willing to prescribe this panel to you.

I started taking generic Truvada about 4 days ago and I woke up this morning with a red blotch on my face. It does not itch and I have already talked to my doctor, but has anyone else had this experience?

I’ve used 2-1-1 dosing for a year but I decided to go daily cause I thought it would be more effective and safer. I’m on day 10 of daily dose, started to have digestive problems (diarrhea, indigestion) 3-4 days ago. I thought it would get better but it seems to get worse today. How long did your body take to get used to it?

I usually feel nauseous and bloated after taking 2 first pills for 2-1-1 method but it feels much worse this time. I’m thinking of getting back to 2-1-1 because I don’t usually have hookup but I’m not sure if it should be trusted as daily PrEP.

I’ve a %100 top have I been having Insertive sex with a bottom who’s hiv positive for about 6 months with no condom I’ve been on descovy for 15 months and my last 2 assessments test I’m negative so prep really works folks please get on it