Question
I had sex without a condom while on PEP. Is my partner at risk?
9 December 2021. Related: All topics, PEP/PEPSE.
I slept with someone I just met recently without using a condom. I went to the doctor and he prescribed me Adco-Emtevir for safety precautions for my PEP treatment. Yesterday I had unprotected sex with my partner, what are the risks of having HIV and infecting my partner? I’m still on PEP treatment.
Answer
Hi, how are you doing?
Do you know if the first partner you slept with had HIV? What will change the risk to your partner is how long you’ve been on PEP and when you started. Transmitting HIV is not easy and it would be unlikely that you have put your partner at risk.
Have you told your partner that you’re on PEP? Though small, there may be a risk and this would be discussed with a doctor.
If you have another question let us know,
Hi Oliver, no you do not need to extend your course of PEP. While taking PEP it will also act as PrEP to prevent further exposures. You can finsih your course of PEP when you originally planned.
Hi. I had unprotected sex after 15 of taking PEP medication. I never stopped taking it and I’m about to finish it. Do I need to extend my course?
Hi Mike, yes PEP is only meant to be taken for 28 days. There is no reason to extend the course of PEP. There is no further benefit after taking it for 28 days. Did your doctor give you a reason as to why they suggested this extended course?
Hey Josh
I’m also on course of PEP. My doctor recommend that I only take Adco Emtevir for 3 Months. I thought PEP was meant to be taken for 28 days? What would be the reason for this 3 Months
Hi Kaboto, Adco Emtervir can be used as PrEP or PEP. PEP and PrEP both use the same drugs. Adco Emtervir is made up of 2 drugs which is more common for PrEP. PEP usually uses 3 drugs however 2 is suitable to be taken. You could ask for a third drug to be added to Adco Emtervir but it is suitable to remain on this alone to be used as PEP.
Hi I had sex with a stranger and the condom broke, I went to the doctor after within 72 hours and the prescribed Adco Emtevir, but my question is isn’t Adco Emtevir uses as PREP( to protect an individual from contracting HIV), I wanted to be given PEP not PREP. I think the doctor made a mistake.
Hi Bobby, testing after 5 weeks from your course of PEP is conclusive. You have tested negative, you are HIV negative. You can move on.
I finished my PEP course and waited 5 weeks more before Testing.
This morning I tested With Alere Determine Hiv1/2 and it’s NEGATIVE.
Can I move on now ?
Hi Sadiq, congratulations on getting married. 37 is undetectable. Any viral load below 200 is considered undetectable. This means your wife does not need to use PrEP, if you are undetectable there is no risk of you transmitting HIV.
Your doctor may be referring to your viral load being detected by a test. Different tests have different values for which they can detect viral load. This means that the doctor used a sensitive test able to identify small loads, but you are still considered undetectable. Have you heard of U=U? It means if you are undetectable (VL less than 200), HIV is untransmissiable. This is a link to a guide to help explain this: https://i-base.info/u-equals-u/
Salam my viral load is 37 copies from past 2 months
Now I am going to marriage next weak I have some questions about HIV.
1:is 37 copies undetectable or not?
2: my wife will use prep for pregnancy or not
3: I ejaculate at her vagina
4:she will be infected if I don’t use prep and condom
5: my doctor tell that ur wife must use prep otherwise she will be infected
6: doctor says that ur viral load is detectble