Question
Does PEP cause testicular pain?
16 December 2021. Related: All topics, PEP/PEPSE, Sexual health, Side effects.
I’m having mild pain in both testes while on PEP, especially after an erection. I’m taking Truvada and dolutegravir.
Is it possible that the PEP might be the reason behind the pain? The pain is leading me to question if I should continue taking every dose of PEP.
Answer
Hi, how are you?
Sorry to hear about your pain.
What does your doctor say about this. Neither Truvada or dolutegravir have been associated with testicular pain. Although pain has been included as a possible side effect of emtricitabine (in Truvada) this is not in a specific region. The likelihood of this being caused by PEP is also unlikley if it gets worse when you get an erection – that sounds like a physical problem.
PEP will be most effective if you take it every day for 28 days.
If PEP is the cause of this pain, remember that PEP is not long-term and the course will soon be over.
Please talk to your doctor about this.
Please see this link for more information about PEP:
https://i-base.info/qa/factsheets/pep-faq
Send in any other questions you may have,
Josh.
Hi Div, as you are talking about PrEP rather than PEP it might be better to stop the PrEP now for a few days, See what happens. Then if the pain is gone, start PrEP again.
Although this sounds like an unlikely side effect, if symptoms repeat then you have something to tell your doctor. The doctor can then register this as a possible side effect.
Some side effects might be so rare they have not been reported yet, but some people can have very rare reactions to any drug.
The same condition happening with me right now.
I took my first dose of PrEP yesterday evening and the burning sensation started at night exactly the same how everyone is describing it – starts from my left testicle and lining up till anus.
It’s like someone has applied Deep heat cream on them.
Can anyone tell how long it lasts after 1 dose?
Hi George, thanks for sharing your experience. This hasn’t been reported as a side effect and millions of people use this meds. Good that you are feeling better though.
I’ve experienced right testicular pain for 4-years now. It started a month after I started PrEP, but I had a back injury the same month and assumed it was referred pain from that all this time. I’ve had three ultrasounds with unclear conclusions. One PCP and two nephrologists that do not know the cause.
Two weeks ago, I stopped PrEP as I saw no need of it not being sexually active since last year, and my pain has gone from a constant 3-5 at rest and 5-7 during activity to 0-2.
It’s not completely gone and even when it’s a 0 it still feels warm/hot, but this occurrence led me to Google if there’s a link between PrEP and testicular pain and was happy to find this page.
Hopefully PrEP was the cause of it all this time and I can say a month from now that I’m finally pain free.