Q and A

Question

Can I switch taking PEP from the evening to the morning?

13 April 2022. Related: Adherence, All topics, PEP/PEPSE.

I am very stressed out here. I’m taking TLD as PEP in the night, will it be effective and can I change to the morning because I have left 13 tablets left to take?

Answer

Answer: Josh Peasegood

Hi, how are you doing?

Yes you can switch the time of your medication. It will not change how effective it is.

TLD is often better tolerated in the morning so this might be easier for you.

If you take your next dose in the evening as expected, then the next morning take an additional dose you can then keep taking TLD in the morning. You may experience slightly heavier side effects for this day while you have ‘extra’ TLD in tour body but this will not last long.

Please see this link for more information about PEP:
https://i-base.info/qa/factsheets/pep-faq

Josh.

32 comments

  1. Simon Collins •

    Hi Nich, although it is better to take meds at roughly the same time, being a little earlier or late is unlikely to make any difference.

  2. Nich •

    Hi Josh. I started taking PEP at 7:30 pm at around 24 hours of exposure then the next day I took it at 11:30 pm.
    But since the third day I have been taking it at 1:30 pm. Should I be worried?

  3. Josh Peasegood •

    Hi Tee, yes you can do this. Take your dose as normal in the morning and then a second at the time in the evening you would wish to take your treatment. You can then continue taking your treatment in the evening as normal.

  4. Tee •

    I’m Tee. Can I shift my dose from morning 10:30Am to taking it at night? I sometimes forget to take it in the morning because i get too busy around that time.

  5. Josh Peasegood •

    Hi Hang, being late by an hour is not going to risk PEP not working.

  6. Hang •

    Hi I forgot to take my PEP and was late by an hour. Will it stop working

  7. Josh Peasegood •

    Hi Abgo, while you are on PEP you are protected from further exposures. You didn’t need to take this extra dose of PEP. It is okay to continue taking your PEP at 12:50am. You can finish your course when you originally planned to. You do not need to extend the course.

  8. Agbo •

    Am agbo
    I am on pep and started it at 3am 3days later I was exposed to unproducted sex I got scared I took 2dose of pep immediately I finished having sex at 12:50am since that day have been taking it at 12:50am am on 18 days now am I at the safer side.

  9. Josh Peasegood •

    Hi Apple, as you have been changing the time you take your treatment slowly each day, PEP is still going to be effective. Moving your treatment back an hour each day still means that you have been taking it within 24 hours each day. This is not going to effect your treatment.

  10. Apple •

    Hi originally i took pep at 4pm then I just it one hour day by day like on second day i took it 3pm but now 9am is the fixed time that im gonna take it , is it a big effect ?