Question

Will PEP still work if I am not taking it strictly every 24 hours?

16 May 2022. Related: Adherence, All topics, PEP/PEPSE.

I started my 28-day PEP course 4 days ago after having oral sex with a girl and later noticed that my gum was potentially bleeding while giving the oral sex. The third day of taking PEP I was taking the pill late for 1 hour (taking it at 12:30 vs. my usual time of 11:30). The fourth day I was late for another one hour (taking it at 13:30). Today I took the pill again at 12:30 because I felt like taking it at my usual time of 11:30 would have been too soon since the last dose (13:30). Will PEP still work effectively for me? Thank you so much.

Answer

Answer: Josh Peasegood

Hi, how are you doing?

Yes PEP will still work effectively for you.

PEP needs to be taken regularly every 24 hours for it to work. But PEP does remain in the body longer than 24 hours. For this reason there is some leeway for being late or early with a dose by an hour.

Though it is best to avoid this to ensure you are maintaining a suitable level of PEP within the body. Is 11.30 still suitable for you or is it better moving your regular time to 12.30? To help remember it may be suitable to set an alarm each day to prompt you to take PEP.

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

Josh.

140 comments

  1. Simon Collins •

    Hi Daniel, this link has more info about PEP including your question.
    https://i-base.info/qa/factsheets/pep-faq

  2. Daniel •

    I had sex with my partner after a week of taking pep is she at risk or pep could prevent the transmission.

  3. Simon Collins •

    Hi Edna, this link has more info about PEP. This includes if you are sometimes late or easly with doses.
    https://i-base.info/qa/factsheets/pep-faq

  4. Edna •

    Hi
    I started PEP(TLD) 15days ago I took it consistently on 16:00 for 10days ,but on 11th,12th and 13th day I took it on 18:30hrs,means 2hrs late.then on 14th day I continue to take it at 16:00 .
    Will PEP still be affective?
    I’m worried soo much

  5. Simon Collins •

    Hi Festus, no-one has the right to make somebody take an HIV test. If you are worried about HIV, the best protection is to use PrEP or a condom. It is up to you to look after your own sexual health so that the other person’s HIV status is irrelevant. Sex with all this suspicion in your head isn’t going to be very good.

    Please take time to learn more about sexual health here:
    https://i-base.info/qa/11844

  6. Festus •

    Hi, i was using prep before itook the lady for hiv testing,she was tested and turned negative then idefaulted using prep but now she is complaining some minor illnesses that makes me suspect her am i really safe ate this point?

  7. Simon Collins •

    Hi Joel, there is NO benefit from taking PEP after so long. No doctor should have given you this. It will not have any impact on your risk of HIV. Other info about PEP is here:
    https://i-base.info/qa/factsheets/pep-faq

    Please read this about U=U:
    https://i-base.info/u-equals-u/

  8. Joel •

    Good afternoon.
    Please I started taking pep 8 days after sex when I suspected my sexual partner maybe positive. Please can it still be effective. I’m not sure if she is positive though

  9. Simon Collins •

    Hi Manqoba, any PEP is likely to still help, but please take you meds as prescribed from now on.

  10. Manqoba •

    Hi, I did not know I should’nt chew my pep, does this mean now they did not work and I am at rist?