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
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/
Josh.
Hi Ruan, yes it will still be effective. As you only moved the time earlier there is no risk of the level of PEP in your body dropping. It is okay to continue taking PEP at 06:15 and it remaining effective at preventing HIV.
So I am on my second day PEP . Took my first dos at 9:15 am yesterday, today at 6:15 am, and I am going to be taking it everyday for the remainder of 28 days at 6:15 in the morning. Will it still be effective at preventing HIV infection?
Hi Samantha. As long as the time you are taking PEP suits you, that is all that matters. There is no best time to take it as long as you take it at the same time each day. Starting PEP as early as you did is great. It means PEP can be most effective. Please follow this link for more information about transmission: https://i-base.info/qa/factsheets/hiv-transmission-and-testing
Hi my name is Samantha the condom burst during sex with a person who is hiv positive, and l took my pep after 18hrs should I be worried.also I took the pep and ate is not gonna cause any problem, am taking it at 14_20 is it the best time of taking it
Hi Lance, as you are on PEP there is minimal risk to your partner. PEP will be suppressing any HIV in your body, if there is HIV to suppress. For this reason they do not need to be on PEP themselves. While on PEP it is advised to use a condom for the time you are unsure of your status.
Hi I’m on a 28days PEP treatment due to unprotected sex. I’m on day 15 was and was having sex ,condoms slip while having sex. Is the next person safe or they should also be on PEP 28days treatment?
Hi Thuli, please dont worry about this, when used as PEP, the timing does not need to be exact each day.
I took Pep on the first day in the morning & changed on day 2 to the evening. I then successfully took pep in the evening at 22H00 every single day and later changed to 20H00 till the end of 28 days_
Should I be worried?
Hi Joe, great to hear that 11.30 will still work for you.
The different combination you are taking is still okay. Most combinations are time sensitive but as with most medication there still remains some leeway either side of the specified time. In your case being an hour late either side of the recommended time is not going to impact how effective the medication is.
Hi Josh,
Thank you for answering my question.
I think the 11:30 should still work the best for my schedule.
By the way, my PEP pills have lamivudine instead of emtricitabine, and dolutegravir instead of raltegravir. Do these affect the duration of PEP in my body (and in turn affect the leeway that I can have in taking the dose late)?