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.
Josh.
Hi Lemogang, as your partner is undetectable you were not exposed again.
Having an undetectable viral load means HIV cannot be passed on. This is called U=U: https://i-base.info/u-equals-u/
You can complete your course of PEP when originally planned. There is no requirement to extend the course.
Hi
I was under PEP treatment and on my last day got exposed again because my partner is Positive but the virus is undectable the condom teared will I be infected ?
Hi Leeya, no your partner is not at risk.
While taking treatment, PEP will either mean there is no HIV present or if there is, PEP will suppress it so much that it cannot be passed on via sex.
After finishing PEP and before you are able to test it is recommended that you abstain from sex/use a condom. You will be unsure of your status during this time.
More information about PEP: https://i-base.info/qa/factsheets/pep-faq
Hi, I am on day 24 of PEP and I had unprotected sex, is my partner at risk?
Hi Claudia, being late on this one occasion is not going to impact how your treatment works. You can continue taking it as normal and it will still be effective.
You do not need to be worried about being late by 3 hours. Being late/missing a dose throughout the PEP course is not uncommon and does not have a significant impact on how likely the treatment is to work.
Hi, I forgot to take my PEP at 12:15 am and took it at 3:30 am when i remembered. This has happened only one time. And then I’ve been taking pep for 11 days. Is this only One time incident of taking PEP 3 hours after the normal scheduled time will affect?
Hi Christabel, how long into your course of PEP are you?
Yes you can taken again before midnight. As there is more than 12 hours between doses you can continue your PEP at the normal time of 4pm. You are able to continue as normal.
Please see here for more information about PEP: https://i-base.info/qa/factsheets/pep-faq
I forgot to take my pep at the Usual 4pm and took at 3:am today when I remembered can I take again before 12midnight today??
Hi Anon, please see the FAQ link here for info on HIV tests.
https://i-base.info/qa/11844
Hello Josh
I took PEP for 3 days then i left. 1 month later i have tested 4th generation and my result is negative, 3 days PEP could affect my test result or the test is conclusive?