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 David, how far along are you in the course of PEP? As you remembered on both occasions it is very likely that PEP will remain effective. Most drugs used in PEP remain active in the body longer than 24 hours. This can account for sometimes being late with treatment.
Hello
Ive missed my pep medication by six hours on two occasions. Is it still going to be effective.
Each time i realised i was late i took the meds immediately
Hi Tricia, do you mean PEP? If you do it would still be okay to take PEP after a high risk exposure. While it is recommended to take it within 72 hours, being an hour later is unlikely to cause it to be any less effective. However it can’t be said that it will be definitely as effective.
is prep worth taking at the 73 hour mark or just too late?
Hi Joy, how far into the course of PEP are you? and how many times do you think you have been late with your treatment?
I Udo take pep every 9:30pm, but I skipped it and took at 12:30pm I’ve been skipping my does countless times to late hours. Will it still be effective
Hi Tumi, yes PEP will still be effective. It is best to at least take it within an hour of when you normally do. But as Acriptega has a long half life, occasionally being later is not going to risk PEP not working.
I started taking Pep on Friday at 18:40 (about 20 hours after possible exposure although we both tested the same day and bothered were negative.
On Saturday I took it around the same time but for the past 3 days I’ve been taking it about an hour-two hours late. Is it still effective? I’m taking Acriptega
Hi John, no this 1.5 hour gap is not going to reduce how well PEP works. It will be still be effective. Continue taking PEP at the same time each day. Setting an alarm on your phone can help you remember to take PEP and prevent this happening again.
Today is my 5th day taking PEP. I took it every day at 4 pm. Today I was busy and forgot about it, then I remembered at 5:30 PM. I’m worried this 1:30 hour gap will make my treatment less effective. Is it okay?