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 King, unprotected sex is very low risk for HIV transmission. In most cases this would not be considered a high enough risk to recommend PEP.
This means that even though there was delays in the time you were taking PEP, this is still unlikely to reduce how effective your treatment was.
For dealing with stress and anxiety around testing see here: https://i-base.info/guides/testing/hiv-testing-feelings-of-fear-anxiety-and-guilt
Hi Josh
I had an unprotected sex less than a minite and I wore condom. However afternoon days I decided to take pep because I was so worried. Can I be positive for such a short time having sex? When I was taking pep I wasn’t stable, my time was 9:00pm but sometime it will 10:00pm or 10:30pm…my worry is that my time was not stable…I’m not sure if pep really worked.. Can it work?
This is my 3rd week after pep, I’m so worried… In such a way that if I see a pimple, I suspect hiv symptoms… And I’m going to text after 6weeks to be sure of my status..
Please help me…
Hi Will, are you able to describe this any further e.g., pain, heat, itching?
You started PEP within the right time. It is also too early for these symptoms to be signs of HIV. PEP will not cause isolated sensation in these two places.
Was your sexual exposure both penetrative and oral? There are other STDs that could cause symptoms in both areas and this should be checked by a doctor. Do you still have these symptoms?
Hi Josh.
I have been on pep for 4 days. I’m committed to adhere to it until day 28. I have funny feeling on my genitals and mouth. I started pep 66 hours after possible exposure. What could be the problem?
Hi i started to take pep after 2days of the day condom was broken for few sec. I’ve been taking it for almost 3 weeks now. I usually take it at 21:00 after a hactic nyt shift i forgot and i took it at 23:00 and the ff day at 22:00 so do the ff day at 21:00 am i still safe?
Hi Thabisile, being late by 2 hours with one dose so far into your course of PEP is not going to stop it working. As you then moved the hours back the following 2 days to return to 21:00 hours you have not risked PEP not working. You are still safe.
Hi Victory, was this an antibody AND antigen test? If yes this result is conclusive. If it was just an antibody test you will need to wait until 90 days after the last dose of PEP.
Hi I completed pep on 25th July and I was comlient on it.. I tested on day 57 post pep negative using antibody test.. Is my results conclusive?
Hi Oratile, missing this single dose is unlikely that reduce how effective PEP is. After 2 weeks you will have a good level of drug in your body and this will be able to account for missing a days dose.
Hi Josh
I have been taking my pep pills for 2 weeks now, yesterday I didnt, I usually take around 8pm, so today I decided to not take it the whole day and take it again at 8pm.
Am I still safe?