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. Josh Peasegood •

    Hi Joey, no you do not need to extend the course of PEP.

    You are right that because PEP contains the same drugs as PrEP it will work the same. You can finish PEP when originally planned in 3 days.

    PEP: https://i-base.info/qa/factsheets/pep-faq

  2. JOEY •

    Hy Josh am already on Pep for 25days now and had an unprotected sex with an unknown person does the Pep also work as prep since it has same content?
    Or should I extend the the PEP?

  3. Josh Peasegood •

    Hi Snave, PEP works regardless of your partner being on treatment or not.

    As you started PEP so soon you have given it the best chance to work. What PEP have you been taking if you start with twice daily dosing? and how many days do you have left before your course is complete?

    For more information about PEP: https://i-base.info/qa/factsheets/pep-faq

  4. Snave •

    Hey i had assured exposure to HIV and started PEP in less than hour (TLD) and took it twice daily for consecutive 3days(72hrs) then adjusted to once daily.How safe am i since my partner discovered that time she was +ve and wasn’t in any ART therapy.Am worried

  5. Josh Peasegood •

    Hi Julius, yes starting PEP at 38 hours is effective. PEP should be started within 72 hours to be effective.

    PEP: https://i-base.info/qa/factsheets/pep-faq

  6. Julius Mpadire •

    I started My pep dose after 38 hours, does it still work for me effectively?

  7. Josh Peasegood •

    Hi Wilma, for PEP to be most effective it should be taken at the same time every day. What times have you been using? In most cases it is still effective to take PEP within the hour of your normal time e.g., between 1630 hours and 1730 hours.

  8. wilma •

    First I took my pep 1700 hrs the second day have been changing times,,,does it work for

  9. Josh Peasegood •

    Hi Wilma, how far into the course of PEP is your patient? and is 1700 hours the normal time they take it?

    For information about PEP: https://i-base.info/qa/factsheets/pep-faq

  10. Wilma •

    I forgot to give my patient peps at 1700 hours,,I remember at 2300hrs ,,,is there any impact