Question
Am I experiencing side effects 3 weeks after PEP?
12 July 2022. Related: All topics, PEP/PEPSE.
I had sex with a random person and the condom broke few minutes before I came. I pulled out when I was about to cum. I told this person to do her HIV test and she did 2 tests with a home test kit and the 2 results were different, one negative and the other positive from the picture she sent me.
Immediately I saw this I called a helpline concerning HIV and PEP. I was advised to go to the nearest pharmacy to get PEP which I started within 36 – 48 hours after exposure which was on the 7th May 2022.
It’s being 4 weeks post pep now. On the 3rd week after PEP. I developed prickling feelings all over my body, my back, chest, legs, hands and face. Now on the 5th week. Because of this I did an home test for HIV which both were negative, but I still wasn’t convinced due to these prickling feeling all over my body after PEP. I went googling one morning and googled all day and immediately I developed a bitter taste in my mouth and loss of appetite which is resolving itself now. And I also had a little cut on my finger nails from cutting my nails and has refused to heal after days it happened.
I don’t know if this is the side effect of the medication or not . Or if this may be symptoms of seroconversion. The PEP medication I use was Acriptega.
Answer
Hi, how are you doing?
After 3 weeks it is not likely that your symptoms are being caused by PEP. The half life of Acriptega is not long enough to remain in your body without a side effect until 3 weeks – you would have experienced this during your course of PEP.
Your symptoms are not suggestive of seroconversion. Tingling can be caused by a number of things – it can even be normal. Have you been able to speak to a doctor about these symptoms?
It is possible that theses are being caused by stress.
Testing negative twice and using a suitable combination for PEP within 72 hours means seroconversion is not likely. Do you know the type of test? Was it a 3rd or 4th generation test?
Josh.
Hi Irene, did you have a question?
Ire
Hi Gift, as you are still experiencing symptoms 2 weeks after the last dose they are not caused by PEP.
PEP has a short half-life, meaning that when you stop treatment PEP will no longer be active in your body in the next 24 hours. Any side effects caused by PEP would disappear after the 24 hours in which it takes for treatment to leave the body.
For more information about PEP please see here: https://i-base.info/qa/factsheets/pep-faq
If you remain concerned about these symptoms please speak with your doctor.
Hello I had protected sex with an HIV positive person but I found that the condom slipped of I started pep which was written C 7 at exactly 34 hours. During the course I was suffering from headache and I developed a few skin rash on my chest and on my upper part of my back. 14 days After finishing the course I developed reddish skin rash on one side of my arms . Sometimes they are itchy and sometimes not itchy. Is this side effect of the regimen ?
Hi Ebih, no this is not a sign of seroconverison. Truvada is more commonly used as PrEP as it is a 2-drug regimen.
PEP is more commonly a 3-drug regimen, but Truvada can be a suitable medication to use.
Please see here for more information about testing and transmission: https://i-base.info/guides/testing
Hi, I had risk including blood contact via small cuts with someone whose her status is hiv positive. my hiv test was negative while tested. The doctor prescribed me to use only truvada as pep at 26 hours after exposure. then I used 28 tablets correctly, but at the last week of pep, I developed a sore throat that continues even two weeks after finishing pep until now. Someone told me truvada is a prep and not Pep, I’m waiting for six weeks to test, but im worried since I developed a sore throat that does not disappear. is that a sign that i was wrong to take truvada? and is this seroconversion?
Hi Denis, PEP is recommended to be started within 72 hours of an exposure. Starting at 78 hours means that it cannot be guaranteed how effective the treatment might be. It’s possible there will be some benefit to continue the course but it is unknown if it will be effective or not. Did a doctor prescribe you PEP at 78 hours?
More information about PEP can be found here: https://i-base.info/qa/factsheets/pep-faq
Have take peps at 78 hours. How effective this will be? Has anyone ever taken peps after 78 hours and it worked for them?
Hi Stev, as you have been on PEP you need to consider the last day of PEP as the first day of exposure. PEP delays seroconversion if it is has failed.
To confirm your status you will need to wait 6 weeks from the last dose of PEP. You can then conclusively test using a 4th generation antigen/antibody test.
More information about testing can be found here: https://i-base.info/qa/factsheets/hiv-transmission-and-testing
Hi I had exposure and I started pep TLD after 15 hours , am remaining with 5 days to complete the 28 days , my question is if I test on 29th day , when do I need to test again to be sure of my status. Before exposure I was negative, I did also test 21 day while on pep and it was negative still . Please help and tell me when I should test if I test again on 29th day after pep .