Question
Is PEP 28 days or 30?
27 January 2023. Related: Adherence, All topics, PEP/PEPSE.
I have been given 60 pills for PEP which is equivalent to 30 days worth of Combivir pills taken every 12 hours. My question is, do I finish the bottle and take it for 30 days or follow the guidelines which states that PEP is normally taken up to 28 days only?
Answer
Hi, how are you?
You can finish PEP at 28 days. There is no need to take the full 30 days of tablets.
You can keep the remaining 2 and use them if you experience a second exposure. This will allow you time to start PEP early and source another course of PEP.
Please see this link for more information about PEP:
Josh.
Hi Eddy, Heftenam is a generic combination of HIV meds that would not be used as PEP in the UK becasue of the side effects. Please ask the doctor or clinic for a combination that is based on dolutegravir instead of efavirenz. This link has more infor on PEP:
https://i-base.info/qa/factsheets/pep-faq
hi i went to the clinic looking for PEP and they gave me Heftenam and side effects are too much for me is it the right pill or ?
Hi Samuel, as this exposure was on the 28th day you will still have doses 29 and 30 to take?
If this is the case you do not need to extend your course of PEP. This is because the following 2 doses will allow your course of PEP to act like on-demand PrEP.
You can complete your course when originally expected.
Halo josh
I was given pep for 30 days, on the 28th day of taking pep I was exposed to another risk. I took the last pill around 10 pm and the exposure happened around 3 am in the morning. Do I need to start another dose for 28 days again. I have been experiencing side effects like diarrhea, tiredness, headaches etc. thanks in advance.