Question
Will whey protein effect how well PEP works?
13 April 2023. Related: All topics, Drug interactions, PEP/PEPSE.
Hello, I’m on PEP, 19 days, Dolutegravir, Lamivudine, Tenofovir.
Some days (idk, maybe half of these 19 days), I ate Whey Protein with other food 2-3h before taking PEP. I saw someone saying that Whey Protein, because it has calcium, like milk or cheese, may compromise dolutegravir absorption. Is this right? Is my PEP compromised? I am desperate, please help!
Answer
Hi, how are you doing?
No this will not risk PEP failing.
When taken as a supplement, calcium can reduce dolutegravir consumption. This is because the calcium level in a supplement is much higher than in normal diet.
Calcium in cheese and milk is not going to prevent dolutegravir absorption. This is also true for the calcium found in whey protein.
Josh.
Hi Bhanu, what is the name of the PEP you are taking?
TLD is a common combination used for PEP and this does not have any interactions with Melatonin. It would be safe to take them together.
I am on PEP, it’s been 8 days since I am taking . Before that I use to take Melatonin for sleep . Can I take Melatonin along with PEP ? Can it reduce it effectiveness? Melatonin 3 Mg to be precise.
Hi Dorde, no this will not have any impact on PEP. Dietary calcium is not high enough to cause any problems with treatment.
Calcium supplements are much higher doses than what is found in food. Because of high high this supplemental dose is why there is a risk of interaction.
Hello,
I took PEP therapy 17 hours after exposure to hiv positive person, but I was taking soy milk days before, and eating tofu last two days when I started with therapy. Since tofu and soy is the highest calcium level in all the food, do you think this can make a problem to PEP medication absorption.
Thank you
Hi Zeru, drinking milk while on PEP will not cause PEP to fail. The level of calcium in milk is not high enough to prevent PEP absorption.
The test you did at 5 weeks after the last dose of PEP will have been over 95% accurate. One final test 1 week after using the same type of test will have been conclusive.
As you had a vaccine prior to the antigen tests, this could have interfered with your result. Are you able to go to a health clinic to confirm your result/have you had the results back from these blood tests? Viral load is not a reliable test for this reason to be used to diagnose HIV.
And i want to ask one more thing. After i done pep ,i waited for 28 days to take a hiv test . After 28 days, i took a test with p24 atigen and antibody combo test . The result was non-reactive . And after 1 week i took hiv test again because of visa requirment . At that time the result was non-reactive too. After visa test i took b virus vaccine at that day. I was worrying about that we shoulf take a test aleast 3month after. So i tried to take again after 3 months later . At that time the result was reactive with 1.01 S/Co unit and it’s said Even although hiv result is reactive the S/Co unit is very low to diagonsed the real hiv infection . So i was worrried and i took test again . Also this test the same like before reactive with 1.07 S/Co unit and with comments like perious comment. My mom said to take viral load test , so i took a viral load test agian . That viral load test is also 3 months after first exposure. They took 5 bottles of my blood from my veins . I was too worried about the test can wrong because i took out blood is 7 times. In final viral load test result, is said there is no detected . But i still worry about that test can be wrong ? because i took out the blood 7 bottles from my vein.