Q and A

Question

Starting PEP at 90 hours?

1 June 2023. Related: Adherence, All topics, PEP/PEPSE.

Hi, I started PEP about 90 hours post exposure, the doctor said there could still be some level of efficacy as we were quite close to the 72 hour window. Is that true?

Also I missed one of my PEP doses by 7 hours but quickly took it once I realised. What is the impact on my treatment?

Answer

Answer: Josh Peasegood

Hi, how are you doing?

While it is possible that PEP could still have some efficacy, starting PEP 18 hours after the recommended is window is still quite a lot. It is not possible to say how effective will be.

How risky was your potential exposure?

How far into your course are you? and on what day were you late with PEP?

Please see this link for more information about PEP:
https://i-base.info/qa/factsheets/pep-faq

Josh.

18 comments

  1. Josh Peasegood •

    Hi W, your sisters medication has been prescribed for your sister. It is a decision that your sister needs to make.

  2. W •

    Hi josh
    It was vaginal sex, am the receptive. And we didn’t use condom
    And I don’t know his status
    The clinic is taking longer and I have limited time
    So can I use my sisters tld temporarily?

  3. Josh Peasegood •

    Hi W, do you know if you had a high risk exposure? Do you know the status of the person you slept with and if they are on treatment?

    Have you tried getting access to your own treatment e.g., have you gone to the hopsital/clinic to ask for PEP?

    TLD can be used as PEP but as with all prescribed medication, it should only be used by the person who it was given to.

  4. W •

    Hi Josh
    I had the sex on 8th June
    I haven’t started pep yet
    It’s almost 48 hours
    My sister have enough arvs at home
    She said I can use from hers
    She has a combination of tld
    I don’t have much time left
    So can I use hers, she said she will get a refill

  5. Josh Peasegood •

    Hi W, no you should not use your sisters meds as PEP. Your sisters meds have been prescribed for only her to use.

    When did you have this exposure? and do you know the status of this person?

    For information about transmission see here: https://i-base.info/qa/factsheets/hiv-transmission-and-testing

  6. W •

    I had a condonless sex with someone I don’t know his status
    I went to the hospital and I was not attended to today was asked to come back tomorrow
    My sister is +
    She has arvs with n33
    Can I use the meds as pep?

  7. Josh Peasegood •

    Hi W, please see here for more information: https://i-base.info/qa/factsheets/pep-faq

  8. W •

    Hi…I have unprotected sex on Saturday 27th from around 2 am and almost the whole day of it..and again on Monday night and Tuesday morning… at around 9pm we took tests and the partner strip was 1st line was dot line on the corners and the 2nd was very clear dark line. I quickly took pep at 10pm…I’m now in 4 days today. I’m not sure of how or when must I start counting this hours I missed.

  9. Josh Peasegood •

    Hi Brian, this is not a risk for HIV transmission. You do not need to be on PEP. Please see here for more information: https://i-base.info/qa/factsheets/hiv-transmission-and-testing

  10. Brian •

    Thanks for responding. I am male and had protected sex with a female sex worker. It was penetrative vaginal sex and right at the end I removed my condom to ejaculate outside of her vagina. Although I did not re-penetrate her, I do have some concerns around the dangers of coming into contact with vaginal fluids during condom removal.

    Today is day 11 of my PEP and I am on a 2 drug regimen at 930pm (2pills) and 930am (1 pill) I missed my morning dose and only remembered at 4pm in the afternoon. I quickly took it then but it was already 6.5hrs past the time.