Question
I have started PEP and want to know if I will be okay?
28 November 2010. Related: PEP/PEPSE, Side effects.
I had sex with a transexual man. I was on top and without me realizing the condom had ruptured, I washed myself and went home. But I did not feel comfortable. So I sent a text asking the man I had just had sex with if he was HIV positive, to which he answered, yes. I freaked out and went inmediately to the internet and did some research. I read about PEP, so the next morning I went to the clinic and I was placed on – Truvada 200 mg, Norvir 100 mg and Reyataz 300 mg. This was 36 hours after the incident.
I have had no side effects. But for the last two days, I have felt as if I have some fever. I tested my temperature and it is within the normal parameters of 98.2 and 98.7. Please tell me do I have a shot to be well? The person I had sex with told me that his viral count is below 40. Please help.
Answer
Thank you for your question.
I am sorry to know that you are distressed. What is important is that you have taken the right steps to giving yourself a chance of remaining uninfected. PEP is effective the earlier that you take it and should be taken within 72 hours of being exposed to HIV. You started PEP within that time frame.
Additionally, as the person who you had sex with is on treatment with an undetectable viral load, then your chances of an HIV infection are much more reduced than if that person was not on treatment.
If you take the PEP as prescribed this will reduce the small chance that you were exposed to HIV.
Symptoms do not occur this soon after an exposure.
Good luck.
Doctor Josh Peasegood,
Thank you for your answer, it was quite reinsuring. So it not necessary to visit a doctor for those symptoms at the moment? Can I treat myself for sore throat and fever or must stay away from other medications? The symptoms have increased but nothing major I would say. Also I’m normally on protein(plant based) and creatine and I have stop taking the creatine since I started the Pep pill as I wasn’t sure if I could and forgot to ask the doctor at the emergency. Can I take the creatine or is it risky?
Best Regards,
Sacha
Hi Sacha, you should not worry. You have described a very minimal exposure – if at all. You are also on the correct regimen for PEP and started early enough for it to be effective. The symptoms you have described have started too early to be related to HIV. There are a number of other reasons for these symptoms inc. other infections/illness, side effects from TLD and even stress.
I understand that HIV is common in SA, but it is still more likely this person was HIV negative. Or if they did have HIV, it would still be more likely that they were on medication and unable to pass on HIV.
Hello Doctor,
I have had sex with someone in South Africa and the condom broke at some point and I realized only later. In my drunken state I have put on another one and carried on and had a shower in the end. I saw a bit of blood residue on the condom and I panicked when I woke up and started taking pep 32 hours after sex occurred. I am on tenofovirdisoprosielfumaraat 300 mg,lamivudien 300 mg, dolutegravir 50 mg. The rates are very high in this country but I don’t know if the person was hiv positive or on any treatments and I have no way of contacting her. They also vaccinated me for hepatite on the same day.. a Day after taking the first pep pill I started to have a sour throat and a light fever and sweat at night on top of nausea for 2 days. Should I worry?
Thanks Doctor,
I talked to my doctor about the symptoms and prescribed strepsils and paracetamol for me. But am no longer having sore throat any longer. Thank indeed.
Hi Saggy, I am sorry to hear about this recent exposure. How is your partner doing?
You are on the right combination of PEP. TLD is often used as a first line for PEP. This course is only required to be 28 days. There is no further benefit to continuing with PEP after this date. 2 months is going to have no additional value to taking PEP for only 28 days.
As your viral load for Hepatitis B is not a clinically relevant level, this will not impact your body’s response to PEP.
The symptoms you have mentioned are very general. They are also more likely caused as side effects from TLD rather than seroconversion. If they are caused by TLD, the symptoms should become less prominent as you continue with your course of PEP. Have you mentioned these symptoms to anyone?
Hello Doctor,
I heard an unprotected sex with a lady in Nigeria on May 10, 2022 and after we finished I decided that we should do test, we first tried oral quick after she tested positive, we went to a lab where a comprehensive tests were made and still she’s positive. To my utter surprise, she’s unaware as she has the virus. I was placed on PEP (DLT) for 2 months by a doctor, I took the drug 7 hour after exposure. Am seriously anxious as having sore throat, body weakness and mild joints pains.
Also, am a chronic Hepatitis B patient even though I was not placed on drug yet as the viral load doesn’t reach that level as advised by my doctor.
My questions are; Is the PEP combination the right one? Also can Hepatitis B which I already had can reduce the impact of PEP on the HIV to the other interactions?
Does these symptoms i mentioned above indicates HIV infection?
Thank you Doc
Hi Taru, enlarged lymph nodes could mean a number of things, HIV being only one reason. However in this case it is very unlikely to be HIV. This is because you started PEP so soon and even though the condom was not always on, it would still partially reduce the risk.
How are you feeling now on PEP? and do you have any other symptoms? If this is new joint pain and you have not experienced it before have you spoken to your doctor about this?
Am taru
I had sex with a sex worker whose hiv status is unknown.I used a condom but in the middle it slipped off from my penis.then after 15 hrs i was started on pep.on the 6th day of pep i noticed some lymph nodes over my neck and armpits.no fever and no other sumptom of acute hiv.and also i have developed joint pain after 10 days of having pep.Today is my 16day of pep and will i be okay???
Hi Belinda. HIV is quite a difficult virus to catch. PEP needs to be started with 3 days though. After this it is unlikely to help. Your symtoms are not likely to be anything to do with HIV.
Hi
I believe I was exposed to HIV during sex and 3 days later I seeked help with PEP meds but however upon my arrival at the clinic they said they could do not prescribe the meds time the following day,of which they did and I started with them immediately.Two days in the meds I’ve had a running tummy which has calmed down after day 1 and fever which is still present on day three of bring on the meds. Does this mean the meds are not working ? Please help