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.
Hi Genesis,
It’s good that you’ve started PEP. This will give you the chance to remain HIV negative. If you are HIV negative you can’t transmit HIV to your HIV negative partner even if you didn’t use condoms.
After a course of PEP you need to wait 28 days before testing for HIV to check that PEP has worked. This is because PEP can delay infection.
Please see this link for more info about PEP.
I had sex with a partner who is positive and I got pep before 72hour then after five days I had sex a partner who is HIV negative is she going to be positive?please am worry.
Hi Peris,
I’m very sorry to hear this story.
However, if you think you’ve been at risk of HIV it would be good to continue PEP. Can you ask at the clinic if they can switch the meds to avoid these side effects.
And if you’ve just started PEP and the side effects are severe you should go to see the doctor urgently. This is to rule out a hypersensitive reaction or switch treatment.
There is a mad man injected me while I was in stage waiting for a mat to go home early in the morning around 3am..but he inject that syringe immediately he pulled out not even for a second ….but now am undergoing pep….but the side effect for me its very high …..should I stop taking them,, please advice
Hi Hydra,
Thanks. I’m sorry it’s not possible to give the odds of getting HIV from one sexual encounter. As you can see from this table in my previous answer, it depends on many things.
It’s great that you’ve started PEP after only 4 hours and that you are taking the full month.
Yeah thank you and i intend to complete it, i also have efavirenz in my pep, ive experienced the side effects including mild skin rash and am continuing pep, so my question is what are the odds of getting hiv from one sexual and encounter and is it lower for people who use a condom and the condom bursts, and finally if pep is adhered to and taken within 4 hours of exposure is it more likely to work or less likely and this was my first time sex and first time using pep so my question being out of how many people who adhered to pep and took the full month course became infected ?
Hi Hydra,
Here’s a link to info about PEP. And you can see from this chart that the risks can depend on many things.
I’m sorry you’re worried. But it’s good that you’re taking PEP in the right way and that you started PEP after 4 hours.
Hey so what are my chances of being positive, ive been taking all my doses on time, and havent missed a single one, and starting pep after 4 hours after exposure does it reduce my chances of being positive and id just had insertive penile-vaginal sex with her and oral but thats it, so what are my chances or odds of being positive, im distressed and worried havent been able to think straight since the incident, itd be good if you could email me some chat support or something or some links i can use ti asess the risk, it was my first sexual encouter and im circumsised and didnt have sores or stds during that time and like i said i used a condom but it burst, please id be glad if this questions response was statistical and also email me the answer if possible and i have one last question out of how many people who start and adhere to pep for the full 28 days test positive ? Thank you
Hi Hydra,
Starting PEP soon as possible after a risk, such as 4 hrs, sounds like a good idea.
However kissing is not a way that HIV is transmitted. And skin is a good barrier to HIV, so getting sexual fluid on your skin is also not a way that HIV is transmitted. Please see this link for more about how HIV is not transmitted.
I had sex with a female not for long but the condom ruptured and i came in contact with her blood i think menstrual she is positive and she didnt know i started pep 4 hiurs within the incident however im scared because i did finger her and kiss her 2 to 3 weeks ago before they gave me pep i tested negative and this was my first encounter will pep work for me ??