Question
Does PEP have side effects?
5 February 2018. Related: All topics, PEP/PEPSE, Side effects.
Hello,
I am confused with PEP treatment, specifically about the side effects.
From sexual health charities I hear that PEP treatment can cause occasional side effects which may or may not go over the 28 days treatment. Another one (THT) says that the side effects are extreme and about 1 in 5 people on PEP stop taking it as a result.
The sexual health nurse said that side effects on PEP are very common and are severe.
I’ve heard from 3 people who have had PEP and they said that they didn’t get any side effects.
What’s the official line on PEP and side effects? I thought that PEP usually uses recommended triple therapy, using drugs that are well tolerated. Is the conflicting information I am receiving due to outdated data or current data?
Thank you for any clarity you provide.
Answer
All meds have some risk of side effects, but for PEP this risk is usually low. If side effects do occur, they are usually mild.
This depends on the meds used in the PEP combination.
In the UK in 2018, the PEP combination is usually raltegravir plus a combined pill with tenofovir DF/emtricitabine, which generally causes very few side effects, if any.
Even general side effects like nausea, diarrhoea and tiredness are not experienced by most people.
If mild side effects occur, they usually get easier after the first week or two as your body adjusts.
PEP that contains a drug called efavirenz is not recommended in the UK, though is used in some countries where there is less choice for HIV drugs. Efavirenz has a higher risk of side effects including mood changes and vivid dreams.
Discontinuation rates for PEP are often not very good. Studies of health workers who are exposed with a needle-stick injury report many people stop before the full month of treatment.
Note: This answer was updated in February 2018 from a question first posted online in June 2009.
Hi Dan,
Please see the following link:
https://i-base.info/qa/4854
What is the success rate of PEP
Hi Odi,
The basic answer is no. PEP needs to be taken up to a max of 72hrs after a risky exposure.
i had sex with a girl,can pep work after 7 days?
I am currently on PEP and the only side effect that I am having is that extreme fatigue. I have been sleeping more than 10 hours a day on a weekend. I hope that this will stop when my 28 days are over.
Hi Stanlive, these questions are answered here:
https://i-base.info/qa/factsheets/hiv-transmission-and-testing
When is the best time to check for Hiv status after you’ve finished taking a post prophylaxis drug for HIV.
Thanks
It sounds like your doctor is giving you good advice and treatment.
Thanks guys for your advise.
Since completion the rash is disappearing slowly. As am getting treatment for the rash as prescribed by the doctor.
However the doctor told me that the skin rash is a new development not a side effect of the drug. Am just getting more worried
Giving oral sex to a woman is likely to be zero or close to zero risk. Cervical/vaginal fluid, even if infectious, is more difficult to get in your mouth compared to semen.
You can talk to your doctor about your symptoms and ask if they are associated with your PEP.
You can find more information about oral sex and transmission here:
http://i-base.info/guides/testing/oral-sex