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Am I overreacting? Should I continue PEP?
I had paid a trans escort for sex 4 days ago. This is my first time with an escort and after some research I see she has been active for a few years. I was intoxicated. We had performed oral sex on each other (no condom) and we had performed anal sex on each other (with a condom). I am unsure if the partner's condom didn't tear (I noticed her changing it during a short break) and I am unsure if she had ejaculated inside or outside. I had some cuts in my mouth prior to, and I experienced some pain and tearing after sex. Once I left I grew extremely anxious. The next day I asked her what her health status was and she told me she was "seeing her doctor next month." She wouldn't even tell me what her prior tests were and got really irritated with me. After that I grew pretty erratic and scheduled an appointment with an online doctor and had PEP prescribed to me and I received it at the 24 hr mark. I have been taking it for 3 days. I have also had blood work done but no results yet - even if they come back negative I assume that doesn't really help me know anything. Should I continue to take this PEP? Will it affect my health? Am I overreacting? Any help and support is greatly appreciated.
COMMUNITY LEADER
The only risks for HIV in adults are:
1) Having unprotected anal or vaginal sex, or
2) sharing intravenous needles with IV drug users.
Protected intercourse, when the condom does not VISIBLY break, is no risk for HIV.
I'm not sure why you were prescribed PEP when there is no medical indication for you to be on PEP. However, I do not comment on medication prescribed by a physician.
Nothing you did put you at risk for HIV.
1) Having unprotected anal or vaginal sex, or
2) sharing intravenous needles with IV drug users.
Protected intercourse, when the condom does not VISIBLY break, is no risk for HIV.
I'm not sure why you were prescribed PEP when there is no medical indication for you to be on PEP. However, I do not comment on medication prescribed by a physician.
Nothing you did put you at risk for HIV.
You have been prescribed PEP by a medical expert. While it’s true that the risks you take seem negligible at worst, the doctor obviously thought it was worthwhile.
PEP 24 hours after contact is very good. And will most likely prevent an infection. If your the anxious type about this then of course another reason to take PEP.
The modern PEP pills are generally quite well tollerated so probably mild to no side effects.
The downside of PEP for these types of low (no risk) encounters is the testing. Without PEP you can get very reassuring results at 4 week and conclusive at 6. With PEP this time scale starts from you finishing your course.
I’m not sure where you are from but in the UK you wouldn’t have been prescribed PEP for the encounter, especially because you don’t know her status. Most people do not have HIV. But that’s not a recommendation to stop.
Now you have started I’m struggling to find a compelling reason for you to stop. You have taken enough to obscure the testing timeline but not enough to have any effect on your HIV status.
PEP 24 hours after contact is very good. And will most likely prevent an infection. If your the anxious type about this then of course another reason to take PEP.
The modern PEP pills are generally quite well tollerated so probably mild to no side effects.
The downside of PEP for these types of low (no risk) encounters is the testing. Without PEP you can get very reassuring results at 4 week and conclusive at 6. With PEP this time scale starts from you finishing your course.
I’m not sure where you are from but in the UK you wouldn’t have been prescribed PEP for the encounter, especially because you don’t know her status. Most people do not have HIV. But that’s not a recommendation to stop.
Now you have started I’m struggling to find a compelling reason for you to stop. You have taken enough to obscure the testing timeline but not enough to have any effect on your HIV status.
3 Comments
Thank you for your comment. Do you know if there is any data to suggest PEP can work if only taken for 2 weeks? 3 weeks? I am experiencing some really rough kidney pain throughout my entire back and "knifing" pain in my stomach under my ribs. I can tell my doctor feels that I should not have been prescribed PEP but won't suggest I stop because of the liability or hair of a chance that I have it. I believe I don't have it and my anxiety clouded my judgement but If there is some data to suggest it could help after two weeks I would rough it out until that time.
Hi - PEP has to be taken for the entire period during which seroconversion can occur, which is out to 28 days. Here's a good article on PEP: https://www.tht.org.uk/hiv-and-sexual-health/pep-post-exposure-prophylaxis-hiv
HOWEVER, you didn't have a risk for HIV, and I'm not sure why your doctor prescribed PEP. You should discuss your concerns and the side effects with your doctor.
HOWEVER, you didn't have a risk for HIV, and I'm not sure why your doctor prescribed PEP. You should discuss your concerns and the side effects with your doctor.
I’m sorry but there is no data to answer this, trials would have been done for different Meds, different dosages and durations. They arrived at what we have today.
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