Preventing HIV/AIDS with PEP
After rape, some women are treated so they can’t get HIV/AIDS. Would this also work if you had unprotected sex and you suspect your partner to be HIV-positive?
Great question!
What you are talking about is called post-exposure prophylaxis, or PEP for short. Prophylaxis means prevention. In case you’ve had unprotected sex with someone who you think may be HIV-positive, you can drastically reduce the risk of getting infected with the HI-virus by taking PEP.
You will need to see a healthcare provider to get a prescription and instructions on how to take PEP.
Obviously, you can also take PEP in other cases where you might have been exposed to the virus, like having shared needles, or having come in contact with infected blood.
PEP is not meant for people who are regularly at risk of getting infected with HIV/AIDS. They have another option called PrEP, short for pre-exposure prophylaxis. PrEP is now available in Kenya.
Being on PEP means taking the same drugs you would take if you were HIV-positive: antiretrovirals (ARVs).
You will need to start PEP as soon as possible after you had unprotected sex, ideally within 72 hours.
If you wait for more than three days, it may no longer be effective.
You will need to take several pills daily for 28 days.
Read Also: HIV causes, symptoms, testing, & treatment
You will also need to get tested for HIV six weeks and three months after you were exposed to the virus. PEP is very effective, but it can’t reduce the risk by 100 per cent.
PEP is great in emergency situations, but it also comes with side-effects that can be quite severe. The most common ones are nausea, diarrhoea, and tiredness. If you have extreme reactions to PEP, talk to the healthcare provider who prescribed the drugs, to see if anything can be done to help you with the side-effects.
And please don’t think it’s okay to have unprotected sex, because there’s PEP to save you. The much better options are to always have protected sex and to know the status of the person(s) you are having sex with, as well as your own status.
Do you have questions about PEP? Head to our forum to get help.
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Recent Comments (33)
Where can I get pep
Where can I get pep
Hi Regina, Visit a…
Hi Regina, Visit a government health facility for more information.
Hei
Hei
Hey Jared, What can we do…
Hey Jared, What can we do for you?
so after 3 months post…
so after 3 months post exposure, 28 days of PEP inclusive, will the results be conclusive and reliable or you will have to wait another one month to make it 4 months post exposure to get conclusive results?…….my 3 month window period is ending next week………thanks people for the great work….
After three months the…
After three months the result you get will be conclusive.
Iam on 5th week after…
Iam on 5th week after finishing taking peps went for testing which turned negative, how sure is it that am negative?
If you kept to the regiment…
If you kept to the regiment and were not exposed at all while or after you finished taking the drugs, you can be very sure.
Thanks alot Dr it’s on 8…
Thanks alot Dr it’s on 8 week went back to health care and tested negative, I have never had unprotected sex while and after pep,I was told to get back after 1 month to be certified am negative.
I have been having protected…
I have been having protected sex (using condoms) started 6 weeks after exposure and its 8 weeks got back to hospital and I tested negative, is there any chances to be positive after 12 weeks?
Why do i feel pain when…
Why do i feel pain when having sex.i did it the first time and felt alot of pain and from dhat day i hated having sex .when ma boi ask for it i refuse bcz i am fearingnplz help mh.
Sorry Marry for what you are…
Sorry Marry for what you are experiencing. Sex should be pleasurable and fun. Pain could be as a result of various factors which includes lack of psychological preparedness, lack of foreplay- this means your vagina is not well lubricated hence pain during sex. The position may matter as well, if you are bottom you dont have control over how deep the penis should go in. Assess what could be a contributing factor and work it out with your man. Communication is key for safer and pleasurable sex. Check out this article;- https://lovematters.co.ke/making-love/sex-problems-how-to-overcome-them/painful-sex-time-to-listen-up
hae plz am a concerned…
hae plz am a concerned client plz help,is it gud to take pep a second time after exposure,i had the first one two yrs ago,now that i have a second one wil it work plz?
Hi John, You can still take…
Hi John, You can still take PEP if you have had an exposure. However if you feel exposed more often perhaps you need to consider PrEP to protect yourself from the risk of infection. Have a look at this article;- https://lovematters.co.ke/safe-sex/sti-prevention/pre-exposure-prophylaxis-top-facts
So if u take pep immediately…
So if u take pep immediately u wll not get HIV
Hey There, one needs to…
Hey There, one needs to start taking PEP within 72 hours of being exposed and this will greatly reduce the chance of one getting infected with HIV. PEP will however not reduce the chance by 100 per cent.
If I suspect the person I…
If I suspect the person I have been with can I take PEP?
While PEP is mainly used in…
While PEP is mainly used in cases of rape, occupational hazard(health care providers), and a condom burst, if you suspect a person you can take PEP and if it’s within 3 days (72 hrs). If the person is within your reach, you can request them to take a HIV test with you. In future, it is important that you know the HIV status of the person you plan to have sex with. Also, use of condoms correctly and consistently can really help.
Hi I have sex with…
Hi I have sex with unprotected gal for 5 months so how long I will take pep?
Hi Wycliff, do you mean you…
Hi Wycliff, do you mean you had unprotected sex with a girl for five months? If this is the case, you do not qualify for PEP which is Post Exposure Prophylaxis. PEP is given to persons who have been exposed to the risk of getting HIV through either rape or accident exposure for medical professionals. One should start taking PEP within the first 72 hours after exposure for it to be effective, and it should be taken for 28 days. You need to first get an HIV test to get to know your HIV status. After this the health provider will be able to advice you based on your results. Have a look at the following article;- https://lovemattersafrica.com/safe-sex/sti-prevention/preventing-hivaids-with-pep
Hi, I had unprotected sex…
Hi, I had unprotected sex with two girls at the same night, unfortunately I didn’t know their status and upon reading about PEP, it was already past 72 hours. I took a test after two weeks which came negative, then I took other tests on the 3rd and 4th week after exposure and it was negative. However I have been searching on early sign of hiv infection which include:Sore throat, muscle and joint pain(groin), diarhohea, and I I’m experiencing the above mentioned signs at the moment, it’s now 4 week since exposure, should I be alarmed? In addition to that, I talked to one of the girls and she told me that she took a test on Feb and her results were negative,. Can anxiety and stress cause the signs?
Hi Elvis, anxiety can cause…
Hi Elvis, anxiety can cause some of the signs you have described above plus a host of other possible illnesses. This is why the best option for determining your HIV status is not the signs but rather a HIV test which you have done several times and returned a negative result. The tests are accurate and provide accurate results. If you received a negative result the last time you tested, that’s your HIV status. It is important that you take steps to prevent risks in future, condoms when used correctly and consistently will help prevent both Sexually Transmitted Infection and unplanned pregnancies. Check out this article;- https://lovemattersafrica.com/birth-control/types-of-birth-control/condom
Is it safe to have sex while…
Is it safe to have sex while on prep after exposure? I asked a healthcare provider and he told me it is but I still doubted him, would it be risky as you may pass on the virus to your partner? And note that the prep I took before the 72hour window period.
Hi there, PrEp or Pre…
Hi there, PrEp or Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis is where one takes anti-HIV drug, Truvada on a daily basis toward reducing the risk of getting HIV. This drug is taken by persons at a high risk of getting infected with HIV. PrEP should be taken before exposure. After one has been exposed to HIV, what they can then take known as Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP). Have a look at the following articles;-
https://lovemattersafrica.com/safe-sex/sti-prevention/pre-exposure-prophylaxis-top-facts
https://lovemattersafrica.com/safe-sex/sti-prevention/preventing-hivaids-with-pep
I want to join and get more…
I want to join and get more tips about Health care.
Hi Jonathan, keep visiting…
Hi Jonathan, keep visiting and exploring the website for more articles on Love, Sex and Relationships. Also, like our page Facebook for more articles; Love Matters Kenya.
if u get hiv, how many days…
if u get hiv, how many days will dey do after taking drug before taking another one
Hello Max, thank you for…
Hello Max, thank you for reaching out to us. I do not understand what you are asking could you please explain?
Hello John, since you have…
Hello John, since you have already been tested, it is best to make a follow-up consultation with your doctor to confirm your status. Have a wonderful week ahead and stay safe.
I had protected sex one week…
I had protected sex one week ago but as we are talking i have some muscle pains and fever could it be probably am infected?
HI Jontez, thank you for…
HI Jontez, thank you for getting in touch with us and we are so sorry you are going through a hard time. There are a lot of things that can cause such symptoms to arise. Is your partner HIV positive? Since this is a medical issue we strongly advise you to see a medical professional for a comprehensive diagnosis.
Here is a list of health institutions that should be of help
https://lovemattersafrica.com/get-help/clinics
If l had unprotected sex…
If l had unprotected sex within 24hours and I take pep,,then I go again and have sex with a person l know his/her status to be negative will that person contract the virus
Hi john,
Kindly not that…
Hi john,
Kindly not that the PEP dosage is to be taken for a month thus the fact that you have started taking it doesn’t mean that you have countered a possible infection. PEP should be taken for 28 days. It is important to take all the doses, at the right time and in the right way, to give PEP the best chance of working. If you were infected, whether the person you had sex with is at risk of infection depends on how long after possible exposure you had sex. HIV can be passed on to another person during the window period even though an HIV test may not show that they are infected with HIV. Also, remember that PEP is effective in preventing HIV infection when it’s taken correctly, but it’s not 100% effective. The window period for antibody tests is on average between 3 weeks and 3 months.