Any Prep Users Feedback Since Going On The Meds?

[Pitt1988]

So ive noticed alot of websites and hookup sites now feature guys on PREP and use is increasing daily; i figured we could all give input as to how much sex and less fear, or side effects we have experienced since going on the meds mine input goes as follows:

More BB sex as a top

Less stress and fear of converting

Still unsure about bottoming

Swallowing more loads (was fearful of that before also)

Not too concerned about status; but discuss it depending on situation

Most guys dont even care if im on PREP or not; they just want a load.

I do howerer find myelf worried about other STI's but i figure i can deal with those.

My favorite part of the whole experience is being sexually fear free for the first time in 10 years!

No side effects so far...any one else interested in input let us know

[BiAggieGuy]

Pretty much the same for me for the most part.

 

- Been taking a lot more loads now including poz.  Before I would avoid them, but now I don't really worry about it. (I know the risk is never zero, but it's probably a lot less than driving down the highway.)  If I see a hot poz guy I want to fuck with, I'll do everything I can to get him into bed.

 

- I've found more guys who are "safe only" will now fuck raw with me because I'm on PrEP.  Two of them have started PrEP as well and are now barebacking.  I think we're going to see a ton of new barebackers over the coming year as more and more guys get on PrEP.

 

Only (possible) side effect was my stomach bothered me for a short time after I started; but I've always had a somewhat sensitive stomach so it may not have been related.

[jeff238]

It's been great for me. It's allowed me to "get back out there" so to speak. I have always been BB only, and so had to be picky. Now I don't ask status, and get lots more action than I did. Even got close to an LTR, who I never would have met otherwise.

As far as side effects, I had kind of a weird headache for a couple days. Not that big of a deal, and never took anything for it. Otherwise, nothing.

I am surprised tho, that I run into guys all the time that have never heard of PrEP. I try to educate as much as I can without being judgemental. I just chatted with an adorable 18yo on line the other day in a bug chasing room. He was into the bug talk, but was very receptive of the PrEP info.

[fskn]

I topped bare and also swallowed loads before PrEP, and I do both even more freely, after 2 years on PrEP.

I've had no noticeable side effects.

In terms of miscellaneous STIs, I am required to test quarterly at this point (and the FDA and CDC guidelines for Truvada for PrEP call for this) but I've kept up my initial testing schedule, which was monthly. Not surprisingly, I've found fewer exposures when meeting individuals (e.g. through an app.) than when going to a public sex environment like a glory hole place, and also fewer exposures in suburban areas than in San Francisco proper.

I talk up PrEP to any Neg or unknown-status bottom I fuck.

Edited July 1, 2015 by fskn

[drscorpio]

I have been taking loads bare for over a decade. It's nice to now have some protection. 

 

I had some stomach upset at first. It got better over time and went away entirely when I started taking it at bed time instead of in the mornings. 

 

I haven't had a lot more sex. Part of that is I started PrEP right as the school year ended. It's always slim pickings in the summer in a college town in the country. 

[tallbtm]

I'm enjoying sex a lot more than I used to because the fear of HIV is largely gone now that I'm on PrEP.  All that "what if?" chatter rattling around in my head for days after a bare fuck just disappeared.  

 

I also find I'm having a lot more sex than I did, with a much broader variety of guys.  Of course not every hookup is a winner, but enough of them are to make it worth it to say yes much more freely.

 

I've been on PrEP a bit over a year. Initial side effects were minimal. (Just some looser bowel movements for the first 3 days.) 

 

I also notice more guys with neg+PrEP in their online profiles. When I first started PrEP I got a lot of online questions about it; I shared my experience and sent useful links with those who wanted to know. Now that more guys have heard of PrEP I get far fewer questions, but I still gently urge friends I think would benefit to consider it. 

 

For both health and peace of mind, I make a point to get tested for all STIs every three months. 

 

Like Pitt1988, my favorite part of the whole experience is being sexually fear free for the first time in many years.

[Pitt1988]

Personally for me the biggest reward is not having to worry, get paranoid and stressful for weeks; because as you guys can remember there is up to a 3 month window period with Hiv tests; even if you tested negative; it didnt necessarily mean you are NEG; this is perhaps one of the biggest thrills of my life... Considering sex is by far my favorite hobbie! And since 2004 all ive done is worry myself sick with what ifs? I had an experience with a guy where everything was safe, till the end when i was pounding him he shot his load straight in my eye! Prove's youre never "safe" enough, but now i am thanks to PREP.

[fskn]

...as you guys can remember there is up to a 3 month window period with Hiv tests; even if you tested negative; it didnt necessarily mean you are NEG

Just a PSA, which I mention often because the standard of care varies so much by location and venue (gay-friendly, competent, and resource-rich or not):

Always insist on a 4th-generation HIV antibody test. This reduces the detection window to under 4 weeks.

If you are afraid after a risky exposure, insist on a PCR RNA HIV viral load test, typically a "qualitative" (present/not present) rather than "quantitative" (how many copies of HIV?) one, although quantitative tests are increasingly sensitive. This will tell you within as few as 10 days after exposure. This reduces worry, and the information could save yours and your sex partners' lives. The sooner you know, the sooner you can avoid transmitting the virus and the sooner you can begin treatment, minimizing damage to your immune system (if treatment and not transmitting are your goals).

In public health facilities in San Francisco, this is the standard of care and you could leave with an anti-retroviral prescription the very same day you get a positive test result.

Edited July 5, 2015 by fskn

[discreetmpls]

I have been on PrEP since September, and the biggest change for me is that I will fuck HIV+ bottoms now.  Before, even if they were undetectable, I had some hang-ups and couldn't get an erection.  

 

The other thing I have noticed is that I have much more frank and open conversations about status, meds, risk factors than I ever did before.  In the past it seemed like there wasn't much point because everyone claimed to have a recent test and you had no way to know if they were lying or even if the test was accurate if they'd been bb'ing since.  Now it's easy to confirm they are on PrEP, HIV+ people rarely lie about their viral load, and even if someone is shady my risk is minimal other than STDs.

 

As far as side effects I have had none that were noticeable enough to attribute to TRUVADA.

[tallbtm]

The other thing I have noticed is that I have much more frank and open conversations about status, meds, risk factors than I ever did before.  In the past it seemed like there wasn't much point because everyone claimed to have a recent test and you had no way to know if they were lying or even if the test was accurate if they'd been bb'ing since. 

 

Ditto.  Since starting PrEP I'm having much more frank conversations about raw sex than I did before. I tell guys I'm HIV neg and on PrEP and I like to fuck bare. This often opens up the conversation to how they want to play. I make plain what I'm looking for and because I'm candid and honest, most guys answer plainly themselves.  Raw, hot guy: bring it on!  / Condom-only hot guy: not so much a match.

 

The discussion about status, risks factors, meds, etc. doesn't have to be long. But it should be honest and up-front.

Edited July 26, 2015 by tallbtm