How Long Does It Take For Meds To Work?

[Stlbttm]

I just had sex with a guy who says he started his meds a month ago. How long does it take meds to get the VL down? He didn't cum in me but there's still his precum and the chance he fired off before he could pull out. Also I was high and my hole was really creamy, not bloody, so I think my chances are low for infection.

[jtonic]

Mine took about a month, from the time I started meds until I did a test 4 weeks later (which came back undetectable). However, everybody is different. Bottom line: there's absolutely no way to give you an answer unless the guy gets his VL checked up. Some people have a sharp drop in VL in the beginning, then level off in the 50-1000 level for months before getting undetectable. Some people take years, or simply don't respond well to certain medications. Others get to undetectable in a matter of weeks. No one will have the respond or timeline to a given antiretroviral med.

[TigerMilner]

I was undetectable 30 days after starting meds. I think that is the norm unless there is a resistance issue. They do tests for that before they prescribe so your risk is minimal.

[hairyone]

I took me a year of taking meds to become undetectable.  This was back in 2003 when one avenue of thought was to wait to start taking meds so I waited until my VL was off the charts and right before my CD4 count got too low (232 at 19%).  But, in one month my VL dropped to 5000, then another 2 to get to 259.  CD4 bounced back a lot faster.

You may want to consider PEP.  But, if you do, you need to start it within a day or so of exposure.

[bearbandit]

What you have to remember after what hairyone said is that he's talking about 2003: one hell of a lot has changed since then. So much so that I always advise people to check the date on a page and if it's over six months old its "news" is probably already history. By 2003's standard, hairyone, you were undetectable within three months as the line was between 400 and 500 at the time.

Within a month, he's probably got to the point of being merely "mildly" infectious, but you've no way of knowing that. As hairyone says PEP is available, but it needs to be started within 72 hours of the potential exposure. There''s a sharp drop in its efficacy after 48 hours, so time is of the essence.

If you're somewhere where PrEP is available, that's something you might want to consider for the future. If PrEP isn't "officially" available to you, this site may be of help: http://www.iwantprepnow.co.uk/. Although it's a UK site, it shouldn't be too difficult to translate to the health system of your country.

[travelingbutthole]

I tested + very recently and started on Atripla.

My VL went from nearly 39000 down to 86 in just 4 weeks.

[travelingbutthole]

When I started the doc said that he expects anybody to be undetectable within 12 weeks of starting treatment so the modern medications are very effective.

Next test is on Thursday so I'll check back when I have the results.

[travelingbutthole]

I just got the results.

Undetectable VL and my CD4 is 750.

To go from 39000 VL and CD4 of 357 to this is incredible in just 8 weeks.

Your mileage may vary but modern medicine is awesome.

[mort]

The meds being as good as they are is why they will not release a cure so much money to be made of it.

 

It is very rare to be infected by pre cum.

[jtonic]

Your mileage may vary but modern medicine is awesome.

 

And it will only get better in 5-10 years.

I really believe a cure is not too far away.