PrEP four days a week?

[concerned1]

So I know there is daily and event based dosing. But recently I learned there is a 4 days a week way of taking it which is apparently just as effective as taking it daily or event based. I think its like you take the PrEP on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday. Anyone doing this way?

I am really forgetful, I've been taking it daily since I got on it back in January but I often forget to take it or can't remember if I have taken a pill or not. And even when I have a good run of taking it daily without forgetting, I forget to take at correct time and the times are all varied, so it isn't the same time each day (though my understanding is this doesn't matter so much, as long as it daily). 

Usually when I forget to take one, I take one the next day but sometimes then I forget to take one the day after that. So the four day week thing seems like it would probably work for me.

Also, not sure if it was posted on here, but did anyone see the story about the guy in Australia who got infected despite being on PrEP (think he was on event based dosing)? That's scary. I wonder how long PrEP will continue to protect us? You  know the old saying.... If something seems too good to be true, then it probably is...

Edited May 16, 2019 by concerned1

[fillmyholeftl]

If you forget it when taking it daily, what makes you think you'll remember on 4 specific days of the week.  If you take it 4 X a week, the blood level of the drug will be less than at daily dosing. So missing a single dose (which you will no doubt do) will have a greater effect on the effectiveness.  

SO  If you wan tot be protected, take it daily. Set up a pill box, so you see if you've taken it that day. Use other reminders.

[leatherpunk16]

Do you keep a pet? A dog or a cat, maybe? When you take your pill, give them a treat. You might forget, but the animlol won't let you.

[boy4you]

I was not taking PrEP everyday like I  should have and I became POZ. 

There are 3 ways to look at this. 

#1 You take PrEP to stay Neg. But no one really knows the long term effect of PrEP. 

 

#2 You become POZ and you take meds to stay  undetectable and again no one really knows the long term effect of these meds. 

 

#3 You become POZ and don’t take meds at all as some it’s does not effect them and they live a normal life. 

[curiousaboutbb]

I wouldn’t switch without consulting your Doc.  Best way to be sure you take it is to get a daily pill box. Take it each morning as you brush your teeth.  If you aren’t sure if you have taken it you can check your pill box and see.

[everopen1]

#3

[viking8x6]

From what I understand of the biology (which is quite a bit; I have advanced degrees in science), this is probably the most likely of the three methods of taking PrEP to be problematic (i.e. fail) when exposed to strains of the virus that have some resistance to the two drugs in Truvada. But beyond that, it seems to me that it would be harder to remember to take the meds on only certain days than simply to take it every day.

Also, if it's a matter of cost, it's worth doing the calculation to see whether it will make any real difference at the end of the year taking 4 pills a week vs 7 - in my case, if I'm paying the full (negotiated) price of the med, I would hit the out-of-pocket maximum on my health plan either way, so it's a moot point. YMMV.

[concerned1]

21 hours ago, vnaught8x6 said:

From what I understand of the biology (which is quite a bit; I have advanced degrees in science), this is probably the most likely of the three methods of taking PrEP to be problematic (i.e. fail) when exposed to strains of the virus that have some resistance to the two drugs in Truvada. But beyond that, it seems to me that it would be harder to remember to take the meds on only certain days than simply to take it every day.

Also, if it's a matter of cost, it's worth doing the calculation to see whether it will make any real difference at the end of the year taking 4 pills a week vs 7 - in my case, if I'm paying the full (negotiated) price of the med, I would hit the out-of-pocket maximum on my health plan either way, so it's a moot point. YMMV

How common are those particular strains among poz guys?

[BlindRawFucker1]

A pillbox is the answer for any medication.

 

Then,put it in front of something where you know you will definitely see it--coffee maker, toaster, etc.

 

I could be wrong, but in the majority of cases where guys have become poz, they weren't taking it correctly.

 

Sayng that however, I'm sure there are a small number of people who are immune to the PrEP,just like any other drug.

[viking8x6]

3 hours ago, concerned1 said:

How common are those particular strains among poz guys?

Best info I could find was from the  WHO, but it's generally for countries in Africa, South America and Southeast Asia. Those numbers look to be around 2% (i.e. not common at all). I couldn't find any data on resistant strains for the US on the CDC web site.  Bottom line, though, is that out of literally hundreds of thousands of people on PrEP, who are supposed to be getting tested every three months, we've seen less than 10 cases of transmission.

[SubHornyBottom]

On 5/17/2019 at 2:21 PM, vnaught8x6 said:

Best info I could find was from the  WHO, but it's generally for countries in Africa, South America and Southeast Asia. Those numbers look to be around 2% (i.e. not common at all). I couldn't find any data on resistant strains for the US on the CDC web site.  Bottom line, though, is that out of literally hundreds of thousands of people on PrEP, who are supposed to be getting tested every three months, we've seen less than 10 cases of transmission.

I don't know where you get your stats from. But from what I know, there are about two dozen people I know got pozzed while on PrEP. 

[SubHornyBottom]

On 5/17/2019 at 2:21 PM, vnaught8x6 said:

Best info I could find was from the  WHO, but it's generally for countries in Africa, South America and Southeast Asia. Those numbers look to be around 2% (i.e. not common at all). I couldn't find any data on resistant strains for the US on the CDC web site.  Bottom line, though, is that out of literally hundreds of thousands of people on PrEP, who are supposed to be getting tested every three months, we've seen less than 10 cases of transmission.

Here is the stats from King County from Seattle about resistant strain. It's low, but my worry is that, just like the 1980s, the resistant strain will spread fast

[drscorpio]

Official count as of March was 7 people who were on PrEP and still got pozzed. 
https://www.poz.com/article/case-ondemand-prep-failure-reported-australia

 

They are only counting people where the meds clearly failed. Not cases where the person was not taking the meds as directed. 

[timfreo]

Prep or no prep, you take cock raw you roll the dice. Simple as that. 

[SubHornyBottom]

8 hours ago, drscorpio said:

Official count as of March was 7 people who were on PrEP and still got pozzed. 
https://www.poz.com/article/case-ondemand-prep-failure-reported-australia

 

They are only counting people where the meds clearly failed. Not cases where the person was not taking the meds as directed. 

...The medical community is not reporting many PREP failure cases because it will cause panic and possibly revolt among gay/HIV community.