PrEP and still worried

[concerned1]

I've been on daily PrEP since January 2018 but haven't always been taking it daily and haven't always been taking it at the same time every day.

I went came off it for a while, maybe for a few months actually, as I actually took a break from the fast lane (fucking lots of random anon strangers in saunas, sex clubs and from Grindr almost every single week). But then after a break of a few months, I decided to start living life in the fast lane again and went back on the PrEP.

Since then I have been quite good at taking it every day, only a couple or so days missed but one thing I'm not so good at is taking it at the same time every day. Very often there is several hours difference. I've been told on here before that not to worry so much about this, PrEP stays in your system for 36 hours or something, so as long you take it within that amount of time since your last dose it should be OK.

So long as as it's taken every day, it doesn't have to be at the exact same time every day....a few hours variation each day is OK and my protection should still be fine.

As I say, I do forget to take it sometimes but not very often, I've been pretty good lately at not forgetting doses.

I do sometimes worry about this (forgetting to take tablets on the odd day here and there) but hopefully it doesn't amount to being any less "risky" than people who only do event-based dosing? And as far as I'm aware, event based dosing is still really good with almost 100% protection against the virus.

I'm on the PrEP impact trial in the UK and I have to go to my clinic to get checked out every 3 months and also to get a new 3 months supply of PrEP until my next visit to the clinic. And since starting PrEP, I've literally had something (chlyamidia, gonnorhea, syphilis) every single time I've been to the clinic for my check-up and to get more PrEP, with the exception of only one time when my results came back negative for everything (I was pleasantly shocked!)

Even though I am on PrEP and I am also a total top (although like most guys here in Europe, I'm uncut), every single time I go for my check-up I'm still incredibly fearful. I just hate walking into the nurse's office and sitting down in that chair. I always feel like they're going to hit me with something like: "I'm sorry to say that despite taking PrEP, your HIV came back positive" or something along those lines. And i've read in the media about the rise in cases of PrEP failing and the possibility of the virus out-smarting PrEP and mutating to resist it. Anyone else feel really scared, despite being on PrEP, about becoming poz still? The reason I get so scared I think is more my not taking it at the same time every day and also because occasionally (but not often at all, really) I completely forget to take it. Probably if I could take it at the same time every day I'd not worry so much. I don't know.

And anyone else here also got some STD every damn time you go to checked out!? Hahaha. I have every time since starting PrEP, as I say bar one time when I didn't. I don't know what the nurses must think of me....!

 

 

Edited January 21, 2020 by concerned1

[FelchingPisser]

Set up an alarm on your phone that will go off every day at the time you want to take your pill.

[thkpc]

Also there is an app you can download. Set ur time for the daily med and schedule reorder.  Also I always carry a couple of pills with in a small case.  

[PG1961Canada]

I travel a lot between Canada, Europe, UK and Africa.  So the time zone change for me is +6 hours on these trips.  So, like @FelchingPisser suggests, I have my phone set to remind me to take my pills at 0800 Canada time every day.  When I am in Europe... that becomes either 1pm or 2pm (depending where I am) and that is usually lunch.  It helps remind me to do my thing... at a fairly regular time.   And yes, the math people will point out I lose/gain 6 hours going there/coming back... but it IS fairly consistent for me.

I also went to the Dollar store here (Pound store for you - grin) and bought a pill dispenser for daily pills.  By looking at the dispenser, I can quickly tell whether I have taken my pill that day.  They come in different sizes... you might just take one medication (PrEP) and would require a small dispenser.  But it is a 'visual'.

As far as being concerned?  PrEP has proven to be pretty darn reliable.  There is always an 'exception' case.... but the science shows it to be pretty effective.  As you (and all of us at some point in time) have found out - it doesn't protect from OTHER STI's...  so, this is a risk when fucking raw regardless of whether you are on PrEP or not.... it will always be there.

I don't think you can shock a nurse or doctor in a sexual health clinic.  They have seen it all.  Don't worry about what 'they' think... they are there to help you.  The fact that you are being tested regularly is a good thing overall to your NHS in the end.  You are 'managing' your situation by being proactive and being tested/monitored.  In the end.. that is a good thing.

People will ALWAYS judge you... regardless of what you do or think... so do what is best for.. you!!

Cheers mate!

[BB4fking]

Like the other replies, I have an app on my phone, a pill dispenser and take it same time each day to get in a rhythm (first thing in the morning with pill dispenser next to bed).  I use a 2 week dispenser which I can’t overlook but have a smaller one week version for trips away. 

The only additional thing is that I have a small metal capsule with a single pill in it attached in the jackets I wear in case I’m out and have forgotten to take my pill, I have needed that once or twice over 4 years of taking PrEP.

I should confess that I use another technique that isn’t always available. My partner brings me a glass of juice each morning at the same time to take my PrEP and fills up my pill dispenser and reminds me to pack my PrEP if I’m going off travelling.

[viking8x6]

If you're only topping, relax! When I moved to San Francisco in spring of '94, I got a new doctor and discussed the issue with him - he said that as long as I wasn't bottoming bare, I pretty much didn't have to worry about HIV. While that was undoubtedly an overstatement of the case, it is not so much of an exaggeration as you might think. That, of course, was long before PrEP and HAART with U=U transformed the scene.

HIV is much less transmissible than most of the other common STDs to begin with (less than 1 chance in 50); add to that that you are only topping (a substantial reduction in risk) and that you are taking PrEP (another reduction in risk, even if your adherence isn't perfect), and your chances of getting it are really pretty small.

Plus, if you were to get it, the consequences these days are pretty much that you have to take a daily pill... oh, wait, you were doing that already!

So, Keep Calm and Keep Fucking!

[hungry_hole]

1 hour ago, viking8x6 said:

When I moved to San Francisco in spring of '94, I got a new doctor and discussed the issue with him - he said that as long as I wasn't bottoming bare, I pretty much didn't have to worry about HIV.

I think it's true that it's very unlikely that a guy who only tops can get infected with HIV. The problem is that it's very difficult for Health Departments all over the place to be honest about this fact because every time someone fucks bareback someone is getting fucked bareback, a big dilemma for HIV HIV prevention! Their approach is to play down the differences in the risk of transmission.

[Oldercumslut]

On 1/21/2020 at 12:19 PM, PG1961Canada said:

I travel a lot between Canada, Europe, UK and Africa.  So the time zone change for me is +6 hours on these trips.  So, like @FelchingPisser suggests, I have my phone set to remind me to take my pills at 0800 Canada time every day.  When I am in Europe... that becomes either 1pm or 2pm (depending where I am) and that is usually lunch.  It helps remind me to do my thing... at a fairly regular time.   And yes, the math people will point out I lose/gain 6 hours going there/coming back... but it IS fairly consistent for me.

I also went to the Dollar store here (Pound store for you - grin) and bought a pill dispenser for daily pills.  By looking at the dispenser, I can quickly tell whether I have taken my pill that day.  They come in different sizes... you might just take one medication (PrEP) and would require a small dispenser.  But it is a 'visual'.

As far as being concerned?  PrEP has proven to be pretty darn reliable.  There is always an 'exception' case.... but the science shows it to be pretty effective.  As you (and all of us at some point in time) have found out - it doesn't protect from OTHER STI's...  so, this is a risk when fucking raw regardless of whether you are on PrEP or not.... it will always be there.

I don't think you can shock a nurse or doctor in a sexual health clinic.  They have seen it all.  Don't worry about what 'they' think... they are there to help you.  The fact that you are being tested regularly is a good thing overall to your NHS in the end.  You are 'managing' your situation by being proactive and being tested/monitored.  In the end.. that is a good thing.

People will ALWAYS judge you... regardless of what you do or think... so do what is best for.. you!!

Cheers mate!

Sounds like the old days of multiple pill HIV treatment.   People had pagers and would get paged when It was time to take their meds.