YEZTUGO

[Dallasbear]

Is anyone on the site currently on the new drug YEZTUGO?  It's a new PREP drug that is taken every 6 months by injection. I just qualified to get it paid for by Medicare here in the US.  ($14,000+ USD per shot)  I'm trying to find out about any first-hand experience, and any possible side effects of it. I am due to get my first injection on Monday morning October 13th.

[Dallasbear]

Okay, so here's a follow-up. My first dosage was delayed because they weren't able to get the medication from the pharmacy to my doctor's office. So I went in this past Friday and this is how the procedure went.

1.  First was a finger stick for a quick HIV test, and waited 15 minutes for the results.

2.  Next while waiting on the results from the rapid test they also did a blood draw test.

3.  Once the rapid test confirmed I was negative for HIV, Ice packs are applied to the injection sites before the injections for a mild numbing. The injection areas are the thighs or the abdomen. The numbing is to help reduce pain (if any) because it is a thick medication.  The medication has a consistency of thin pancakes syrup and is a clear green somewhere close to that of Green Pea Soup.

4.  The total initial dosage is 927 mg administered in two injections, and a total of four tablets taken two per day.  The first two with the the injection and the the next 2 the following day. I experienced a little pain  the same as I do with any injection, but nothing unusual for me.   Additional ice packs were applied to help reduce any subsequent pain.

5.  After the injection, there was a ball of medicine under the skin about the size of a large Green Pea. They covered the injection sites Band-Aids and I was monitored for about 20 minutes to make sure that I did not have a reaction to it.

6.   I did a lot of walking, stooping, and sitting that day.  I was able to tell that the injections were in both legs due to the muscles pulling them on the injection site.   It was not painful, and I did not experience any pain or itching from the injection.

7.  The next morning when I took the Band-Aids off, I noticed that both Band-Aids had a slight amount of green tint to them on the pads. Apparently a little bit of the medication had leaked through the injection site.  I would definitely make sure that they put Band-Aids over the injection sites or you will have green dye on whatever clothes you are wearing.

According to the manufacturer, Gilead Laboratories, completing the two-day oral dose and first injections ensures that  therapeutic levels are achieved, providing protection against HIV in about 48 hours. 

[LKMike]

Thanks for the info. I only tried apretude, and didn't have issues with the initial injections, just a more long term reaction.

[Dallasbear]

Well here it is 30 days after my injections. The only negative thing(s)  that I experienced are minor

1.  I developed a lump of medication under the skin at the injection site in my left thigh. It is still slowly going down. It's about the size of a US Quarter coin and feels to be about2-3 mm thick under the skin.

2.  I had about three or four days of occasional diarrhea, but I believe that may be due to a diet change that occurred at the same time.

Other than those two things, I haven't had any noticeable problems. Since this is a once every 6-month injection, I think it this will probably be very popular form of PREP. And as I have said previously, it is expensive, but both insurance and Medicare has approved it here in the US.

[757pozzybear]

I'm hoping HIV treatment gets to the point of six month injections.