Just wondering if any of you have been doing less than daily dosing, and whether you feel sufficiently protected given your level of risk.
Been thinking of going down to 4 pills per week, just to reduce the level of toxicity and dampen the side effects.
I still experience mostly GI issues (loose stools, occasional abdominal cramps), despite having been on PrEP for 2 months now.
But more than the persistent GI issues, I also had a bit of a scare from my last urine test, which came back with microscopic amounts of blood (not visible to the naked eye). I had to get an ultrasound on my kidneys, and a rather unsettling urological exam (cystoscopy) to check my bladder. The urologist insists that everything is normal, and that I have a case of 'essential hematuria', which he says is simply unexplained small microscopic amounts of blood in urine that we cannot really fix - it's just there, and it just happens to some people without becoming a problem.
My urine test before Truvada did not exhibit this problem, and PrEP is the only thing that has changed in 2 months, but the urologist and my GP both say 'don't worry'.
As far as my risk, I only bottom BB with my hubby (and I top him 90% of the time), but I do occasionally top guys raw. He has only bottomed raw once since we both got on PrEP, and the guy did not breed him. Of course, time can only tell, but for now he insists that he will not bottom raw again, even whilst on PrEP (except bottoming raw for me), unless the other person is for sure on PrEP, as well. So, I tend to believe that, all in all, both our risks are relatively low.
I'd like to hear your experiences with non-daily dosing, how many doses in a week (at least 4?), how risky your behaviour has been, and whether you feel you're still sufficiently protected.
Thanks!