Gay Men's Health: Scotland's Charity for Gay Men |pep

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SCOTLAND’S CHARITY FOR GAY MEN

PEP

What is PEP?

Pep is a 4-week course of pills you can take if you have been at serious risk of getting HIV. The medication may stop you becoming infected with HIV even after it has entered your body.

Where can you get PEP?

You may be able to get PEP at

•Sexual Health Clinics (GUM)

•Hospitals (usually Accident & Emergency departments)

How soon do you have to take PEP after you think you’ve been at risk of catching HIV?

The sooner you start the course of pills the better. PEP will not be given if it is more than 72 hours (3 days) since you think you have been at risk of getting HIV. However, you shouldn’t wait for 72 hours before contacting the hospital as the longer you wait the less effective PEP is likely to be.

How long do you have to take PEP for?

The course of pills lasts 4 weeks. It’s important not to miss any doses and to take the tablets at the times you are told to take them.

Does PEP have any side effects?

All drugs have side effects. When taking PEP you may experience nausea, diarrhoea, headaches, tiredness and other side effects. Your doctor will discuss these with you prior to prescribing PEP. You may also need to have some blood tests taken during the PEP course to monitor its effects on the body.

If someone is taking PEP does it make them immune to HIV?

No. Unsafe sex while taking PEP could let more HIV into your body, making PEP much less likely to work. If after taking PEP someone has stayed HIV negative and then has unsafe sex again, they can become infected just like any other HIV negative person.

Now we have PEP is it so important to use condoms?

It is still important to use condoms. The main reasons for this are:

•Using a condom is more likely to stop HIV being passed on than PEP is

•Condoms don’t make you ill with nasty side effects

•Condoms are everywhere. PEP can be hard – sometimes impossible - to get

•You control getting hold of condoms but doctors decide if you should get PEP and they may say no

What If I’m already HIV positive?

If you already have HIV and you have a regular partner or partners, your HIV clinic will usually be able to provide a ‘starter pack’ of PEP for your partner to keep at home, in case they need it. Ask the staff at your clinic about this. Some HIV clinics will also be able to provide PEP at short notice for someone you have had unsafe sex with.

There is still no cure for HIV but if taken early, PEP may stop your sexual partner(s) becoming HIV positive even after the virus has entered their body.