Do I need PrEP If I use condoms?

Do I need PrEP If I use condoms?

PrEP only protects against HIV. Condoms provide protection against other STDs, in particular gonorrhea and chlamydia. Since twice-yearly STD screening is part of maintaining a PrEP prescription, going on PrEP can help you more promptly diagnose and treat any STDs you may contract.

Is PrEP or condoms more effective?

With the low number of HIV cases among people actively taking PrEP we are now talking about greater than 99 percent effectiveness, in other words, the pill is more effective at preventing HIV than condoms.

How long is PrEP effective after stopping?

Although effective intracellular drug concentrations persist for several days after stopping PrEP, a reasonable recommendation is to continue PrEP dosing for 4 weeks after the last potential HIV exposure, similar to recommendations for postexposure prophylaxis.

Does PrEP work straight away?

Scientists do not yet have an answer on how long it takes PrEP to become fully effective after you start taking it. Some studies suggest that if you take PrEP every day, it reaches its maximum protection in blood at 20 days, in rectal tissue at about 7 days, and in vaginal tissues at about 20 days.

What happens if you take 2 PrEP pills?

It doesn't matter what time of day you take your PrEP pill and it's OK if it's not exactly the same time every day. Just be sure to take one PrEP pill every 24 hours. If you accidentally take two PrEP pills in one day, it's OK. Taking two PrEP pills is not harmful.

Is PrEP effective after 6 days?

PrEP is not immediately effective For people who have anal sex, PrEP becomes highly effective after seven days if it is taken every day. It takes longer to become effective—21 days of daily use—to be effective at preventing HIV after injection of drugs or in people having vaginal sex.

What happens if you miss one day of PrEP?

If you do miss a dose, don't panic. Take the pill as soon as you remember, unless it is already almost time to take the next dose (in that case, do not take a double dose). Contact your provider if you notice that you are missing doses on a regular basis (and especially if you miss more than 1 or 2 doses a week).

What does prep mean for people who do not use condoms?

• The main target group are people who do not or do not always use condoms during sex. It is for those who find that condoms are not an appropriate way to protect against HIV for them. With PrEP, they could still make the decision to protect themselves from HIV. There just are many who do not get along with condoms.

Why do some guys still choose to use condoms?

• So why do some guys who use PrEP still choose to use condoms as well? PrEP; the once a day wunderkind is extremely effective at protecting against HIV, but does not protect against a range of other STIs. So for guys on PrEP, using condoms can be a nice balance.

Do you still need to wear condoms to prevent HIV?

• PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) is all the rage in the HIV prevention field, especially since the WHO reviewed the strategy positively. It‘s a heated debate: Do we still need to wear condoms to prevent HIV infection?

What do you need to know about PrEP and HIV?

• Pre-exposure prophylaxis (or PrEP) is when people at very high risk for HIV take daily medicine to prevent HIV. PrEP can stop HIV from taking hold and spreading throughout your body. When taken daily, PrEP is highly effective for preventing HIV from sex or injection drug use. PrEP is much less effective when it is not taken consistently.