[Question #7198] Hiv question

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59 months ago
Hi im a 42 years old male live in mexico, my city has a very small number of woman with hiv, most are men, im heterosexual, 2 months ago I had my test done for hiv and evrything came out negative, but stupid enough this  sunday 23 around 3am I had unprotected vaginal sex with a friend of mine whom I dont necesary think she migth be infected, I ask her she told me she got divorced a year ago and she is been careful she is 25, but still im very worry, because I ask her to go get tested with we and she said"no im fine" so today at 4pm I have a soctors apoinment to start PEP , and I would like to know its only been 35 hours, is the window period ok ? What posible side efects could I have? Waht medicine is the correct for PEP ? And what is your input on the likelyhood I could have contracted hiv from this exposure ? 
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59 months ago
Hi im a 42 years old male live in mexico, my city has a very small number of woman with hiv, most are men, im heterosexual, 2 months ago I had my test done for hiv and evrything came out negative, but stupid enough this  sunday 23 around 3am I had unprotected vaginal sex with a friend of mine whom I dont necesary think she migth be infected, I ask her she told me she got divorced a year ago and she is been careful she is 25, but still im very worry, because I ask her to go get tested with we and she said"no im fine" so today at 4pm I have a soctors apoinment to start PEP , and I would like to know its only been 35 hours, is the window period ok ? What posible side efects could I have? Waht medicine is the correct for PEP ? And what is your input on the likelyhood I could have contracted hiv from this exposure ? Also sorry, if im taking PEP and I get covid, will I be able to get treated ? Or will the medicines that I get for covid will interfir on the PEP treatment? The medicines for PEP do they have long lasting liver o any other side effects ? 
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
59 months ago

Welcome to our Forum. Thanks for your confidence in our service.  I'll be glad to comment.  The exposure you describe was low risk.  You know your partner and judge her to be relatively low risk in an environment in which HIV in women is rare.  Even if she had untreated HIV at the time you had sex with her, the likelihood of becoming infected is quite low since the infection rate for men having unprotected intercourse with infected women is less than 1 infection in 1200 exposures (in other words, even in the unlikely circumstance that she had intreated HIV there is a more than 99.9% chance that you would not become infected).

You have acted to take PEP out of an abundance of caution.  PEP is more effective the sooner a person takes it and is probably not effective more than 72 hours after an exposure. Thus if you were exposed, your PEP would substantially further reduce your risk for infection.  Your PEP will also extend the time it takes to be confident you were not infected since follow-up testing after completion of PEP is recommended to take place 6 weeks AFTER completion of the PEP.  

In general PEP is well tolerated.  The most common and typically reversible side effect is gastrointestinal upset.


If I were you, I would not take PEP but of course this is a personal choice.  I hope that the information I have provided here will be helpful to you.  EWH   

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59 months ago
Tahnk you doctor, I started PEP 37 hours after exposure I dont know if that is a good time line ? Im taking Truvada(tenofovir300mg/emtricitabin200mg) and Efavirenz 600mg for 28 days Do you consider this is a good course of medicines for PEP ? What recomenderions would you have or coments on side effects of this medicines? On your experience doctor how efective if taken correctly is PEP in this situacions ? Since my frist dosis yesterday I felt a little drowzy and a mild headache is this normal ?  You really wouldn't have recomended to start PEP in my situacion ? I suffer from extreme obsesive compulsion and I keep thinking is not logical to have this fear, but my mind keeps telling me other wise. If you have anything more to add doctor to try to keep me sane I would aprecietted, I just really hate being in this position. I have none what so ever reason to believe this girl migth have hiv, I talk to her again and she said" Im absolutly not worry about this" so thank you doctor.
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
59 months ago

PEP taken at 37 hours following exposure should reduce your l=already low risk for HIV infection even further. 

The medications you are taking should be effective PEP.

As I said above, in my opinion, you did not need PEP.  If it provides you with peace of mind however, you should complete the course.  I am confident you will not get HIV from the exposure you describe.

EWH

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