PrEP

[Rohit]

When the lockdown ends, just wanted some advice about whether it is worth considering, for encounters every 2-3 months but for lower risk activities (kissing, being sucked). As far as I’m aware this wouldn’t fulfil the criteria for post exposure prophylaxis. My primary care physician isn’t able to advise

[Guest]

I'd recommend finding a good primary care physician who can help advise about this. There are also good local health care providers that specialize in LGBT health concerns. It's a personal choice and I am by no means a medical professional but it sounds like you're not engaging in risky behavior that would warrant taking what can be an expensive drug with possible side effects.

[+ OliverSaks]

Doesn’t seem like you’d be a good candidate with those listed activities, which as you state are much lower risk ( with a small number of partners )

if you have significant anxiety about HIV, then it might be a worthwhile thing to pursue with a knowledgeable healthcare professional

if you might share what part of the country / if you live in a big city, we could probably offer a little more info about where you might go to get this totally figured out

[Rohit]

Doesn’t seem like you’d be a good candidate with those listed activities, which as you state are much lower risk ( with a small number of partners )

 

if you have significant anxiety about HIV, then it might be a worthwhile thing to pursue with a knowledgeable healthcare professional

 

if you might share what part of the country / if you live in a big city, we could probably offer a little more info about where you might go to get this totally figured out

 

 

I’m based just outside London. Do have some health anxiety, and also had a bad experience with an escort in the past, which could have potentially put me at risk

[Guest]

I’m based just outside London. Do have some health anxiety, and also had a bad experience with an escort in the past, which could have potentially put me at risk

 

Not sure how things work with your national health system but if you can get it for free it might at least give you a piece of mind. Just know that it does have some potential side effects like any drug. I joke that it keeps you from getting HIV because it gives you tummy upset so you can't bottom, lol.

[+ Gar1eth]

Rohit said:

When the lockdown ends, just wanted some advice about whether it is worth considering, for encounters every 2-3 months but for lower risk activities (kissing, being sucked). As far as I’m aware this wouldn’t fulfil the criteria for post exposure prophylaxis. My primary care physician isn’t able to advise

Here's an article I found about PrEP in the UK. It's from last July. So I'm assuming it's still current unless something new has happened.

https://www.aidsmap.com/about-hiv/how-get-prep-uk

Gman

[+ OliverSaks]

So you’d be in a great location to talk this over with one of the many (gay) men’s health docs in your city - it sounds like Post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) might be a good thing to research if you don’t already know about it, just in case something happened to you again in the future during an encounter that put you into harm’s way - sorry, by the way, I understand how anxiety-producing that sort of thing can be

 

I’m based just outside London. Do have some health anxiety, and also had a bad experience with an escort in the past, which could have potentially put me at risk

[Rohit]

So you’d be in a great location to talk this over with one of the many (gay) men’s health docs in your city - it sounds like Post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) might be a good thing to research if you don’t already know about it, just in case something happened to you again in the future during an encounter that put you into harm’s way - sorry, by the way, I understand how anxiety-producing that sort of thing can be

 

Thanks for the advice, I’ll try and book in once the clinics are back up and running. Had an email back from the nurse advising that best to come in & have a chat post COVID

[+ azdr0710]

resurrecting this thread for anybody who may benefit.....I also posted this link in the "generic truvada" thread.....

https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-health-and-wellness/prep-hiv-prevention-pill-must-now-totally-free-almost-insurance-plans-rcna1470

[Act25]

Thank you, this is helpful.  My Prep (generic) became no-charge at the beginning of the year and I couldn't figure out why.  I even called my insurance provider to ask who was paying for it and the customer service rep couldn't tell me.   This explains it!

btw, this is Bill in Seattle - we've hiked together - changed my handle.  Best. 

[MikeBiDude]

On 7/20/2021 at 5:06 PM, azdr0710 said:

resurrecting this thread for anybody who may benefit.....I also posted this link in the "generic truvada" thread.....

https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-health-and-wellness/prep-hiv-prevention-pill-must-now-totally-free-almost-insurance-plans-rcna1470

Interesting! I was getting ready for an out of town trip, and one chore was refilling prescriptions. I was pleasantly surprised that my payment for all the usual was a 1/3 of the prior months. May because of this news,  or maybe I hit my Medicare “catastrophic “ level? I’ll need to investigate when I get home. The cost for first 4-5 months of Truvada this calendar year (my first year on Medicare) was surprising, after on paying $50 copay for years. Hopefully this news or a true generic might help me out.

[sjmuktop]

I joined the PrEP Impact Trial in early 2019 and got my PrEP free from Mortimer Market Centre sexual health clinic in central London (near Warren Street tube station). 

It's now available to all sexually active gay and bisexual men for free on the NHS.

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

PrEP has become so inexpensive that I'm filling a piñata with it during my next party.

 

[+ sniper]

The exclusivity period of the one generic of Truvada ended a couple of months ago and now there are something like 10 of them on the market, so the retail cost has plummeted(which is why they can now afford to make it free for everyone).