PEP doesn’t work if you take it more than 72 hours after exposure, though this doesn’t mean that you will acquire HIV. It also doesn’t work as well if you don’t take the full 28 days of treatment or experience additional exposures to HIV during or following PEP treatment.

If you think you have been exposed in the last week or so, even if you have no symptoms of HIV, go get tested three weeks after the incident, and then again in 6 weeks, and 3 months. If you have symptoms, go get tested right away. A lot of new infections happen when somebody has recently acquired HIV, so it’s important to use barrier protection with others during this period right after you think you may have been exposed. Keep using barrier protection until you’ve confirmed your HIV status.

If you’re worried, remember that if you do acquire HIV, HIV treatments these days are very effective. Getting treated right away is actually the best thing you can do for your long-term health.

PEP is a sexual health strategy that is only a back-up plan when others fall through. PEP is probably not necessary if you are taking PrEP consistently and/or your HIV-positive sex partner is undetectable. While on PEP, it’s best to use condoms to avoid additional exposure to HIV or other STIs.

It depends — PEP has to be taken within 72 hours of the incident, and works best if you take it as soon as possible after it happens. Every hour may make a difference, if it’s been longer than 72 hours, it is recommended to get tested and talk to someone like a doctor or counselor about next steps. It’s a good idea to test after the exposure even if you take PEP, especially if you take it closer to the end of the 72 hr window.

Yes, you can. It won’t hurt you to do a PEP treatment more than once, besides dealing with the possible side effects. However, if you feel you’re getting exposed to HIV a lot, PEP isn’t going to be the best way to stay safe and have the sex you want to have. If you find this happening often, look into PrEP, barrier protection, and undetectable HIV viral load as sexual health strategies. If you think your mental health or substance use is affecting your use of sexual health strategies, you may want to talk to a counselor.

Don’t panic! But do take it as soon as you remember and try not to let it happen again. Also, don’t double dose, as it may be hard on your system.

Some folks experience side effects from PEP. Some PEP treatments have harsher side effects than others. Many PEP users experience no side effects, but possible side-effects include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headaches, and fatigue. Today, most people who start PEP finish the 28 days without much trouble because the drugs commonly used now have fewer side-effects than earlier ones did.

Yes, you can have sex while taking PEP. Still, some folks choose to take a break, especially if the sex they have puts them at risk of an HIV exposure. It’s important to avoid additional exposure to HIV while taking PEP.

Drinking and getting high can interact with medications, so it’s best to ask your doctor.

PEP-In-Pocket (PIP) is PEP that you keep on hand so you can start taking it immediately if you find you’ve been exposed to HIV, without a trip to the emergency room. It’s for people who can anticipate that they might be exposed to HIV some time in the future, but not so often that taking PrEP makes sense for them.

Some private insurance plans may cover PEP for ‘in-pocket’ use, but it is not funded through MSI and can cost between 900-2000 dollars.