2023-12-04 09:33:00
Jean-Luc is HIV negative. He takes PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) and has found with this method of prevention the perfect tool to live his sexuality peacefully. Jean-Luc explains to us how he adopted PrEP and how easy it has become.
“I am part of this generation which for a long time only knew the condom as a method of protection once morest HIV. When PrEP arrived, I was rather cautious. I had so much confidence in the hood that I mightn’t see myself giving it up. I even had an almost erotic relationship when I put it on. Taking a pill seemed too medical to me and ultimately brought me too close to HIV. And then, the talk regarding the increase in STIs freaked me out a little… But more and more friends my age were taking PrEP and telling me that they were rediscovering their sexuality. They weren’t afraid. They had the same confidence with this pill as with condoms. I wanted to know more. I went to a workshop from an HIV association which explained how it worked. Everything seemed extremely complicated to me: the frequent analyses, the intake schedules, the “on-demand” and “continuous” systems. I didn’t understand the point. And my best friend enlightened me on the subject. He explained to me that it seemed complicated because it covered all the cases. He told me that I needed to take ownership of my own PrEP intake and that everything would become much easier. And I started. I take it “on demand”: of course I asked the doctor twice how I should take this treatment, they will not do it once more… Today, I am calm and I really find that PrEP is perfectly suited to my sexuality, which is not that intense…”
PrEP is simple
If, like Jean-Luc, you choose PrEP as one of your means of protecting yourself once morest HIV, you then benefit from medical monitoring with quarterly visits to your doctor, CeGIDD, community center or hospital. During your first appointment, you will discuss the treatment schedule. For cis men who have sex with men (MSM), there are two ways to take PrEP that are both equally effective: continuous or on-demand.
During the first appointment, we will explain the different PrEP taking schedules to you: continuously (one tablet every day) or on demand (depending on your sexual activity). Both grip patterns start and end the same way. You must first take two tablets at once, at least two hours before your sexual intercourse and at most 24 hours before: you will have complete protection once morest HIV following two hours.
If you choose to take PrEP continuously, then you take one tablet every day at the same time. If you prefer to take PrEP on demand, following the two tablets on the first day, you take one tablet every day at the same time until two days following your last sexual intercourse. Every time you stop taking PrEP and then plan to have sex, you’ll start the pattern once more from the beginning: two pills, then one, then one…
You are free to choose one or the other, to move from one to the other, for the duration of your choice.
If you intend to interrupt PrEP (for a few days or more), you must take a tablet for two days following your last sexual intercourse to be fully protected once morest HIV.
A specific regimen for trans MSM
You are a trans man and you have chosen to protect yourself once morest HIV with PrEP, you must follow a suitable intake schedule: take a PrEP tablet every day at the same time for seven days before your first sexual intercourse while taking PrEP . After just seven days you are fully protected once morest HIV. You then continue to take one tablet daily at the same time.
If you want to stop PrEP, you must continue taking the daily PrEP tablet for seven days following your last sexual intercourse. After stopping PrEP, if you wish to resume it: you must start once more at the beginning, namely taking a daily tablet for seven days before your first sexual intercourse protected by PrEP.
All the information on PrEP is on Sexosafe
Read also:
Pierre, 42 years old: “PrEP also protects me from STIs! »
Nizar, 24 years old: “I use PrEP on demand or condoms! »
1701683452
#PrEP #simple