Health : Are You On PrEP?
Last weekend I was in NYC. As usual I always try to meet few guys for fun. I rarely have sex here in Montreal, for me the guys are boring. I like my hookup to be athletic, sporty and hot and most of these hot guys in Montreal are matched already or very hard to find.
I was impressed by how many guys contacted me asking me if I was doing bareback sex. Many gay guys in NYC are on PrEP and they think they are invincible because of that. They will gladly fuck bare, participate in bare orgies etc. But guys, there are other STDs and PrEP doesn’t prevent 100% of HIV transmissions! I think we need to be careful even though this new prevention therapy is fantastic.
Are you on PrEP? What are your thoughts on this?
Read more on the subject here !
Dave
PREP REGIMENT EATS AWAY AT YOUR LIVER, JUST LIKE HOW SYPHILIS WILL EAT AWAY AT YOUR BRAIN. THIS IS LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR A DRUG-RESISTANT SUPER-VIRUS.
IN 20 YEARS WE WILL HAVE GAY MEN WALKING AROUND INSANE, BLIND, DEAF, AND WITH CIRRHOSIS OF THE LIVER… SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO… NOT!!!
ALSO, A POLITICIAN NAMED SCOTT WIENER IN THE GAY CAPITAL OF THE U.S. (SAN FRANCISCO), REVEALED THAT HE WAS ON PREP REGIMENT. HEARINGS ARE TAKING PLACE IN SAN FRANCISCO TO IMPLEMENT A PREP REGIMENT SUBSIDY PROGRAM REGARDLESS OF INCOME.
http://nytimes.com/2014/09/18/upshot/san-francisco-politician-says-hes-on-pill-to-prevent-hiv.html?_r=0&referrer=
Completely agree. I’ve had guys contact me repeatedly despite being poz and have them ask for “my poz load” despite being negative. There are strains that prep isn’t effevtive against and worry about the risks guys are exposing themselves to (Hep, Herpes, Syphilis). I already don’t think guys admit to barebacking as much as they really do to hookups/sex partners and don’t get tested as often as they should if they do fuck bb. I’m
Worried about how things will look in a few years with this craze.
Hey, what’s with the dig on Montreal??? 🙂
DKLA : what u mean?
like anonymous said, truvada can cause liver problems. from their website: “Serious liver problems. Your liver may become large and tender, and you may develop fat in your liver. Symptoms of liver problems include your skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow, dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored stools, loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, and/or stomach-area pain.
You may be more likely to get lactic acidosis or serious liver problems if you are female, very overweight (obese), or have been taking TRUVADA for a long time. In some cases, these serious conditions have led to death. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any symptoms of these conditions.”
to make matters worse, our community drinks alcohol at a higher rate than the straight community
Always use protection,,,NO Matter what.
I’m in the process of getting it. Since it’s still in the trial phase, you have to jump through hoops to get it and be constantly monitored while on it. It’s not 100%, but a 90%+ success rate makes it well worth it. I’d only top bare while on it; never bottom (which I rarely do anyway).
P.S.
Why is this article filed under “Gay Stuff”? That just furthers the stereotype that HIV is a gay disease.
I’m on PrEP, and despite the fact that I think it’s a smart choice for me, I’m still finding that there are a lot of men who get on it, and seem to quit thinking about their sexual choices.
I will admit I’m having a *little* more bareback sex than I was before. But, primarily, I’m feeling a lot more comfortable with the guys that I already trusted, and had a clear line of communication with.
This is the first I’ve heard of Prep. What is it and what does it do?
I’d like to be, but I don’t think Tricare will cover it (government employee insurance coverage)
Dave, can you provide a source for your statement that “most of the gay guys in NYC are on PreP”?
And Hysterical-ANONYMOUS-Writing-In-ALL-CAPS, can you provide a source for your statement that “PreP regiment eats away at your liver”?
There is plenty of excellent-quality information on the subject of PreP. Instead of yelling untruths in this blog, why not read up on it and actually inform yourself and your fellow Adam members? A good place to start is
http://positivelyaware.com/2013/13-05
wasn’t it just a few months ago you, i think the same person, wrote that you prefer bareback? hmmm
sjohnson : I fucked bareback 4 times in my entire life. Even with my ex, we were having sex with condom.
The CDC recommends continuing to use condoms for best results. PReP drugs cost around $1800 a month. Why add an expensive drug to a proven system? Can you say “rinse, lather, repeat”? The only party making out good here are the already too wealthy drug companies.
I have been very sexually active for 30 + years and still negative. I will not forgo condoms and will NOT be on PreP.
I tend to get side effects, especially hepatic (liver) oriented side effects readily. I will not risk my health in the name of maintaining my health.
FINALLY…someone in the gay world WAKES UP to the FACTS. What does Truvada® PrEP do? First, is is INTENDED for MONOGAMOUS COUPLES, where ONE partner is poz…PERIOD. It’s ONLY decreases your chances of being infected by BB bottoming by 51%…that’s it….51%. The real danger that none of these idiots realize is that getting constantly REINFECTED by different strains of the virus leads to eventual ARC, and even full-blown AIDS. Figures the wackos in NYC would think “OH BOY! It’s a VACCINE!” Noooo, it’s a way for Gilead Pharmaceuticals to “repurpose” a soon-to-be-obsolete HIV control drug…and THAT’S IT! If you’re on PrEP and hitting the tubs every weekend, guess what…you’ve only decreased your chances of getting pozzed by 51%….THAT is per Gilead’s OWN FIGURES. SUCKERRRRRRRRRRRRRRS. My qualifications? I’ve been with men since I was 13, both top and bottom and am STILL neg. Why? Because I knew in 1979, when people started dying in NYC, that BEHAVIOR DRIVES OUTCOMES.
Oh…by the way, boys…into rimming? Guess what…30% chance that you ALSO have HCV…HepC. Have HepC and take Truvada® for PrEP? Guess what…you WILL die from liver cancer, or at least Stage 4 cirrhosis. KNOWLEDGE IS POWER.
You can always get off prep if you have side effects! If you become poz…there is no going off the drugs!
I simply don’t trust it. Many of us are ready to run to new drugs to help us with everything. But whose’s to say it doesn’t cause more hurt then harm. Not that I don’t want to feel safer, but I honestly can’t say that Truvada is better then educating oneself and really not following every urge. A drug is not always the answer…
Stupid stupid stupid … did I say STUPID? These guys get all trendy and think this is cool…just dumb shits like everything else they do on a daily routine. GET REAL guys… its not a cure and you can still contract the virus…so whats the point again? other than being cool and trendy? dumb shits unite
I have been running into the same thing and these idiots who don’t get that it WILL create a new strain of HIV. PReP hasn’t even had long term testing. If a guy says he uses it I ask if hes being safe or not and 4 now are all going bare with “HIV undetectable” guys. They need to pull it off the shelves, to many guys are abusing it and putting us ALL at risk.
Btw I teach science and have been considering taking PReP myself, but still not sure.
I have read the peer-reviewed published studies. The Centers for Disease Control now recommend PrEP for at risk MSM, defined as four or more sex partners over six months. People are having a lot of unsafe sex, but it’s often with HIV positive guys, possibly newly infected with high viral load, who don’t know they’re positive yet. Thus, the stubbornly high infection rate.
In the study cited for 51% reduction, compliance was a big problem. Many participants had no Truvada in their blood even though they said they were taking it for the study. When researchers looked into the correlation of effectiveness with drug level in the blood, they found that four doses a week results in 90-99% effectiveness. NO participant with the levels you get from rigid seven-days-a-week pill-taking got HIV.
I’m on PrEP. HIV is no longer a terrifying prospect. I used to not get semen in my mouth unless I knew somebody really well, and I never tasted cum of one bf who didn’t want to get tested before there were treatments. Now I’m not so worried.
Many people who have read the studies believe PrEP is over 99% effective. It will come off patent and a generic facility is already FDA approved for non-US sales. There will also be other, probably better PrEP regimens in coming years.
Since there may be a preventive cure for HIV in a few years, I’m perfectly willing to add a drug layer of protection for a while. I almost always use condoms and am a top.
Human sexual behavior is complicated, and people keep getting infected. PrEP is a tool to stop the spread.
Some of you have it partially right, that this drug has lots of ‘side effects’ (they are actually EFFECTS of the drug, not ‘side’ effects). And who in their right fucking mind would want to go on this drug if they are perfectly healthy? The more important thing that no on is talking about is, how many people here really know what HIV actually is? I mean, we think we know, but do we really? And what really is the HIV test, and what does it actually test for? Are there any other conditions which would make someone test positive on the HIV test? What was really responsible for killing most if not all of the guys back in the late ’80’s and early ’90’s? Was it really “HIV” alone, or could it have been the drug regimens they were on (highly toxic AZT) in combination with their highly destructive lifestyles? Ask yourselves some questions guys, and stop buying into all the crap the pharmaceutical companies want you to believe. They want you on this drug because they need more repeat customers. Period. They have played the gay community like a fiddle for years, and it’s time for it to stop.
All HIV medicines and most others have side effects even if your body gets used to it. HIV is like a flu in manx regions. HIV is so political and now people are going to be on a mass suicide by 10 to 20 years. For what?
Best advice, if you have bare sex have it monogamously with a willing fun partner only. If you are not willing people, put your pants on and jerk off or get a dildo. Other diseases are far worst that HIV (flu).
Funny how anonymous states that PrEP eats away at your liver where is that information from a credible source, since someone posting anonymously is not really all that credible to me. I have seen many users on it post online that they are having no side effects.
As for those who are engaging in risk behavior I don’t think you should jump to conclusion that it is PrEP they may have been barebacking before going on it. And people you meet on hookup apps tend to be more promiscuous since they are often looking for sex hookups and not anything serious.
To me PrEP offers an additional bit of protection against HIV and that is better than nothing and condoms are not 100% effective either.
MistrFistr- the CDC and WHO did not recommend PrEP for just monogamous couples so you are flat our wrong. And anyone going on PrEP knows it is not protection again other STD’s, that is not something new.
Eric- The Truvada® for PrEP Medication Assistance Program assists eligible HIV-negative adults in the United States who do not have insurance obtain access to Truvada (emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate) for PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis). To find out if you are eligible for this medication assistance program, call 1-855-330-5479, Monday through Friday between 9:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. (Eastern). – See more at: http://gilead.com/responsibility/us-patient-access/truvada%20for%20prep%20medication%20assistance%20program#sthash.CCGbvihm.dpuf
We don’t think about the consequences. Diseases doesn’t discriminate. Even if u were straight or gay.
Don’t trust it, won’t take it, refuse to be with a guy who trots out the line “I’m on PrEP, so we can fuck bare.” He’ll be lucky to get out of my place without my foot going up his ass as I’m kicking him out.
The “cure” is NOT better than the disease. EVER.
I wrote a post here describing the peer-reviewed studies indication PrEP was 99%+ effective if there was compliance and Truvada in the blood samples. It has been deleted. Do some parts of the “community” want to keep up HIV infections because of the money they get if they persists?
I’m on PrEP. For some of us it makes sense.
I am a top, I often fuck bare, and I fuck a lot of different guys. Nearly all of them are regular fuck buds, and all of them know I’m fucking other guys, who also fuck other guys. If I get HIV, its a good bet I’ll give it to 10 other guys before I know it. Anything that reduces that odd is a good thing.
The latest study compared risk reduction to how often men take their pills. Taking it every day showed a 100% reduction. Not proof of no possibility of infection, but it’s very, very good at that. Then, only about 5% of men took it daily, so real effectiveness will depend on men actually taking it.
I’m barebacking with or without PrEP. There’s no question that using condoms is safer, especially when talking about STI’s in general and not just HIV. But condomless sex with PrEP is unquestionalby safer for everyone than condomless sex without it.
Hi everyone.. I read everyones post..and almost every one had truth in there posts..since i recently became VERY SEXUALLY ACTIVE..I went online and investigated Truvada and was amazed how they said it was 90% effective used with condoms almost 100%..but you have to be on it for about a month before sexual exposure and continue always without missing your daily dose..but yes..there are many side effect..it also explains in detail how other STDs can render it useless..bringing your chances to contracting HIV back to the 50 % range..which is like flipping a coin…anyway. .is it worth it? For me ..NO..its too soon for me to put faith in such young data..Has anyone read on updates on how you can contract HIV? I hear alot of tales like for one..”cant get it by sucking cock..the enzymes in your mouth kill it”..BULLSHIT..if you have a small ulcer..or little cut..or any little open wound in your mouth. .you can get it..which you can have a little sore you cant feel from just eating a cracker or brushing your teeth. .READ UP FELLAS!! yea yea..try telling us men we cant suck cock anymore!!. .lol..but its all there on the Internet. .written in actual medical journals..back to Truvada..I read from a few years ago where they did studies and up to date..its everyones personal responsibility to investigate these analysis.. look it up guys please..just dont go by hear say and rumors.. I cant post the direct link but I googled HIV PREVENTION PILL and it came to Truvada and its early studies til today. .dont skim..llease read it thoroughly. .
Wow. Where do guys hou get your information? So what happens when you stop PrEP? Truvada ONLY intended for sero-discordant monongamous couples? NOT. Side effects? For all medications it comes down to benefit vs risk, regular doctors visits and monitoring. In the end, you have to ask what you willing to risk, live with the consequences, and quit acting like a dumbass victim.
Prep=whore fest. No thanks, I will protect myself the old fashioned way, with a condom.
Wow. There’s a lot of comments here by people who are incredibly misinformed about PrEP. Y’all should read up on the actual science of it all, rather than relying on half-truth gossip.
Truvada does not eat away at the liver. Like any drug, even paracetamol and ibuprofen, there are potential side effects. Truvada is VERY well tolerated and has a proven track record as it has been part of anti-retroviral regimens for over a decade. Whilst on PrEP, kidney and liver functions are monitored every three months – in rare circumstances they are affected and the patient has the choice to stop taking Truvada – any chages are reversible. Acquiring HIV is not reversible.
In the studies done so far, no-one has acquired HIV whilst adhering properly to the medication regime. Not sure where the 51% figure MistrFistr has come from – he’s misinformed.
PrEP is NOT intended solely for sero-discordant couples in a monogamous relationship. Period. It is intended for anyone who would like to protect themselves against acquiring HIV. It is NOT promoted as an alternative to condoms. Condoms are not 100% effective – they are safer sex, not safe sex…combining PrEP with condoms makes it much, much safer. And yes, if you’re barebacking and are neg, you may want to look into PrEP if you’re concerned about seroconversion as it will be hugely beneficial.
PrEP is not for everyone – if you’re comfortable with your safer sex regime as it is and are therefore not concerned about HIV, then PrEP probably isn’t for you.
Yes, knowledge is power…but if you don’t have the accurate, scientific information, then you are powerless. If you would like more information on PrEP, provided in a non-judgmental, non-hysterical manner, with lots of referrals to actual scientific reports, then this facebook group is totally awesome: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PrEPFacts/?fref=ts
Well good luck boyz, you are the guinny pigs of today. Who knows about the drug and it’s effects on the body when taken in long term. Nothing is the silver bullet the drug manufactuters proclaim it to be. I wish you all the best!
I am surprised to see mention that the guys in Montreal are boring. I feel like Charlotte has the most BORING guys.
No wonder we are all confused! I’m on PrEP and its not like Im barebacking all of LA. But I certainly trust Truvada more than condoms when it comes to HIV. My liver is closely monitored by my dr and Im regulary tested for HIV/STI’s, probably more so than others who aren’t on PrEP. Some of the facts above are older facts and not correct. Here is a great article for your entertainment. Also my insurance covers most of my cost but there are a lot of studies for those that aren’t and they cover the cost. Gilead also has programs to help out.
BTW this is what the CDC says about condoms;
“Amongst all men having anal sex, men who said they used condoms 100% of the time were 70% less likely to acquire HIV than men who never used condoms.
http://www.aidsmap.com/Consistent-condom-use-in-anal-sex-stops-70-of-HIV-infections-study-finds/page/2586976/
http://southfloridagaynews.com/Columns/truvada-whore-the-war-escalates-with-ahf-s-anti-prep-campaign.html
Very sad, people is so ignorant. It all comes down to education on hiv and std transmission. Plus the side effects of taking any medications can be just as bad as the disease itself.
I’m on PrEP, and I have not mutated into a strange creature. https://www.facebook.com/groups/LoadsToTalkAbout/
The above link is for a closed group. My bad. Here’s a better link – https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/truvadawhore
I started prep last week, im in ny, I haven’t have sex yet. I don’t know yet what Im going to do. I plan to use condoms but want to try bb too. So I guess i’ll go with the flow. I just hope itll give me more confidence and less stress.
The cost is around $1100/ month paid by the insurance. I don’t know all long the y will accept to pay a medicine higher than what I pay.
Seriously. If someone chooses to be on Prep and engage in bareback sex that is their right, as long as they are open and honest with their partner there reallyisnt a problem. I find it deeply disturbing that gay men find it okay to judge other men for what is done in their personal sex lives. People who engage in this type of social bothering are no better than those stupid conservatives that homosexuals sinners. Seriously if you don’t like it don’t do it. Don’t put others down for their personal (and perfectly legal)choices.
Much of the debate around PrEP focuses on fear of side effects. Linked below is the Adverse Effects table from the iPrEx study. You will note that for almost all of the reported problems, an equivalent or greater number of people in the placebo arm noted the same issue.
http://www.nejm.org/action/showImage…
PrEP detractors overstate potential for toxicity. The adverse effects of Truvada are fairly benign. Other drugs in common use have a longer, more serious list of potential problems, yet people are very comfortable with them.
A single excessive dose of acetaminophen (Tylenol) can result in hepatotoxicity. About 50% of cases of acute liver failure in the US result from inadvertent overdosage. It also can cause a potentially fatal dermatologic reaction. Among the bad reactions to sildenafil citrate (Viagra) are heart attacks, and sudden loss of vision or sudden loss of hearing (I know someone who had that happen).
Compared against the side effect profile of Truvada, those medication can be much more harmful.
We’ve got ten years of real world experience with Truvada, plus one to three years more for its ingredients. In addition there were the pre-licensing clinical trial for both drugs. Truvada, or combination pills containing its components, are the most common first line treatments for HIV Positive people. The reason they ARE the most common is because of good tolerance, and the low side effect profile.
For those of you who feel the need to point out that PrEP is not 100% effective, I have to ask “What Is?” NOTHING is 100% effective. According to the CDC, condoms are only 70% effective at stopping HIV infections. And only 1 in 6 gay men reported 100% over the 3 to 4 year follow-up.
Plus PrEP has something condoms don’t. Forgiveness. If you miss a dose or two of Truvada, you are still protected and HIV. At the AIDS 2014 conference, data from the iPrEx OLE extension to the study showed ZERO people caught HIV, if they had taken at least four PrEP doses a week. Whereas with a condom, having used one yesterday provides no protection if you don’t use one today.
Why is it so difficult to accept the FACT that we have more SCREWdrivers in our HIV prevention toolbox now? PrEP, PEP (especially good for you condom only guys who have a slip up), frequent testing, the protection provided by an undetectable viral load (look up TasP & the Partner study), and seroadaptaive behaviours are all choices. Yes and even condoms too. None of them are either/or options. Any of them can be combined for an even greater protective benefit than just condoms alone.
Here’s the link to the report on the CDC study that noted 70% condom effectiveness.
http://www.aidsmap.com/Consistent-condom-use-in-anal-sex-stops-70-of-HIV-infections-study-finds/page/2586976/
There is some correct information here and a lot of misinformation. Try having a conversation with your doctor. No matter what your on, use a condom.
UGH… THIS COMMENT SECTION JUST TURNED INTO ONE BIG ADVERTISEMENT. MAYBE SOME OF THESE COMMENTERS CAN GET ON THE GILEAD PAYROLL (IF THEY’RE NOT ALREADY).
I find the lack of understanding surprising. Even in the medical community, there are a lot of people who don’t know much, if anything about it. I find myself having to teach my doctors about my meds anytime I see someone new.
The numbers out there stating something like “50% reduction” are meaningless, when you think about it. You really have to dig deeper to see the reality. That number lumps together people who used PrEP with people who didn’t.
Everyone in the study was given PrEP, or a placebo, and then told they need to use a condom every time they have sex. So the study actually looked at the effectiveness of daily PrEP + condoms vs just condoms. No one in the prevention community is looking at this study and saying “well, condoms alone double the risk of infection compared to condoms with PrEP.” They make the natural assumption that people weren’t actually using the condoms, and let that strategy off the hook.
What we really need to think about is how effective strategies are in the real world. Condoms work. They’ve brought new infections down to about half what they were at the peak. That’s not really an amazing outcome. If the answer to the epidemic were condoms, the disease would have stopped passing to new people decades ago. It hasn’t, so clearly we need to figure out new ways to stop the virus that men are actually going to use.
Men are just as bad about sticking to PrEP as they are about using condoms. It’s a step, but probably not a huge one, until we get a long lasting medicine, like an every three month shot or an implantable delivery – somthing guys can’t forget to take.
I started PrEP today, after considering it for months, consulting researchers, practitioners, and doctors, as well as researching it myself. The 99% efficacy is speculative. Other than that, the science is solid. If you have competing science, show me your methodology. 🙂
Bareback?! Have all of you lost your fucking minds? I came out in the 2nd generation of AIDS, mid to late 80s. Fish bowls of condoms and lube on the bars, info about prevention EVERYWHERE. WTF IS WRONG WITH YOU ASSHATS?!
I heard about Prep from my friends in L.A. and NYC. I really don’t know why we idolize these “hot” gay guys in these different cities since clearly they’re a bunch of unintelligent, whorish lunatics who have no personal responsibility.
HIV is managed through a combination of only about 12-14 drugs which do basically the same thing. Doctors prescribe a regiment of 4 of those drugs, but the virus can mutate, thereby nullifying that regiment. Some strands don’t respond to some of those drugs so you’re basically just ex-ing out each drug anytime you come in contact with a new strand or mutated strand.
I just hate how stupid we are. “oh my god a drug that helps prevent HIV…that means I can bareback my way through NYC so I can fuck a bunch of ‘hot’ guys!” What the fuck is wrong with us?
I’ve been single for 10 years and haven’t really hooked up at all in the last 6 years because (1) the person who gave me HIV didn’t bother to tell me he even had it and (2) no matter how much you try to educate gay people in any area, from Texas to California to Canada to New York City…no one listens. Then when they get HIV or some other STD or Lord have mercy, a combination of STDs…they act all shocked and surprised.
Finding a guy who is educated, intelligent and able to be responsible in a relationship in the gay world is like looking for a Unicorn wandering through the middle of the city. Idiots.
Thank you Dan, Ben, and PozSince1985.
Relatively few doctors treat people with HIV/AIDS. As such, most doctors are not familiar with HIV medications and patient management and treatment strategies. I attended a conference earlier this year during which a PrEP presentation was given to variety of care providers…all research…NO guidelines were presented on how care providers were to counsel patients regarding PrEP. Not one of the 300+ attendees asked a question after presentation was over. As for your well informed doctor, there you go.
I’ve been doing lots of research on PrEP, have read the scientific studies and the CDC guidelines (along w/ lots of discussions in LGBT publications and elsewhere), and have talked to my physician about possibly starting PrEP myself. The level of hysteria here is pretty alarming! So much misinformation!!! No, PrEP is not bullet proof. But it certainly is one of several tools that people might want to consider using. Side effects? Yes, there are many listed, BUT the drug is VERY well tolerated in most people who take it (the most alarming, damaging side effects are very rare, and people on PrEP are monitored so that if there are dangerous side effects, treatment can be stopped). Not 100% effective? Well, nothing is. The biggest piece of the effectiveness puzzle, as others have mentioned, is whether you actually TAKE the drug or not. High levels of compliance (in other words, taking the drug every day) = VERY VERY effective in all of the studies so far. Of course, low levels of compliance mean that it’s not nearly as effective. We know that’s true with other HIV-prevention tools too … for example, if you don’t ALWAYS use condoms, effectiveness goes down (and one of the things we know is that most people AREN’T all that consistently using condoms every single time). No info about longterm effects? Again, untrue … people with HIV have been using these drugs for many years, and again they are extremely well tolerated in the majority of patients.
I plan to start PrEP later this month, and am thankful that I have another tool that might help me stay HIV- … I’m ready for the judgment I know I’ll encounter from some members of my “community,” but am disheartened that we can’t treat each other better. And no, I don’t work for Gilead.
I like my hookup to be athletic, sporty and hot … you’re hardly alone on that count Mr. Dave!!!
If you don’t respect yourself enough to wear a condom, than you have more issues to think about than taking a pill to help the other issues going on.
Yes, in the original study none of the people that took truvada consistently acquired hiv. There are two problems with this: (a) these people comprised a small proportion of the overall study population, and (b) we don’t know whether these people who were taking truvada consistently were engaging in bareback sex with partners who were known to be hiv-positive. It could be that these people had bareback sex mostly with guys who were negative and that’s why they didn’t get infected. A true test of truvada’s efficacy would be to round up at least several hundred hiv-negative guys, make sure they all take the drug consistently, make them have bareback sex with guys who are hiv-positive, and then see whether they seroconvert or not. But of course you cannot do such a study because it is unethical. And even if you could, you’d have to evaluate the effect of topping versus bottoming bareback, the viral loads of the hiv-positive partners, and the number of times bareback sex occurred.
The 99% efficacy is most likely over-optimistic.
Aaron: More than likely the guy who gave you HIV didn’t know he had it. Over 83% of new infections are caught from people who do not know they are Poz.
About 54% are from guys who caught it a few weeks ago, and can’t even test Poz yet. Their viral load is in the one to ten million range. They are the most likely to be seeking bareback sex with other “Clean” guys. That’s how they caught it in the first place.
Another 30% of infections come from people who have been Poz for much longer, but don’t know it because they haven’t been tested in a while. These guys generally have a viral load in the 30,000 to 120,000 range.
Compare those numbers to a guy with an undetectable viral load. Undetectable means below the threshold the test can measure. In North America that’s below 40. Studies showed that no transmissions occurred with a viral load below 1,500. Look at the results from the Partner study, and HPTN 052. UNAIDS and the World Health Organization consider Treatment as Prevention (TasP) their best tool to halt the growth of HIV. The guys on treatment ARE NOT spreading the bug.
Over 50% of guys who have EVER been tested, haven’t re-checked their status in over a year. Another 20% have NEVER been tested. With guys under 25, 40% have NEVER checked their HIV status. Do you think those numbers are low? Even fewer men of all ages get checked for other STIs. Get tested frequently!
HIV is spread by guys who think they’re “Clean,” but aren’t quite as “D Free” as they thought. Estimates are that 20% of men who are Poz don’t know it. Think about it — that 20% is responsible for 83% of new infections! Stick 40 gay men in a room, and at least one of them will be Poz and not know it.
That huge hidden population of very infectious men is why guys choose to go on PrEP. For many, they prefer the added security of PrEP plus condoms. And for the guys who weren’t using condoms before PrEP, they now have something that provides as good protection as a condom, if not better!
PrEP is not just a pill. It’s a program. Guys on PrEP are required to get tested for HIV and other STIs every three months. Just on the testing protocol alone, people on PrEP are being more responsible than most of you. When was the last time you were tested?
All this moralizing, denial of science, conspiracy theories, and complaining about the capitalism on which your country was founded, doesn’t stop the spread of HIV. PrEP & TasP do!
There’s one side effect of PrEP nobody has mentioned. Peace of mind! For many, it is the first time in their lives they can have sex without being afraid.
DO NOT SLUT SHAME TRUVADA/PREP.
truvada which contains Tenofovir/emtricitabine medicines is a part of hiv medication along with other medicines. as a hiv- person, you have the option to start or stop taking truvada if you have any side effects. but if you become hiv+, you wont be having this option. whether ur liver/kidney fucks up, you will still continue taking Tenofovir/emtricitabine medicines for life.
so its better to take truvada as prep, rather than become + and take the same medicines for life. there are some people who are against prep because of jealousy. these people are either hiv+ or cant afford prep.
who cares about side effects? people drink alcohol. do drugs, smoke pot, inhale carbon monoxide while stuck in freeways. so dont intimidate people by saying truvada has serious side effects.
I’m disheartened at the amount of people who jump to conclusions and perpetuate the internal hate against those with HIV. Many many many people commenting here need to educate themselves about the medication, HIV, current treatment regimens, and the true risks.
Every drug has possible side effects. But we need to do what we can to reduce the spread of HIV. But perpetuating hate speak about it only pushes people to hide their status. Instead we should speak freely and educated about it.
well, if you’re dumbass is tkaing prep and still end up with hiv/aids…then all of this nonsense will be the last thing on your mind b/c you have completely ruled out an entire class of drugs used for treating people that are actually infected. Perhaps the wiser choice is to skip the pills, and use your fucking brain.
Come one Come all!! See the amazing EBOLA VIRUS!!! Now live in TX. Come to Dallas and see a man fight for his life!! With a mortality rate of more than 50% come see the virus now hailed as Super Aids!! Don’t forget the hospital gift shop where there is sure to be chills and thrills for the kiddies!!! Meet the CDC and see what it’s like to be detained and quarantined!!
Too bad HIV/AIDs isn’t this deadly.. Maybe it people would take it serious if it was!! It is good however that when planetary colonization starts all of these bio-hazards will be left behind… Especially if you happen to be one of them. But hey at least you still have earth.
Truvada seems to be doing well with some people. I think one of the concerns regarding Truvada is the potential partners viral load. The medicine works best if the HIV+ partner has a very low viral load (undetectable being the ideal situation). The higher it is, the less likely the medicine will work. So the medicine is not always 100% effective. Plus, as aforementioned above, there are two different types of the HIV virus. The Most common form of the virus is what the medication safeguards against (albeit depending on circumstance). Also, the medication must be TAKEN FAITHFULLY so COMPLIANCE is a big issue as well. AND FYI: the Truvada website even advocates to always use a condom.
Now knowing some of the draw backs to the medication, including the potential side effects, is the medication worth it? I would say it depends on your lifestyle. Are you a person who has a very active sex life with multiple partners? Is your partner HIV positive? Im pretty sure there are other questions, but if you do have additional ones, contact your MD and see if the medication is right for you. Because the more you know…right? 🙂
P.S
I would also like to say that Condoms are ALWAYS a good idea because they also protect against other STD’s. Such include: Chlamydia, Syphilis, Genital Herpes, and Gonorrhea to name a few. As important that HIV awareness is among our gay community, let us not get tunnel vision and forget about the other possible diseases.
I live in a small, rural area. NO Doctor in this area has even heard of pRep. I have asked many friends in the area who are on it and they all go to big cities like D.C. to get theirs.
Seems in my area there are NO doctors who are specifically educated in the health of gay men.
When I came out to my latest doctor, his reply was: Well, if that is what you choose to be, then ok”.
CHOOSE TO BE?? Great, my new doctor is stuck in the 1950’s.