A USER’S GUIDE TO
PrEP
PrEP
Enjoy sex with
one less worry.
PrEP can keep
you HIV-negative.
PrEP
Introducing PrEP
• PrEP is a safe, daily pill that greatly
reduces your risk of HIV infection.
• Your PrEP medication is called
Truvada®. Each pill contains two
drugs: 300 milligrams of tenofovir
(TDF) and 200 milligrams of
emtricitabine (FTC).
• PrEP can prevent HIV infection by
stopping the virus from spreading
in your body if you are exposed.
• PrEP only stops HIV if you have
enough medicine in your body, so
you need to take it every day.
PrEP = Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis
Prophylaxis = Prevention
1
Take PrEP every day
• Take PrEP every day.
• You can take PrEP any time during the day, with
or without food.
• PrEP works best if you take it at the same time
every day.
• Y ou may want to take PrEP before or after a daily
activity, like when you eat breakfast, or when you
brush your teeth before bed.
• T o help you remember, keep your pill bottle where
you will see it.
• Set daily reminders to take PrEP on your phone or
watch. Text MEDS to 877877 to receive texts that
remind you when to take your medication.
Store your pills at room temperature –
not in the refrigerator, and not someplace
warm.
1 2
If you forget to take your pill,
take it as soon as you remember
• If you usually take your pill in the morning, but realize
you forgot to take it that night, take it right away and
then take a pill the next morning as usual.
• If you realize you forgot to take a pill, just take one pill
and resume your normal schedule. Do not double the
dose to catch up.
• If you keep missing doses, ask your doctor or nurse
about ways to stay on track.
Keep a pill with you
Always carry a pill in a pill box or wrapped
in tinfoil. This way, if you miss your routine,
you will still have PrEP. Replace the pill every
few months so that you don’t use it past its
expiration date.
3
Know the side effects
• Most people on PrEP do not report any side effects. For
those who do, the most common side effects are nausea,
upset stomach, fatigue and headaches. These symptoms
often get better or go away within the first month of
taking PrEP.
• To prevent nausea, take PrEP with a snack or before bed
to make nausea less noticeable.
• To relieve nausea, try ginger candy or peppermint tea.
• For gas or bloating, try an over-the-counter gas reliever.
• If soft stools bother you, try a fiber supplement.
• Speak to your health care provider if side effects continue
to bother you.
• Your provider will monitor your lab results for other
PrEP-related side effects.
PrEP and Reproductive Health
• PrEP will not interfere with hormonal birth control,
including emergency contraception.
• PrEP may be an option if you are trying to get pregnant,
while you are pregnant or while breastfeeding. Ask your
doctor for more information.
• PrEP is safe to use during menopause.
4
See the doctor
• Visit your health care provider every three months for
refills and checkups, including HIV testing.
• Your provider will ask you:
• If side effects are bothering you
• Whether you are taking PrEP every day
• About your sex life, sexual health and risk for HIV
• Your provider will also test you for other sexually
transmitted infections (STIs) at a frequency that is
right for you.
• Tell your provider right away if you experience fevers,
swollen glands or a rash – these may be signs of an
early HIV infection.
PrEP is an effective
prevention option for
transgender women and
will not interfere with
hormone therapy.
Don’t stop and start
5
• If you want to stop taking PrEP for any reason, talk to
your health care provider.
• If you stopped PrEP and want to start again, first see
your health care provider and get an HIV test.
• Stopping and starting PrEP can be dangerous. If you
become HIV-positive and then start PrEP again, the HIV
in your body can become resistant to medication. This
may make it harder to treat HIV.
PrEP, condoms and your sexual health
• P
rEP helps you stay HIV-negative, even if
you do not always use condoms or other
barrier methods.
ondoms do protect against other STIs and
• C
pregnancy; PrEP does not. Condoms also
give you additional protection against HIV,
even when you are on PrEP. To stay healthy,
use condoms as much as possible, ideally
every time you have sex.
5
Five steps to PrEP
1. Take PrEP once a day.
2. If you forget, take it as soon as you remember.
3. Tell your doctor if side effects are bothering you.
4. Visit your doctor for refills and checkups every
three months.
5. D
on’t stop, restart or change how you take PrEP
without talking to your doctor.
Questions about PrEP?
For more information, visit [Link] and search for HIV PrEP.
Text adapted from SPARK, Hunter HIV/AIDS Research Team.
DIS293032E – 3.19