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&lt;h1&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #cc99ff;&quot;&gt;How to Take PrEP: 2 Effective Methods for Using PrEP&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h1&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Some people may have heard that HIV PrEP is a daily medication to help prevent HIV. However, that&amp;rsquo;s not entirely accurate. PrEP offers multiple dosing options that allow for effective HIV prevention without requiring daily use. You can stay protected without daily dosing. How you take PrEP depends on:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;How far in advance you plan to have sex&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;How regularly you engage in sex&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The frequency of sex does not impact the dosing method. This article will help you better understand each dosing option, so you can discuss with your doctor which option is right for you.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #cc99ff;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What are the Dosing Options for Taking PrEP for HIV Prevention?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;p&gt;There are currently four recommended PrEP dosage options. PrEP is not a one-size-fits-all solution for HIV prevention, so it&amp;rsquo;s important to do some research and discuss your needs with your doctor. Medical providers can help suggest the best option for your situation. When taken correctly, PrEP can be a powerful tool, offering up to 99% protection against HIV. Your options for PrEP dosing are:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #cc99ff;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Daily PrEP&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt; - Taking PrEP once daily (The recommended routine for everyone and every pills)&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #cc99ff;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;On-demand PrEP&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt; - Taking PrEP as needed following 2-1-1 routine before and after sex&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
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&lt;h2&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #cc99ff;&quot;&gt;Daily PrEP: Take a Pill Once Daily for HIV Prevention&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The lead-in time for daily PrEP is 7 days, making it suitable for both anal and vaginal or frontal sex. Taking daily PrEP at the same time each day can help it become part of your routine, but a few hours early or late won&amp;rsquo;t affect its effectiveness. To help remember, you could keep your PrEP next to your toothbrush and take it each morning after brushing. Small habits like this can make it easier to stay consistent. You can take PrEP with or without food, at any time of day.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #cc99ff;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What Happened if I Forgot to Take PrEP?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p&gt;One advantage of daily PrEP is that you can occasionally miss a dose and still maintain effective protection.&amp;nbsp; Missed a dose? Don&amp;rsquo;t worry! If you forget to take your PrEP pill, just take it as soon as you remember.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;For example, if you typically take your pill in the morning but realize you missed it at 10 p.m., it&amp;rsquo;s okay to take it at night. Then, continue with your regular morning schedule the following day. PrEP will remain effective if you missed a dose. However, you shouldn&#39;t miss too many dose as it could&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
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&lt;h2&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #cc99ff;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;On-demand PrEP: Take PrEP As Needed Before and After Sex&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;p&gt;You may not be having enough sex to need to take PrEP daily. The good news is, according to the IPERGAY study, there is an on-demand option for PrEP that is as effective as daily PrEP!&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;This dosing option is only suitable for anal sex and should not be used for vaginal or frontal sex. If you&amp;rsquo;re using the On-Demand method, it&amp;rsquo;s essential not to miss any doses. On-Demand dosing is as effective as daily PrEP for preventing HIV during anal sex. If you expect to have condomless sex within the next 24 hours:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Take 2 pills 2&amp;ndash;24 hours before sex&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Take 1 pill 24 hours later&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Take another pill 24 hours after that&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;If you&#39;re engaging in sex over an extended period, such as a weekend, continue taking 1 pill every 24 hours until you&amp;rsquo;ve had two consecutive sex-free days. This option is not recommended if you have active hepatitis B, as the medications in PrEP can suppress the hepatitis B virus. Starting and stopping PrEP can lead to viral flare-ups and liver inflammation.&lt;/p&gt;
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&lt;h2&gt;&lt;strong style=&quot;color: #cc99ff;&quot;&gt;Can I Switch Between Dosing Options?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
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&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Guidelines for taking PrEP may vary slightly for anal and vaginal (or frontal) sex. For trans people on hormone therapy, daily PrEP is recommended, as there isn&#39;t enough data to support other dosing methods. These dosing options need further study to confirm that PrEP remains effective when not taken daily. This means not all PrEP options are recommended for non-daily dosing.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;You can change your PrEP dosing method to suit your needs as they change, but here is what you should know about PrEP dosing options:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #cc99ff;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;On-Demand&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&amp;nbsp;methods work &lt;span style=&quot;text-decoration: underline;&quot;&gt;only for anal sex&lt;/span&gt;. Reccomended only for Truvada and its generic versions. You should not use on-demand PrEP if you&#39;re currently taking Descovy.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #cc99ff;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Daily PrEP&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&amp;nbsp;is suitable for both anal and vaginal or frontal sex. This routine is safe for everyone and is effective for both Truvada and Descovy.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;For vaginal or frontal sex, a minimum of 6 pills per week is needed for adequate protection.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;With vaginal sex, the medication takes longer to become effective.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #cc99ff;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Do I Have to Keep Taking PrEP Forever?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;p&gt;PrEP is an &lt;strong&gt;opt-in&lt;/strong&gt; treatment. So it&amp;rsquo;s not something you have to take forever. You can stop and restart whenever you wanted to. Be patient with yourself and try to remember to take your pill daily. Your peace of mind and relief from the stress and anxiety of staying HIV negative are just as important. It&amp;rsquo;s not just about sex; it&amp;rsquo;s also about your mental and emotional well-being.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #cc99ff;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What Should I Do If I Decide to Stop Taking PrEP?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p&gt;You might get into a committed closed-relationship where HIV prevention option like PrEP might not be as necessary. You might not be able to afford PrEP medications for the time being. You might have some health issues that you can no longer take PrEP. This happens all the time and you can decide to stop taking PrEP at any time! It&#39;s important to speak with your doctor or the clinic that prescribed your PrEP before making this decision.&lt;/p&gt;
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&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #cc99ff;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Steps to Take Before Stopping:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Continue taking PrEP for 1 month after your last potential exposure to HIV.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Get tested for HIV 4 weeks after stopping PrEP to ensure your health is protected.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #cc99ff;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Consult with Your Healthcare Provider:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Your doctor or our PrEP team can offer guidance and support when you decide to stop taking PrEP.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #cc99ff;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Are Condoms Still Necessary?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
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&lt;p&gt;PrEP can help prevent HIV, but it does not protect against other sexually transmitted infections such as syphilis, chlamydia, or gonorrhea, so condoms are still essential. Additionally, PrEP does not prevent pregnancy. While using PrEP, it&#39;s important to visit your doctor every 3 months for an HIV test and continued care.&lt;/p&gt;
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