HIV testing

After you have finished your course of PEP, you are going to need to go for a series of tests to see if PEP has worked. Remember that PEP isn’t guaranteed to work, although it has a very high success rate for people who take it correctly. Your doctor, nurse or pharmacist will tell you how to do this.

You will need to wait until three months after you finish the course of medications until you can take your first test; you will then need to go back to your clinic three months after that for a second test.

STI testing

If you have been at risk from HIV, there is a chance you have been at risk of picking up other STIs as well. Many of these have no symptoms, so only way to know for sure if you have an STI or not is by having a sexual health check-up. You could ask the nurse to do this when you are having your HIV test.

Talking to someone

Both while you are taking PEP and for the six months afterwards while you are having tests, you may feel like you want to talk to someone. Health advisors at the clinic where you received PEP should be available to talk about any issues that might come up in this six month period after finishing the medication.

Alternatively, CHAPS partners organisations and many local gay men’s health projects offer counselling services you might like to use. Having support can make all the difference to you coping; even having a good friend to talk to can be a help.

Safer sex

During this time it is important that when you have sex you keep having safer sex, since it will be unclear as to whether HIV is still in your body or not. Until you are sure that HIV infection has not occurred (through having an HIV test) you could be risking passing HIV on to your partners if you have unprotected sex.