Fertility/pregnancy

HOW to take PEP
PEP, Kaletra and contraception
The treatment consists of two tablets called Birth control pills or other hormone drugs (e.g. depot injection, patches etc) used to stop you becoming pregnant may not work effectively if you are taking ONE tablet ONCE a day, with food for 28 days In general, a barrier method of contraception should be used during the course of PEP and for THREE TWO tablets TWICE a day,with food for 28 days months after stopping therapy to protect your The tablets should be swallowed with water or some other non-alcoholic drink. You should Please tell your doctor if you are, or wish to become, avoid excessive consumption of alcohol during pregnant. Your doctor can advice you on the best Drug interactions
Tell your doctor and pharmacist about all prescribed drugs, non-prescribed drugs, illicit Write your questions or concerns down to
drugs (recreational), internet, and herbal or make sure they are addressed.
natural products you are taking. If you wish to start a new drug or natural product, please consult with your pharmacist before doing so. Do NOT take the following medications
with Kaletra:
The following pharmacist is available to answer Pharmacist:
Telephone: 0131 536 1606
Other things to consider
PEP will not reduce the risk of Hepatitis C transmission or other sexually transmitted unprotected sex instead of effective condom use or instead of safer injecting practices. What is PEP ?
Calculating the risks of HIV transmission

Possible risks of PEP
PEP is a 28 day course of drug treatment that can reduce the risk of becoming infected with the HIV All anti-HIV drugs can cause side effects, but most of virus after you have been exposed to it. The these side effects lessen with time. These include letters PEP stand for ‘post-exposure prophylaxis. intestinal gas (wind), diarrhoea or loose stools, nausea, vomiting, headache, weakness or tiredness (*including cofactors such as viral load, sexually transmitted The aim is to start PEP treatment within one hour of HIV exposure. The benefit generally reduces If you have been exposed to a strain of HIV that is after 12 hours, but in very high risk cases, there resistant to some anti-HIV drugs then it’s possible that Risk that source is HIV positive (%)
may be some benefit in starting PEP up to 72 Where to get PEP
If you are already HIV-positive, but don’t know it, there is a chance of developing drug resistance when you
During working hours, PEP can be obtained at the
take PEP if you don’t take your doses properly. This Chalmers Sexual Health Centre and out of hours could limit your treatment options in the future through A&E departments at the RIE and St Johns Access to PEP
What is an identified HIV transmission
PEP will not be provided to everybody who asks for it. Decisions are made on a case-by-case basis. They are likely to consider the following: • Is your calculated HIV transmission risk • someone from a country with a high HIV Was your partner known to be HIV-positive? Was your partner a gay man / bisexual man? Was your partner from a country with high Risk of HIV transmission per exposure (%)
• Did the kind of sex you had involve the other • Were you passive, receptive, the ‘bottom’, or • someone from a country with a high HIV were you active, insertive, the ‘top’? • Was the sex rough, causing internal trauma Would you be able to take PEP for 28 days? Would you be willing and able to return after • someone from a country with a high HIV

Source: http://www.lothiansexualhealth.scot.nhs.uk/STIHIV/HIV/PEP/Documents/PIL%20009%20PEP%20(SE)%20Information%20leaflet.pdf