PrEP ? So, are YOU using it or not ??

[Maxxy]

Not taking it yet, all my anal sex is done with condoms whether or not I top or bottom, I am planning at some stage to spend 3 to 6 months in Thailand and if that eventuates I would seek out the clinic that prescribes prep and would start using it under proper medical supervision. This would be as an extra level of protection in conjunction with the condoms. Oral is done bare so maybe the prep would be of benefit there too even though they say infection via oral is minimal I would like to make it even more minimal

[RonanTheBarbarian]

Interesting graph there colmx,

I didn't realise that the demographics of HIV were changing so much in Ireland.

I wonder what are the factors when you dig down. The majority of Latin Americans in Ireland are Brazilians, usually here for a short enough time.

Did they acquire HIV in Ireland, or did they get it elsewhere and it was only diagnosed here?

Given that the gay male Irish born population must be (at a conservative estimate) 60 times that of the gay male Brazilian population (and even that assumes that 10% of the Brazilians are gay compared to 4% of the Irish, which isn't likely, but you never know- going by the denizens of Dublin gay bars, there definitely seem to be a lot of Latin American gays)I would strongly suspect that they came to Ireland already infected.

As for PrEP, it sounds like a wonder drug, but it must be a powerful one - I wonder could there be undetected sde-effecst to taking it for years and years?

Still, if you feel that you might partake in unsafe sex in the immediate future, it is the better option than putting yourself of HIV, I suppose.

[Mickp]

Im surprised not to see any of the money boy profile's s on Pattaya GRomeo advertising they are on PrEPand can be barebacked!
Mind you it will eventually happen.
I guess its lack of money for the treatment

Being a bottom , I dont like the feeling of condoms,I may consider PrEP im still thinkiing about it at this stage.

[kittyboy]

I just got back from 4 weeks in Thailand. 2 weeks in BKK and 2 weeks in Pattaya.
I came of age during the AIDS epidemic and went to quite a few funerals. I was shocked at the attitude in BKK. I met 5-6 guys on Grindr and at 2 of them were insistent that I bareback them. They assured me they were on PREP and that there was no problem. I declined and one guy basically said..ok I will go back on Grindr and find someone to fuck me raw.

Another guy said condoms were optional. I think that attitude is crazy. PREP is about 92% effective when the drug regime is properly followed. Even with modern drug treatments 1/3 of all HIV infected people die of HIV related diseases...a very nasty way to die.

For me the risk is not worth it.
There are also other STDs. UGh..

[christianpfc]

No.

I think it's a scam. Why would I (or the public via health insurance, or whoever, someone has to pay for it) pay for something that has side effects, is not 100% safe, and prevents only one disease, whereas condoms are much cheaper, have no side effect, close to 100% safe, and prevent not just Aids, but various other STDs and pregnancies as well? And you only take it (condom) when you need it, and you use it only as long as you need it.

I think PrEP is wrong. It gives people the sense of security, where there is none. The effort of developing PrEP and advertising it is all misguided, that money should have gone into other research where it would be more effective.

(I have little knowledge about PrEP or medicine, but as a chemist I understand science, and you can bombard me with statistics that proof the opposite of what I claimed above, I will still not believe or take PrEP. - A comparison is a Thai boy who once wanted to borrow 5000 THB and explained a detailed scheme when and how he will pay back the money, all in vain, I didn't lent him any!)

[frequent]

I think it's a scam. Why would I (or the public via health insurance, or whoever, someone has to pay for it) pay for something that has side effects, is not 100% safe, and prevents only one disease ...

I think you'll find there's a large number of prescription-only drugs available publicly or via health insurance that meet those criteria

[justaguy]

I think you're referring to those who have HIV but as they're successfully on tablets etc they have now reached a point of having an "undetectable" viral load, this means the chances of them being able to pass on HIV is very low ( but not impossible), likewise however there could be people who have HIV and are taking their tablets who either haven't reached that undetectable point or due to ill health or their medication not working as it should their viral load (i.e the amount of HIV in their blood / body) has increased again and so one should never just assume that if someone is on their meds that they are risk free, there's a chance that certainly is the case but it should never been taken as read and of course condoms ( and PrEP if you chose to ?) should be used at all times anyway to ensure the maximum levels of protection.

The chance of a HIV positive person that has an undetectable viral load to infect another person is believed to be pretty small. I am somewhat surprised at the number of guys in Thailand that don't seem to be worried about this stuff to be pretty high. Last holiday I had sex with three other guys (apart from my boyfriend) and in all three cases the subject of using condoms has not entered into the conversation. They all let me fuck them without requesting me to use a condom..

In any case, I am HIV - but I know several people that are HIV +, these people are monitored in the western world at least, up to the point where in the early stages they return for cd4 tests every two to three months. The viral load becomes undetectable within about 5 to 6 months in most cases.

In any case, I do not believe that these pills contain the same stuff as HIV + people take, that to me does not make any sense, Atripla and Nevaparine, a popular HIV 'cocktail' works to rebuild CD4 levels (or maybe to reduce viral load achieving the effect of rebuilding CD4 levels) , effective making HIV undetectable, however I fail to see how it could prevent infection.

[christianpfc]

I think you'll find there's a large number of prescription-only drugs available publicly or via health insurance that meet those criteria

However for these drugs there is no alternative. My point is that there is an alternative to PrEP: the condom which is cheaper, safer, and protects against other diseases and pregnancy as well.

[justaguy]

However for these drugs there is no alternative. My point is that there is an alternative to PrEP: the condom which is cheaper, safer, and protects against other diseases and pregnancy as well.

Considering the target audience of this thread, pregnancy is one thing to not worry about

[goji]

If this prep stuff had zero side effects & looked safe long term, I could see the attraction.

Considering it does have side effects and there are questions about kidney damage, I think I'll carry on with condoms.