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Enjoy sex with one less worry.
PrEP can keep you HIV-negative.

PrEP = Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis
Prophylaxis = Prevention

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  • PrEP is a safe, daily pill that greatly reduces your risk of HIV infection.

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  • PrEP can prevent HIV infection by stopping the virus from spreading in your body if you are exposed.

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  • PrEP only stops HIV if you have enough medicine in your body, so you need to take it every day.

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• Take PrEP every day.

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• You can take PrEP any time during the day, with or without food.

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• PrEP works best if you take it at the same time every day.

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  • You may want to take PrEP before or after a daily activity, like when you eat breakfast, or when you brush your teeth before bed.

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  • To help you remember, keep your pill bottle where you will see it.

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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.

If you forget to take your pill,

take it as soon as you remember

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• If you usually take your pill in the morning, but realize you forgot to take it within a few hours, take one immediately, then take a pill the next morning as usual.

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• 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.

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• If you keep missing doses, ask your doctor or nurse about ways to stay on track.

TIPS

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.

Store your pills at...

Store your pills at room temperature – not in the refrigerator, and not someplace warm.

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PrEP, condoms

and your sexual health

PrEP helps you stay HIV-negative, even if you do not always use condoms or other barrier methods.

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PrEP does not protect against other STIs and pregnancy. Condoms, however, do.  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.

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Don’t stop and start

• 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.

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• 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.

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steps to PrEP

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  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. Don’t stop, restart or change how you take PrEP without talking to your doctor.

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