#AskTheHIVDoc: Starting and Stopping PrEP

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Dr. David reviews what to consider when starting and stopping PrEP.

The second installment of #AskTheHIVDoc, the popular Greater Than HIV Youtube series in which top HIV doctors answer your questions. This series is "All about PrEP". PrEP is for people who do not have HIV and want added protection. It is available by prescription as a daily pill or long acting injectable. When taken as prescribed, PrEP is highly effective in preventing HIV.

These videos are provided for educational purposes and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition.

TRANSCRIPT:
Dr. David: Once I start PrEP, does that mean I have to be on it for the rest of my life?
Got questions about PrEP? #AskTheHIVDoc has all the answers.
PrEP was not meant for something that you had to take for the rest of your life once you started. And there are situations where you can stop it and then start it again. There are some times when you’re very sexually active and then there’s some times when you’re not as sexually active. The key thing is that when you start to consider whether you want to start or stop PrEP have that conversation with your medical provider. Make sure you discuss with them what’s going on, what’s your concern with being at risk, what things you’re going to be doing, what other forms of HIV prevention you’re going to be using, and then move forward from there. So if you’ve stopped it you want to actually start to take it for about a week before you resume sexual activity to make sure that it’s at its most effective. So have the conversation with your provider and then make the decision from there.