Taking PrEP

I want to talk to other PrEP users

In Aotearoa there are thousands of people who are currently taking PrEP to protect themselves from HIV. Connecting with other PrEPsters is a great way to discuss any questions you might have, or even to become a source of knowledge for people who are interested in getting started.

PrEPing NZ is New Zealand's biggest online community for PrEP users, so if you're looking to get connected, this is the best place to get started.

Other online groups include Australia's PAN (PrEPaccessNOW) and PrEP'd for Change.

I want to take a break

Everyone goes through different phases in their sex lives - sometimes you might be having sex with fifty people a month, and sometimes it could be zero. There might come a time when you realise you don't need to be taking PrEP at that particular moment. So how do you stop safely?

For cisgender men who have sex with men, PrEP can be safely discontinued by taking the tablets for two consecutive days (48 hours) after your last condomless sex – it doesn’t matter if you take it daily or on-demand (2-1-1).

If you are not a cisgender man who has sex with man, the current guidelines recommend to continue taking PrEP for 28 days since your last condomless sex before it can be discontinued. It is important to remember that you'll need to get an HIV test before you restart PrEP - even if you have pills remaining from the last time you refilled your prescription.

What if my partner isn't on PrEP?

A big part of owning your sexual health is making sure you make a choice about what prevention methods works best for you and your circumstances. If that choice is PrEP, that's your right - but it's important to remember that your partners will have made their own choices, and sometimes that'll be to use condoms.

If someone you're hooking up with wants to keep condoms in the mix, don’t try and talk them out of it. Your prevention method is for you only - they need to keep themselves safe and it's not fair to ask them to rely on someone else's PrEP regime. Your partners are entitled to their chosen prevention method and if you can’t meet in the middle, there are plenty more dicks and butts in the sea.

If you can't agree on a prevention method, you can still have some non-penetrative fun (oral sex and mutual masturbation are some good alternatives) – or you can both politely decline the encounter and go your separate ways. This might sound like a downer, but it can be done respectfully, and there's nothing wrong with deciding not to go through with things. It's more important for you and your partners to stay true to how you've decided to keep yourselves - and your other partners - safe.

Daily PrEP or PrEP 2-1-1?

There are currently two recommended ways of taking PrEP:

1) Daily PrEP

When taken on a daily basis, PrEP ensures there is enough anti-HIV medication in the body to significantly reduce the risk of becoming infected with HIV if exposed during condomless sex.

2) PrEP 2-1-1

Sometimes known as ‘event-driven PrEP’ or ‘on-demand PrEP’, this is a good option for those who are having infrequent sexual encounters or who only need to take PrEP for a short time.

Both ways are similarly effective, provided you stick to using them exactly as prescribed.

See the differences below.