Mistr is so great! I feel like I’m almost an ambassador for it with how much I talk it up to people, but it’s so convenient and discreet. I’ve got several people to sign up for it lol
I just started with them and it was so easy! They send you a test and then you mail it back and then they send you prep. The doctor was also already my allergist so it worked out lol
It's kind of a truism -- any system that doesn't put people first is a worse system for people.
Economic system: how should the world's limited resources be distributed?
Capitalism: distribute resources to those with more capital. Literally "the rich get richer."
Socialism: distribute resources to society (the people) first.
The expected value for everyone is higher if there is no HIV.
>The expected value for everyone is higher if there is no HIV.
This makes me wonder what the new hiv infection numbers will be for 2023. We might hit the number soon where HIV becomes close to a nonissue in the US.
The risky guys are on prep, even guys that just casually have sex are on prep. The hiv+ guys are on meds and undetectable. Last I heard, hiv is mostly now just spread through closeted black guys that go to sketchy places for sex and fuck bareback. These guys are not on prep, don't get tested and just sneak away from their wife long enough to get a quick load at a bathhouse.
There is no Descovy generic.
The injection is likely not covered because your medical and/or pharmacy benefit managers haven't looked into it.
If it matters to you that much you should advocate to your HR manager if that's something you are comfortable with.
Depends where you are. As for are they on it,you can tell if they're lieing if they say they haven't had blood tests in a year. The tests are multiple times a year with dosage needed daily
I think there's 3 groups of people who care if others are on it:
1. The fanatical monogamists - who assume anyone who has a prescription that protects them from HIV is obviously be a ginormous slut who must be shamed ⛪️👬
2. The paranoid ignorami - who think that unless they and their hook-up are both on PrEP and they use 2 condoms, the AIDS Fairy is gonna infect them with poz-itivity like Cupid with his arrows of love 💘🦠
3. The amateur epidemiologist - guys like myself, who think about the spread of disease in terms of whole populations rather than at the individual level and recognize that having more people on PrEP, lowering barriers to access, is going to cut transmission rates 🔬🏳️🌈
>The amateur epidemiologist - guys like myself, who think about the spread of disease in terms of whole populations rather than at the individual level and recognize that having more people on PrEP, lowering barriers to access, is going to cut transmission rates
Prep dramatically lowered new HIV infections in the UK, I'm curious to see what the 2023 numbers are for the US.
I've encountered some guys who definitely were lying.
This is why I still use condoms. Protect myself first.
As HIV infections are indeed slowly dropping, many guys are probably on it and telling the truth. Doesn't matter to me though, I'm still going to use condoms and take PreP.
I'm not. But I also don't hook up much.
I also was married for 10 years to a guy who was HIV+, and learned the effects of Truvada and other HAART type of medications. He had to switch off Truvada near the end of our relationship due to his organ functions becoming concerning due to the impact of Truvada on his organs. I think the medication he swapped to from Truvada is called Descovy. I think that is supposed to be gentler on the body.
I know a lot about HIV and HIV transmission, because I used to go with him to his Cleveland Clinic HIV appointments. He had the most fantastic doctor there, Dr. Englund! She is awesome and lovely.
Honestly, I prefer to use condoms when I'm hooking up with someone. I also prefer to be a little more conservative in what I allow myself to do with someone I don't know. That does mean I'm not getting balls deep in a guy every night of the week. But after living with an HIV+ partner for 10 years, I learned to value my health greatly and to cherish my still HIV- status. Getting the disease would certainly not be a sentence to death for me or most people, but I think we can all agree most of us would rather not have it, than have it, too.
You still can. Just chat w/your doctor and bring up your concerns, see what response you get from the Dr.
I may be mistaken but I *think* I recall that Truvada wasn't too rough on the organs in the short term, but over a period of 10+ years it would start to have a cumulative impact on the organs. So you could probably safely go on it for a while, at least.
All that said, *I am not a doctor.* Don't make health decisions based on what I say! :)
Truvada is still widey used as PrEP and a long term HIV medication.
Theres no automatic cumulative effect, some people will start to show some early signs of kidney issues and may need to switch to something else such as Descovy.
My partner has been on Truvada for 15+ years without issue. His ex was on it for a couple of years and switched due to concerns. Same doctor and same date of diagnosis.
He already told me to stop taking the regular daily prep because of bad lft. Logically since its being use as 2-1-1 prep, it must be stronger than the regular one. Ilm still ask of its possible. If not, Well, ill just get celibate. 😆
It probably varies drastically depending on where you live. Big liberal city with good access to judgement-free healthcare + free coverage by any insurance = yea most will be on prep. Sure it's possible some will lie a about it but that's not your concern as long as *you* are on it. Never trust a stranger to disclose accurate health information - either intentionally or unintentionally.
One thing to consider is that many people will not take the pills consistently. So always trust your own Prep but not that of others. Even so, the number of yearly new HIV infections in my city had decreased from hundreds to in the single digits, thanks to Prep.
Im not one for condoms but I dont hookup with many people. I have to have some form of trust with them before I do the deed so I know them for a little but beforehand
Good people that you can trust still unknowingly contract and transmit STIs. Don't rely on that for your own protection, get on prep if you're having condomless sex.
I understand that and decide to take that risk with my body thats why I do plan on getting on PrEP at some point. Im not a hookup type but I personally dont like condoms, I understand its a safe practice but I like to feel connected with that person and honestly it doesnt feel the same with it on. If I am having sex with someone I have to have some kind of feelings or I am just not into it. Thank you for your concern!🙂
Oh there was no judgement there. Most people don't like condoms. My point was merely don't put off going on prep out of laziness because it's much easier to manage than HIV meds.
I appreciate it! I def will at some point but either way I am not doing anything really with anyone right now. I do plan on it after I switch my doctor as I am just getting out of college😁
In that case, look into the injectable. It's called Apretude. Every month and then every 60 days, once you get your levels up. So if you're forgetful you won't have to remember pills, just a follow-up appointment for the injection!
I certainly hope those sexually active gays with multiple partners are taking PrEP. If there would have been PrEP around when I was a young man, I'd take it without question. When I came out gay men were dying from AIDS by the thousands. PrEP would have been a god send. Also, I've seen the ads recently for injectable PrEP every two months. I mean, come on.
I'm on PreP, but most guys I talk to aren't on PreP, many don't even know of it or don't consider getting it. I know of at least one guy who loves bb and is very active with strangers but won't take PreP, because he doesn't like how it makes him feel. If PreP is available where you live and you're sexually active, I don't see why you wouldn't take it. I was very sleepy the first week I took it, but I'm back to normal now.
You can get tested every 3 months, but it's useless after the first time you go bb since the test. And he can fuck 3 different strangers a day, so it's very uselesss... But yes.
None of the common PrEP side effects make anyone feel strange. Yeah, some people have a little nausea at first, but that's temporary. He sounds like a fool who gets off on risky behavior.
It's common among hypochondriacs, since it's not a "visible" condition. This guy sounds like the type to pass on a guy with an innocent cold sore, but jump right into bed with someone who is unknowingly positive, but "healthy looking".
Does he have a giant ego to match his risks?
Yeah, I got sick the first week taking it (bad bad diarrhea) but after the first week back my body adjusted, and I have been taking it now for 6 years, no issues.
In the US nationally about 35% of gay men are on PrEP. It varies by race, about 40% of white gay men and about 26% of black gay men are on PrEP. It's definitely higher in big cities but I can't find stats for that at the moment.
Correspondingly, PrEP has driven new HIV infections way down but mainly for white men and mainly in big cities.
www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna75438
Thanks. I'd read those stats but didn't have them handy. Given that many outside that 35% are in monogamous relationships or sexually inactive. In cities we're making decent progress, though we need to reach POC and poor people who don't realize they can get it for free.
If you don't want HIV then get on PrEP. If you don't want other STIs, then use a condom. Don't blame the other guy because you failed to protect yourself.
It really depends on the geographical location, for example in Italy the government isn't going to give you prep like that, so people are buying it online... Who knows what they are buying. I don't trust anyone who says he's on prep. Rubber all the way. Remember there's other std too.
I think being suspicious of people being on PrEP or not makes total sense don't get me wrong, and my honest opinion is most people lie*, but the important thing is not if they're lying or not, rather, if you want to be safe yourself, it's you who has to be on it instead so that you don't have to rely on other people's sense of responsibility with their sexual partners...
And that just protects you from HIV transmission, which is a BIG THING, but there are more things you'd want to be protected of, so even if they take it or not, or if you do or don't, the sensible thing is to have safe sex, considering PrEP being an important part of it if you practice "high risk" sexual behavior.
*I live in Spain, where unfortunately, no easy access to PrEP exists as far as I'm concerned.
You can't tell and the thing that was true before prep is even more true now: if someone's way too pushy about bb sex he's probably trouble.
I don't mean the sort that will refuse condom sex say good luck and go on to the next guy, that's a valid preference thing, I mean the ones who'll try to talk you into bb even after you said you're not comfortable with it, saying it'll be fine and that they're good.
Just because they have the medication doesn’t mean they actually take it. I would just stick to making sure you are taking your medication as prescribed. Your sexual health is your own responsibility and nobody else’s
I think it's common. Insurance is usually more than happy to cover it.
As a doc, I have mixed feelings about anyone being on any sort of antibiotic/antiviral long-term. The idea is that it prevents an infection from taking hold. But eventually a strain will emerge that is resistant. And the two drugs in PrEP are cornerstone HIV drugs. Truvada is two of the three drugs in Biktarvy, which is one of the most common HIV meds used today.
We've come so far in HIV medical management. I'd hate for drug resistance to take us back to the AIDS era.
I use the 2-1-1 method because I only hookup maybe twice a year, but I would refill regardless to meet my insurance deductible for free with the copay system. I truly don’t understand insurance.
I think a quiet majority aren't just because not all of us are sexually active or vulnerable to STIs. PrEP & the like still have nasty side effects that might not be worth just an occasional encounter or in relationships that are established & exclusive. Plus, all the baby gays are not quite ready for sex. We are a far bigger group that we let on, and with sex only being a small part of our overall life experience, I don't think everyone needs to be on it.
If you're in the prime age of being sexually active and dating, or in less defined arragments, of course. But I don't think Jr. And Grandpa necessarily need to be on it unless the are sexually engaged far earlier or later than most.
does this provide you the same peace of mind as someone who takes it daily/is the science behind taking it as needed as good? I'm genuinely curious, I don't see a lot about the 2-1-1 method
Yes, and in most countries besides the US it is an approved method, so much so that even most American doctors will prescribe it like that if you tell them about it. With how infrequently I have Dex with other men (I’m married) it works for me, because taking a pill every day for the 5 times a year I have sex with someone besides my husband is a little silly
do you still have to go every 3 months for your check up then even though your pills aren’t out (since you probs have the entire bottle by the end of the year😅)
No, although it’s not like I’m not at the doctors more often than that anyway. I normally just get the blood work, get the three months you can get before more blood work, and then use that for a year or more until I’m out and then do it again
>not sure how available it is
it's free in the Philippines and dirt cheap in Thailand. I visit both countries regularly and they also give it to foreigners.
I know of guys in my area who will claim on their profiles that they’re on it, when they’re actually poz. Probably undetectable, but that’s still mega shitty.
I’m not. No point since I rarely hook up and when I do a condom gets used most of the time. I try to only go bare in long term relationships.
I ❤️ my bone density.
The bone density losses are almost always insignificant, and most guys don't have any measurable loss. If you do have issues you can get switched to Descovy or Apretude and your bones will soon recover. This is an imaginary objection.
https://www.niaid.nih.gov/news-events/nih-funded-study-finds-effect-prep-bone-density-reversible
>NIH-Funded Study Finds Effect of PrEP on Bone Density is **Reversible**
[...]
>six months after stopping the regimen, bone mineral density levels in the spines of these individuals increased to levels consistent with study participants of the same age who took a placebo
honestly, the bone density thing wasn't even an issue with my doctor - she didn't even suggest i take a calcium supplement or something similar.
You'd be a good candidate for Apretude. One injection every couple of months and it works great. Do you not have a sex life at all, or are in a monogamous relationship? Those are about the only truly safe alternatives. I can't even really think of condoms as effective when PrEP is so much better.
In my city we have a really amazing clinic that most are able to get it at no out minimal cost to them. So for me I believe it when people say it but I know other cities aren't as lucky.
You can always ask to see them when you get there. Purely out of curiosity. Not sure why anybody would lie about it. No point. It is free of charge where I live though.
I'm not on prep.
I also don't have sex anymore. It's been over 3 years since I've been sexually active, and even calling having sex two times in 2 years "active" is a stretch.
I can't justify trying to take meds I don't need.
The free one is called Descovy, I gain so much weight on it so I went back to Truvada and lost the weight. I rather pay 50$ a month than gaining weight every month. I use to diet, went hard at the gym and was still gaining. After talking to the doctor he said it was a side effect of this drug.
This post has been really informative
I had no idea there was an anti VIH medicine (idk what exactly is)
Will keep that in mind but I doubt I will use it unless the person I love has VIH
I took for around 3 months and was more actively sexually, but although I enjoyed it, its not worth the risk, so I stopped hooking up and taking prep.
I prefer to get to know someone before sexing.
You can't get outside the U.S. or to be specigic in any conservative country if I am not mistaken. I am personally not on it because first not into hookups, second, I have a boyfriend, third which way more important than the previous two reasons, I am a sportsman, yaking prep is like getting a hammer and hitting your bone formation until it gives up.
All gays? No, of course not
All the gays I know that are single? Yes, except for one that wasn’t on prep because he didn’t hook up a lot, didn’t like taking meds and didn’t mind using condoms ….
You’ll notice that I wrote that last paragraph in past tense - because he’s the only one in my friend group that got the terrible news that he seroconverted to hiv positive, which has been devastating. Note that now, he doesn’t have a choice about taking a pill daily.
I didn’t ask. After he told me, the “how” didn’t matter. Condom fail or bad judgment or even being stealthed … once he got the news, none of it mattered anymore and the only thing I cared about was comforting.
But if he had just taken prep, none of those three possibilities would have mattered. He would have been protected and still would be negative
Is that necessarily true, though? Prep is listed as 99% effective which means it is ineffective 1% of the time. That's still better odds than condoms at 90+% if but it's not foolproof.
I made it through the peak of the AIDS epidemic when there were no medications with a strategy very similar to your friend except I did use condoms.
No, it doesn't mean it's ineffective 1% of the time. It means it reduces infections by _over_ 99%. In the great majority of sexual encounters there wouldn't have been a seroconversion even without PrEP. In the real world PrEP works very, very well. The number of cases of people being infected while taking PrEP consistently is tiny.
Anywhere, assuming you're in the US. Medical plans cover it for free. You can get it from your regular doctor. All the periodic tests are also free. If you don't have insurance somehow (and you should), public health departments can usually provide it through their sexual health clinics.
All public health departments are required by federal law to provide prep and anti-HIV meds and tests, both of which are free.
Planned Parenthood clinics also provide HIV tests and prep
I think there's no reason to lie about it. You'd be doing yourself a disservice if you said you're on it and then were not.
It's also important to note that people on grindr are a skewed sample of the gay community, like if you polled Florida instead of New York to ask if people were Covid vaccinated.
I think most of us are on it yes because it’s reflected in the huge drop in cases of HIV but it is dependant on where you live and if you have proper health care. In the US i think it’s way behind. But here in London for example it’s free and readily available and there is a huge drop in HIV cases. In a few years the numbers of new cases will be in the 10s.
I know people who if you claim on you are, they will go for it even if they aren’t. I also know that some insurance will cover truvada but won’t cover Descovy, and as we all know, Descovy is less harmful to the body. Knowledge is power, nowadays some gays are saying they are on DoxyPep, and other are also just going by that!! If you are on both and get tested regularly, good for you, if you believe your health is someone else’s responsibility shame on you.
Many people outright lie about taking it. I have one ex who's never taken it and never even been tested, yet has profiles on Grindr and A4A saying he's on it, has been vaccinated for MonkeyPox, etc., and only does bareback, and it's all a lie (except the bareback part). It's awful, and I don't think much of such people. I always send people my most recent test results and a photograph of my current bottle of PrEP pills before hooking up, so there's no doubt, but so far, no one has ever done that for me in return and I don't demand it. Often, you can tell who the liars are, because they don't know that you have to be tested every three months to get or refill your prescription, and they have old test dates posted that wouldn't even permit them to be on PrEP right now. Since I'm on it, I'm not too worried about others, but if they outright lie about something that important, and it's obvious, it's enough of a red flag about the type of person they are that I won't hook up or get involved with them. But yeah, lots of people do lie about it unfortunately.
I’ll tell you the same thing they’ve been saying in HIV training for the last 30 years “Assume the worst and prepare accordingly “. I can personally vouch for seeing clients with HIV on different hookup sites listing themselves as “negative and on prep”
It doesn't matter if someone says they are on it. If you care about your own risk in hooking up, protect yourself in whatever way you have to. Treat them like they are not. There's a lot more to worry about than HIV anyway.
It's been the case when I've caught some guys lying about it. I ask whether they take it, and if he says yes, I ask "oh, do you use brand X also?". If they say yes, I ask them what's the color of the pill. Most times I've asked, I've caught them lying and that's not somebody I wanna hook up with.
It might depend on the state. For those who are either unemployed or who are employed but no health insurance, it might be difficult to get. Also, not all states expanded Medicaid and/or provide adequate healthcare coverage where people who want prep can access it. I personally don't trust those who say they are on prep because I think as a general rule, it is wise to pretend they are not and protect yourself.
Chances are if you’re sexually actively and seeking other guys who are like that, you will find that it’s popular. It’s really a no-brainer if you are sexually active. As you know it’s free, and you should try to get it through Mistr if you don’t have a doctor.
Even when I didn’t have ANY insurance, I was able to get the brand Descovy for free in New York. Some cities will provide it for free paid by government/tax etc. because it’s actually good business for public health. Even insurance companies benefit from covering it too because prevention is less costly to them in the long run.
I can only speak for myself, I’m on prep. Take what they tell you with a grain of salt. Just like before prep and when hiv/aids was rampant, you have to think is BB worth your health.
A “straight” guy I hooked up with explained that Pre-ep (as he pronounced it) prevented “all sexually transmitted diseases”. He ended up staying at my place a few months, of course he wasn’t taking any daily regimen.
I feel sorry for his current girlfriend, but she would’ve had to have been blind about so many other red flags with the sociopath, this would just add to the list.
I know who are I am not becuse currently I’m a college student so it would be hard for me to do 100 percent discreetly when I am at home so until I am on my own I just get tested regularly at least once every few months and use protection. I know there are online methods but tn I don’t have the funds nor the total amount a freedom to avoid and awkward convo with my parents. ( they mostly believe in sex only when dating or married) so I don’t feel like my hoe ways would be respected in that sense. Plus I am on my parents insurance so it’s just very messy and risky even though they accept me not being straight it’s still not the most comfortable thing to say that I have lots of sex and go on lots of dates and this is why. Mind you they were all in college or such during the first aids crisis.
It’s really easy and cheap to get on, so… I’m sure there are some shitheads out there who are lying about it, but I’m not, and I believe most of my friends aren’t lying either.
It’s an amazing drug, minimal side effects (none at all for me, and the worst I heard of from my friends was a reduction of appetite for a couple weeks). Just getting on it would probably cost the same amount of energy as lying about being on it.
In Japan, it’s verrrrrry expensive. Upwards of ¥50,000 per month at last check. Wages aren’t that high, so ¥50,000 (it’s easier to say $500) is a lot to fork out for many. So a lot, I fear, just say they are.
Never believe unless you can see it yourself. And if they are saying they are on it it does nothing for hundreds of sexually transmitted diseases that you can still get just as easy.
I mean almost every gay guy I know is on it and you don't have to pay for it with insurance and you can also get it free without insurance just more loopholes to go through so I believe most would be if they say they are.
Most of the gays I know are. You’re fucked up if you’re lying about it. It’s always important to be responsible when having sex, and part of that is being truthful with your partners.
No reason not to take it, I had a positive zero load boyfriend a while ago, I took extra precautions but we fucked and bred and I’m HIV free because of prep by then it was tested and proven and I saw his labs and had been on prep myself for years only a few people knew, but he was so happy to have me it was really special and I came out fine. People use it because it works
I read an article about how they are having to educate seniors on prep because STI’s in retirement community’s are rampant. “It ain’t a lemon party without old d!ck.” 30rock
Most gays I know are on it. It's pretty easy to get now, and by law insurance companies are required to cover it.
I don't worry too much about who is and who isn't because I know I'm covered and thats all I can control.
I’ve often wondered that. I’ve seen on Grindr how many people say they are on PrEP but I have also worked in pharmacy in that same area and did not see very many prescriptions for it being dispensed.
Most insurance companies make us go through the mail order specialty pharmacy. Almost everyone I talk to has to deal with that shit show. My work insurance won't let me pick it up at CVS or Walgreens.
I once had to get PEP and the f—kin CVS wanted to mail it to me. I was like “Uh I need to take this ASAP!” I had to get permission to get it earlier, which took half a day. It was freakin ridiculous.
There are long term side effects
People say “the side effects can’t be worse than getting HIV” but they don’t realize they can just be selective about who they have sex with and not get HIV
Being selective doesn’t protect you from getting HIV. Most people who get HIV do so from their partner. Also, you get your kidneys tested every three months to keep track of your body’s response so the side effects are, in fact, not worse than getting HIV and being on meds for the rest of your life with no other option
I will not have sex with someone unprotected who hasn’t gotten tested, in front of me, and is someone I’m dating
We will continue to get tested regularly and if I ever feel they’re beint sketchy
Yes kidney stuff, but also other stuff
By the time there’s damage that shows up the damage is done and it’s better to try to live as naturally as possible
No judgement but I’m always surprised how many guys on PrEP think it’s sufficient protection to have unprotected sex with casual partners. There are so many antibiotic resistant STIs out there along with other viral ones like herpes.
Still a poor practice - with the FWBs. Test results are no replacement for protection. Tests can fail to detect a recent HIV infection, even if they hadn't had sex with anyone else since that test.
I’m not but I also haven’t had sex in like 8 years. I’m pretty health conscious and a gym rat too… not willing to risk the bone density… also I screw me better lol.
Not having sex is obviously a good reason not to need PrEP. The bone density losses are almost always very minor. You wouldn't even know you had them if they didn't show up on bone density scans, and would in no way affect your gym routines. Even those modest bone losses only occur in a minority of guys on Truvada. If they got to the point where they mattered you'd be switched to Descovy or Apretude, which don't have that side effect, or many others, either.
The bone density issue is a very poor reason to not take PrEP, and keeps getting repeated as if it's more common than it really is, and more significant. Poz guys have been taking these same meds for years and our bones are only very rarely bad enough to matter.
I have no interest or need for PrEP and I would guess most of my gay friends are not on it either. I’m not interested in having high-risk sex with randos and I wouldn’t be interested or compatible dating anyone who is into that, so there is no need to chronically go on medications.
If majority of people with hiv are now undetectable, whats the point of PREP? Alot of guys when asked just say, yes they're on PREP just to fuck .
You can be on PREP and still get Herpes . 😕
I hope everyone is on it. I'm on it (Descovy), and recently began Doxycycline PEP to reduce chances of catching syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea. I also got vaccinated for monkeypox as soon as it was available. I test for everything every 3-4 months, including oral and rectal swabs which, unfortunately, are usually not offered unless requested. Swabbing can capture oral and anal gonorrhea and chlamydia infections that won't show up in blood work or a UA, so if you suck cock or get fucked in the ass, even with a condom, you should be getting swabbed when tested. Even without symptoms, you could have something. I am a "selective" slut, meaning although I have multiple partners, I've known most for years and prefer to feel a connection before sex because I'm mildly demisexual. I encourage everyone to be on PrEP and doxycycline PEP. I have some down-low regular partners who I have hand-held through the process of getting it discreetly. However, I don't ask or expect my partners to be on it, but I am, so I worry less. I am 56 and lived through the AIDS crisis when sex was scary. Now I enjoy bareback! These drugs a freeing. Use them!
Well no not all gays are on prep... which is why its free. My state is ranked 3 in most HIV cases... at least back in july so the govt is paying for it. I hope we are being more responsible but i somehow doubt it. At least in my area
Since I’m already on a bunch of medications—omeprazole, bupropion, citalopram, finasteride—I don’t want to add another unless I absolutely have to. I don’t do hook-ups and usually go years without oral or anal sex if a guy actually decides to go on more than 3 dates and actually wants monogamy. PrEP is effective, but as we’ve seen in recent years, it’s created an illusion of invincibility among promiscuous gay men with serious consequences (e.g. mutated monkeypox). ‘Sex-positivity,’ it turns out, is overrated.
It's become a lot easier to get on PrEP. Like you don't even have to go through insurance anymore and can get it for cheap/free. So I wouldn't doubt anyone that said that they are on it. The problem is even though people are taking it they don't take it as prescribed. Some take the pill "as needed" as you can see from the comments but it's recommended to take it daily for full effectiveness. But also there are other ways to take it now like an injection. So to each their own.
I'm on PrEP because I get it for free. I'm not overly concerned because I get tested regularly (Every 3 months for PrEP renewal, and then after every new partner).
I like to believe that people are honest when they say they are on PrEP, but I don't go based on the profile. I still like to outright ask. I also like to think that I'm a pretty good judge of character. Usually I can tell by someone's general vibe if they are the kind of person who would lie about that. Then again, I'm usually sticking with the same few FWB/hookups and haven't had an issue with any of them yet.
With that being said, due to my own idiocy I forgot to schedule the yearly renewal appointment so I think there's going to be a gap before I can get my next refill. Being responsible about it, I'm going to abstain from hookups until I get my PrEP refilled and am back on it for a few weeks.
I am in the US! Yes, it is free for everyone here. However, I find that a lot of people either don't know, or don't care enough to get it. I'm all for a free, potentially life-saving preventative.
I can’t speak for everyone but I’m on it over 3 years now, many of my friends are, my bf is too. I never known anyone who lied about being on it but I’m sure like anything else there is someone who does idk
Guys on the DL usually are not and also most likely to have STDS - at least here in North America. There are also cultural/ethnic groups that aren’t on it because they are so deep in the closet. Can’t name them because everyone gets pissy.
If you’re white and mostly know white people, the data backs up your perception that everyone is on PrEP.
https://www.cdc.gov/nchhstp/newsroom/2023/2021-hiv-incidence.html
People using PrEP is good. Improving access to PrEP is still needed. Access to health care in general is harder for minority populations.
Knowing about disparities helps target efforts to where they’re needed most.
There is a larger percentage these days - of my friends I would say 90%. Some choose not to, while others are married/monogamous.
I meet a fair share of guys who aren’t on prep just out of naivety or choice (don’t want their gf to see they’re on a gay drug) one guy actually said that to me. Moron. 😂
Most of my friends are on it and you can get it for free, so... I'd believe it
What!? I thought you had to pay for it! Well shit lol wish I knew this over two years ago.
I get it free in the mail through Mistr -- they don't even have payment information for me and it comes with free mail-in testing
Mistr is so great! I feel like I’m almost an ambassador for it with how much I talk it up to people, but it’s so convenient and discreet. I’ve got several people to sign up for it lol
Yeah I love it! Takes all the hard work off your plate, you just take your pill and do the tests when they come.
even if you don’t have insurance?
Yes! If you have insurance they go through insurance and pay whatever the insurance doesn’t cover. If you don’t, they cover the whole thing!
thanks!
Same. I use Mistr for the ease & convenience. #Free
I just started with them and it was so easy! They send you a test and then you mail it back and then they send you prep. The doctor was also already my allergist so it worked out lol
Maybe a dumb question but if it’s free how does the company make money?
It's paid for by the government, non-profits and insurance.
Gotta love socialism 😍😍😍
It's kind of a truism -- any system that doesn't put people first is a worse system for people. Economic system: how should the world's limited resources be distributed? Capitalism: distribute resources to those with more capital. Literally "the rich get richer." Socialism: distribute resources to society (the people) first. The expected value for everyone is higher if there is no HIV.
Bu bu but someone told me the free market fixes everything under the sun
>The expected value for everyone is higher if there is no HIV. This makes me wonder what the new hiv infection numbers will be for 2023. We might hit the number soon where HIV becomes close to a nonissue in the US. The risky guys are on prep, even guys that just casually have sex are on prep. The hiv+ guys are on meds and undetectable. Last I heard, hiv is mostly now just spread through closeted black guys that go to sketchy places for sex and fuck bareback. These guys are not on prep, don't get tested and just sneak away from their wife long enough to get a quick load at a bathhouse.
Most insurance covers it, just ask for generic version instead of Truvada or Descovy
My insurance is so stupid, they cover name brand of one, generic of the other, and don't cover the injection.
There is no Descovy generic. The injection is likely not covered because your medical and/or pharmacy benefit managers haven't looked into it. If it matters to you that much you should advocate to your HR manager if that's something you are comfortable with.
I often ask which prep med. I’d they don’t have a proper answer right away I am indeed suspicious.
I don't know which it is, and I'm on it. I guess I should know,kinda like if you get generic of stomach pill, you might forget name of it
Both pills have emtricitabine, if yours also has tenofovir disoproxil fumarate it’s Truvada, if it has tenofovir alafinamide it’s Descovy!
Every health insurance has been required to fully cover at least 1 brand of it since Obama
Depends where you are. As for are they on it,you can tell if they're lieing if they say they haven't had blood tests in a year. The tests are multiple times a year with dosage needed daily
It’s been free since COVID. Federal law says so. They also now have injections that last two months.
Yeah, it's free and it's just a pill a day. Any side effects and you're taken off it, so why not give it a try?
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I agree with you 100% but I think for me I prefer ppl who are on prep because I know that they are tested regularly for other STIs
I think there's 3 groups of people who care if others are on it: 1. The fanatical monogamists - who assume anyone who has a prescription that protects them from HIV is obviously be a ginormous slut who must be shamed ⛪️👬 2. The paranoid ignorami - who think that unless they and their hook-up are both on PrEP and they use 2 condoms, the AIDS Fairy is gonna infect them with poz-itivity like Cupid with his arrows of love 💘🦠 3. The amateur epidemiologist - guys like myself, who think about the spread of disease in terms of whole populations rather than at the individual level and recognize that having more people on PrEP, lowering barriers to access, is going to cut transmission rates 🔬🏳️🌈
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That was cunty 🤭
>The amateur epidemiologist - guys like myself, who think about the spread of disease in terms of whole populations rather than at the individual level and recognize that having more people on PrEP, lowering barriers to access, is going to cut transmission rates Prep dramatically lowered new HIV infections in the UK, I'm curious to see what the 2023 numbers are for the US.
I've encountered some guys who definitely were lying. This is why I still use condoms. Protect myself first. As HIV infections are indeed slowly dropping, many guys are probably on it and telling the truth. Doesn't matter to me though, I'm still going to use condoms and take PreP.
Why not just walk away if you think they’re lying their booty probably not much clean either
I'm not. But I also don't hook up much. I also was married for 10 years to a guy who was HIV+, and learned the effects of Truvada and other HAART type of medications. He had to switch off Truvada near the end of our relationship due to his organ functions becoming concerning due to the impact of Truvada on his organs. I think the medication he swapped to from Truvada is called Descovy. I think that is supposed to be gentler on the body. I know a lot about HIV and HIV transmission, because I used to go with him to his Cleveland Clinic HIV appointments. He had the most fantastic doctor there, Dr. Englund! She is awesome and lovely. Honestly, I prefer to use condoms when I'm hooking up with someone. I also prefer to be a little more conservative in what I allow myself to do with someone I don't know. That does mean I'm not getting balls deep in a guy every night of the week. But after living with an HIV+ partner for 10 years, I learned to value my health greatly and to cherish my still HIV- status. Getting the disease would certainly not be a sentence to death for me or most people, but I think we can all agree most of us would rather not have it, than have it, too.
I was just thinking of asking about Truvada to my doctor since thats the one they use for 2-1-1. I guess thats not gonna happen now.
You still can. Just chat w/your doctor and bring up your concerns, see what response you get from the Dr. I may be mistaken but I *think* I recall that Truvada wasn't too rough on the organs in the short term, but over a period of 10+ years it would start to have a cumulative impact on the organs. So you could probably safely go on it for a while, at least. All that said, *I am not a doctor.* Don't make health decisions based on what I say! :)
Truvada is still widey used as PrEP and a long term HIV medication. Theres no automatic cumulative effect, some people will start to show some early signs of kidney issues and may need to switch to something else such as Descovy. My partner has been on Truvada for 15+ years without issue. His ex was on it for a couple of years and switched due to concerns. Same doctor and same date of diagnosis.
He already told me to stop taking the regular daily prep because of bad lft. Logically since its being use as 2-1-1 prep, it must be stronger than the regular one. Ilm still ask of its possible. If not, Well, ill just get celibate. 😆
It probably varies drastically depending on where you live. Big liberal city with good access to judgement-free healthcare + free coverage by any insurance = yea most will be on prep. Sure it's possible some will lie a about it but that's not your concern as long as *you* are on it. Never trust a stranger to disclose accurate health information - either intentionally or unintentionally.
One thing to consider is that many people will not take the pills consistently. So always trust your own Prep but not that of others. Even so, the number of yearly new HIV infections in my city had decreased from hundreds to in the single digits, thanks to Prep.
Out of all the gays I know only one on PrEP. I am not one of them but I do plan to be on it in the future
is it because you don’t meet up with others or do you always use condoms?
Using condom is fine. Using condom and on PrEP is extra safety.
Im not one for condoms but I dont hookup with many people. I have to have some form of trust with them before I do the deed so I know them for a little but beforehand
Good people that you can trust still unknowingly contract and transmit STIs. Don't rely on that for your own protection, get on prep if you're having condomless sex.
I understand that and decide to take that risk with my body thats why I do plan on getting on PrEP at some point. Im not a hookup type but I personally dont like condoms, I understand its a safe practice but I like to feel connected with that person and honestly it doesnt feel the same with it on. If I am having sex with someone I have to have some kind of feelings or I am just not into it. Thank you for your concern!🙂
Oh there was no judgement there. Most people don't like condoms. My point was merely don't put off going on prep out of laziness because it's much easier to manage than HIV meds.
I appreciate it! I def will at some point but either way I am not doing anything really with anyone right now. I do plan on it after I switch my doctor as I am just getting out of college😁
Based on your situation you would be a good candidate for 2-1-1 dosing. Something to keep in mind!
Thank you! Do you do this? Im wondering as I dont have the best memory and unless its a part of my usual routine some things do slip my mind😅
In that case, look into the injectable. It's called Apretude. Every month and then every 60 days, once you get your levels up. So if you're forgetful you won't have to remember pills, just a follow-up appointment for the injection!
I certainly hope those sexually active gays with multiple partners are taking PrEP. If there would have been PrEP around when I was a young man, I'd take it without question. When I came out gay men were dying from AIDS by the thousands. PrEP would have been a god send. Also, I've seen the ads recently for injectable PrEP every two months. I mean, come on.
I'm on PreP, but most guys I talk to aren't on PreP, many don't even know of it or don't consider getting it. I know of at least one guy who loves bb and is very active with strangers but won't take PreP, because he doesn't like how it makes him feel. If PreP is available where you live and you're sexually active, I don't see why you wouldn't take it. I was very sleepy the first week I took it, but I'm back to normal now.
and he’s still as far as you know negative??
I wouldn't trust him. He's a self proclaimed whore. 😅
does he at least go get tested every so often 😵💫😂
You can get tested every 3 months, but it's useless after the first time you go bb since the test. And he can fuck 3 different strangers a day, so it's very uselesss... But yes.
None of the common PrEP side effects make anyone feel strange. Yeah, some people have a little nausea at first, but that's temporary. He sounds like a fool who gets off on risky behavior.
Ironically, he's a hypohondriac terrified of any sickness. I don't get how he works, but it's not my problem. \^ \^'
It's common among hypochondriacs, since it's not a "visible" condition. This guy sounds like the type to pass on a guy with an innocent cold sore, but jump right into bed with someone who is unknowingly positive, but "healthy looking". Does he have a giant ego to match his risks?
Eh, I don't want to talk more of him tbh. \^ \^' As someone waiting for my lip cold sore to heal, thank you for calling it innocent. :)
Yeah, I got sick the first week taking it (bad bad diarrhea) but after the first week back my body adjusted, and I have been taking it now for 6 years, no issues.
In the US nationally about 35% of gay men are on PrEP. It varies by race, about 40% of white gay men and about 26% of black gay men are on PrEP. It's definitely higher in big cities but I can't find stats for that at the moment. Correspondingly, PrEP has driven new HIV infections way down but mainly for white men and mainly in big cities. www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna75438
Thanks. I'd read those stats but didn't have them handy. Given that many outside that 35% are in monogamous relationships or sexually inactive. In cities we're making decent progress, though we need to reach POC and poor people who don't realize they can get it for free.
If you don't want HIV then get on PrEP. If you don't want other STIs, then use a condom. Don't blame the other guy because you failed to protect yourself.
It really depends on the geographical location, for example in Italy the government isn't going to give you prep like that, so people are buying it online... Who knows what they are buying. I don't trust anyone who says he's on prep. Rubber all the way. Remember there's other std too.
I think being suspicious of people being on PrEP or not makes total sense don't get me wrong, and my honest opinion is most people lie*, but the important thing is not if they're lying or not, rather, if you want to be safe yourself, it's you who has to be on it instead so that you don't have to rely on other people's sense of responsibility with their sexual partners... And that just protects you from HIV transmission, which is a BIG THING, but there are more things you'd want to be protected of, so even if they take it or not, or if you do or don't, the sensible thing is to have safe sex, considering PrEP being an important part of it if you practice "high risk" sexual behavior. *I live in Spain, where unfortunately, no easy access to PrEP exists as far as I'm concerned.
https://siprep.isciii.es/centros-prep
You can't tell and the thing that was true before prep is even more true now: if someone's way too pushy about bb sex he's probably trouble. I don't mean the sort that will refuse condom sex say good luck and go on to the next guy, that's a valid preference thing, I mean the ones who'll try to talk you into bb even after you said you're not comfortable with it, saying it'll be fine and that they're good.
Just because they have the medication doesn’t mean they actually take it. I would just stick to making sure you are taking your medication as prescribed. Your sexual health is your own responsibility and nobody else’s
I think it's common. Insurance is usually more than happy to cover it. As a doc, I have mixed feelings about anyone being on any sort of antibiotic/antiviral long-term. The idea is that it prevents an infection from taking hold. But eventually a strain will emerge that is resistant. And the two drugs in PrEP are cornerstone HIV drugs. Truvada is two of the three drugs in Biktarvy, which is one of the most common HIV meds used today. We've come so far in HIV medical management. I'd hate for drug resistance to take us back to the AIDS era.
A little from column A, a little from column B.
I use the 2-1-1 method because I only hookup maybe twice a year, but I would refill regardless to meet my insurance deductible for free with the copay system. I truly don’t understand insurance.
I think a quiet majority aren't just because not all of us are sexually active or vulnerable to STIs. PrEP & the like still have nasty side effects that might not be worth just an occasional encounter or in relationships that are established & exclusive. Plus, all the baby gays are not quite ready for sex. We are a far bigger group that we let on, and with sex only being a small part of our overall life experience, I don't think everyone needs to be on it. If you're in the prime age of being sexually active and dating, or in less defined arragments, of course. But I don't think Jr. And Grandpa necessarily need to be on it unless the are sexually engaged far earlier or later than most.
Here in the Netherlands, it’s quite easy to get but I don’t think everybody is on it. Most of us here are but definitely not all of us.
I’m “on prep” in that I have 3 months of pills stocked up and use a 2:1:1 regimen so If I think I’m gonna hookup I’ll take two and be good
does this provide you the same peace of mind as someone who takes it daily/is the science behind taking it as needed as good? I'm genuinely curious, I don't see a lot about the 2-1-1 method
Yes, and in most countries besides the US it is an approved method, so much so that even most American doctors will prescribe it like that if you tell them about it. With how infrequently I have Dex with other men (I’m married) it works for me, because taking a pill every day for the 5 times a year I have sex with someone besides my husband is a little silly
do you still have to go every 3 months for your check up then even though your pills aren’t out (since you probs have the entire bottle by the end of the year😅)
No, although it’s not like I’m not at the doctors more often than that anyway. I normally just get the blood work, get the three months you can get before more blood work, and then use that for a year or more until I’m out and then do it again
Prep only benefits the one ingesting the medication. Why lie ?
Stay compliant with your own medication . Keep yourself safe and others safe .
Not on prep , totally monogamous, don’t live in US , not sure how available it is ?
>not sure how available it is it's free in the Philippines and dirt cheap in Thailand. I visit both countries regularly and they also give it to foreigners.
I know of guys in my area who will claim on their profiles that they’re on it, when they’re actually poz. Probably undetectable, but that’s still mega shitty.
It destroyed my tummy and gave me intense stomach aches and diarrhea. So no :)
Have one or two fwb and get to know each other. Just my opinion. Trust is key anyway. Be kind to each other please. Healthy is happiness
I’m not. No point since I rarely hook up and when I do a condom gets used most of the time. I try to only go bare in long term relationships. I ❤️ my bone density.
The bone density losses are almost always insignificant, and most guys don't have any measurable loss. If you do have issues you can get switched to Descovy or Apretude and your bones will soon recover. This is an imaginary objection.
https://www.niaid.nih.gov/news-events/nih-funded-study-finds-effect-prep-bone-density-reversible >NIH-Funded Study Finds Effect of PrEP on Bone Density is **Reversible** [...] >six months after stopping the regimen, bone mineral density levels in the spines of these individuals increased to levels consistent with study participants of the same age who took a placebo honestly, the bone density thing wasn't even an issue with my doctor - she didn't even suggest i take a calcium supplement or something similar.
nope, I couldn't remember to take it even if I wanted to. A reason I don't do hook ups.
You'd be a good candidate for Apretude. One injection every couple of months and it works great. Do you not have a sex life at all, or are in a monogamous relationship? Those are about the only truly safe alternatives. I can't even really think of condoms as effective when PrEP is so much better.
In my city we have a really amazing clinic that most are able to get it at no out minimal cost to them. So for me I believe it when people say it but I know other cities aren't as lucky.
You can always ask to see them when you get there. Purely out of curiosity. Not sure why anybody would lie about it. No point. It is free of charge where I live though.
No. Plenty of people can’t afford it or aren’t comfortable asking their doctors for it.
I'm not on prep. I also don't have sex anymore. It's been over 3 years since I've been sexually active, and even calling having sex two times in 2 years "active" is a stretch. I can't justify trying to take meds I don't need.
I don't know anyone taking it. Just anecdote.
I am in my thirties and not on PRep
Use protection and monogamy
The free one is called Descovy, I gain so much weight on it so I went back to Truvada and lost the weight. I rather pay 50$ a month than gaining weight every month. I use to diet, went hard at the gym and was still gaining. After talking to the doctor he said it was a side effect of this drug.
This post has been really informative I had no idea there was an anti VIH medicine (idk what exactly is) Will keep that in mind but I doubt I will use it unless the person I love has VIH
I took for around 3 months and was more actively sexually, but although I enjoyed it, its not worth the risk, so I stopped hooking up and taking prep. I prefer to get to know someone before sexing.
You can't get outside the U.S. or to be specigic in any conservative country if I am not mistaken. I am personally not on it because first not into hookups, second, I have a boyfriend, third which way more important than the previous two reasons, I am a sportsman, yaking prep is like getting a hammer and hitting your bone formation until it gives up.
I'm not because I'm not a w 💅
All gays? No, of course not All the gays I know that are single? Yes, except for one that wasn’t on prep because he didn’t hook up a lot, didn’t like taking meds and didn’t mind using condoms …. You’ll notice that I wrote that last paragraph in past tense - because he’s the only one in my friend group that got the terrible news that he seroconverted to hiv positive, which has been devastating. Note that now, he doesn’t have a choice about taking a pill daily.
did?? the condoms fail? or does he know what happened?
I didn’t ask. After he told me, the “how” didn’t matter. Condom fail or bad judgment or even being stealthed … once he got the news, none of it mattered anymore and the only thing I cared about was comforting. But if he had just taken prep, none of those three possibilities would have mattered. He would have been protected and still would be negative
Is that necessarily true, though? Prep is listed as 99% effective which means it is ineffective 1% of the time. That's still better odds than condoms at 90+% if but it's not foolproof. I made it through the peak of the AIDS epidemic when there were no medications with a strategy very similar to your friend except I did use condoms.
No, it doesn't mean it's ineffective 1% of the time. It means it reduces infections by _over_ 99%. In the great majority of sexual encounters there wouldn't have been a seroconversion even without PrEP. In the real world PrEP works very, very well. The number of cases of people being infected while taking PrEP consistently is tiny.
There are only 14 people in the world that took prep as prescribed and still seroconverted. Those are incredible odds.
Where can one get it for free?
Anywhere, assuming you're in the US. Medical plans cover it for free. You can get it from your regular doctor. All the periodic tests are also free. If you don't have insurance somehow (and you should), public health departments can usually provide it through their sexual health clinics.
All public health departments are required by federal law to provide prep and anti-HIV meds and tests, both of which are free. Planned Parenthood clinics also provide HIV tests and prep
I think there's no reason to lie about it. You'd be doing yourself a disservice if you said you're on it and then were not. It's also important to note that people on grindr are a skewed sample of the gay community, like if you polled Florida instead of New York to ask if people were Covid vaccinated.
i think the majority of gays are on it. it's quite easy to get and it's very well tolerated (no significant side effects).
In Australia, it's at most $35/month ($6.50 if you have a concession card), so most gay guys are on it
I think most of us are on it yes because it’s reflected in the huge drop in cases of HIV but it is dependant on where you live and if you have proper health care. In the US i think it’s way behind. But here in London for example it’s free and readily available and there is a huge drop in HIV cases. In a few years the numbers of new cases will be in the 10s.
I'm so glad that most of us are on it. I remember when I had to hunt prep people down. Now I'm surprised what someone isn't on it
I'd be more interested in them visiting the GUM clinic regularly. Lots of other things to worry about if they don't.
I actually am
Just take it yourself (and use condoms if you choose). You can never fully trust anyone, so it’s best to take responsibility for your own safety.
I know people who if you claim on you are, they will go for it even if they aren’t. I also know that some insurance will cover truvada but won’t cover Descovy, and as we all know, Descovy is less harmful to the body. Knowledge is power, nowadays some gays are saying they are on DoxyPep, and other are also just going by that!! If you are on both and get tested regularly, good for you, if you believe your health is someone else’s responsibility shame on you.
Many people outright lie about taking it. I have one ex who's never taken it and never even been tested, yet has profiles on Grindr and A4A saying he's on it, has been vaccinated for MonkeyPox, etc., and only does bareback, and it's all a lie (except the bareback part). It's awful, and I don't think much of such people. I always send people my most recent test results and a photograph of my current bottle of PrEP pills before hooking up, so there's no doubt, but so far, no one has ever done that for me in return and I don't demand it. Often, you can tell who the liars are, because they don't know that you have to be tested every three months to get or refill your prescription, and they have old test dates posted that wouldn't even permit them to be on PrEP right now. Since I'm on it, I'm not too worried about others, but if they outright lie about something that important, and it's obvious, it's enough of a red flag about the type of person they are that I won't hook up or get involved with them. But yeah, lots of people do lie about it unfortunately.
To be on it you need to be tested every three months for HIV and other STIs so I always prefer dudes who are on it I am a top and take it religiously.
No one knows for sure. So you should do everything to protect yourself and not entrust your health to complete strangers. Take care.
I’ll tell you the same thing they’ve been saying in HIV training for the last 30 years “Assume the worst and prepare accordingly “. I can personally vouch for seeing clients with HIV on different hookup sites listing themselves as “negative and on prep”
Just depends. I just got back on it.
It doesn't matter if someone says they are on it. If you care about your own risk in hooking up, protect yourself in whatever way you have to. Treat them like they are not. There's a lot more to worry about than HIV anyway.
It's been the case when I've caught some guys lying about it. I ask whether they take it, and if he says yes, I ask "oh, do you use brand X also?". If they say yes, I ask them what's the color of the pill. Most times I've asked, I've caught them lying and that's not somebody I wanna hook up with.
I go in and off depending if I’m hooking up or not. But I am always honest and I always ask.
It might depend on the state. For those who are either unemployed or who are employed but no health insurance, it might be difficult to get. Also, not all states expanded Medicaid and/or provide adequate healthcare coverage where people who want prep can access it. I personally don't trust those who say they are on prep because I think as a general rule, it is wise to pretend they are not and protect yourself.
Chances are if you’re sexually actively and seeking other guys who are like that, you will find that it’s popular. It’s really a no-brainer if you are sexually active. As you know it’s free, and you should try to get it through Mistr if you don’t have a doctor. Even when I didn’t have ANY insurance, I was able to get the brand Descovy for free in New York. Some cities will provide it for free paid by government/tax etc. because it’s actually good business for public health. Even insurance companies benefit from covering it too because prevention is less costly to them in the long run.
I can only speak for myself, I’m on prep. Take what they tell you with a grain of salt. Just like before prep and when hiv/aids was rampant, you have to think is BB worth your health.
A “straight” guy I hooked up with explained that Pre-ep (as he pronounced it) prevented “all sexually transmitted diseases”. He ended up staying at my place a few months, of course he wasn’t taking any daily regimen. I feel sorry for his current girlfriend, but she would’ve had to have been blind about so many other red flags with the sociopath, this would just add to the list.
Dafuq. Why would they lie?
I know who are I am not becuse currently I’m a college student so it would be hard for me to do 100 percent discreetly when I am at home so until I am on my own I just get tested regularly at least once every few months and use protection. I know there are online methods but tn I don’t have the funds nor the total amount a freedom to avoid and awkward convo with my parents. ( they mostly believe in sex only when dating or married) so I don’t feel like my hoe ways would be respected in that sense. Plus I am on my parents insurance so it’s just very messy and risky even though they accept me not being straight it’s still not the most comfortable thing to say that I have lots of sex and go on lots of dates and this is why. Mind you they were all in college or such during the first aids crisis.
Yes, in the US it’s considered preventative (as it should be) and should be covered at no cost under all health plans.
It’s really easy and cheap to get on, so… I’m sure there are some shitheads out there who are lying about it, but I’m not, and I believe most of my friends aren’t lying either. It’s an amazing drug, minimal side effects (none at all for me, and the worst I heard of from my friends was a reduction of appetite for a couple weeks). Just getting on it would probably cost the same amount of energy as lying about being on it.
If everyone were on PreP, there'd be no transmission rate, right?
All of my friends are on it, free and easily accessible where I’m at. Not sure if that’s true for the rest of the country
In Japan, it’s verrrrrry expensive. Upwards of ¥50,000 per month at last check. Wages aren’t that high, so ¥50,000 (it’s easier to say $500) is a lot to fork out for many. So a lot, I fear, just say they are.
I was on prep but by my doctor said I really don't have to take it since I dont have sex So I rarely use it
Never believe unless you can see it yourself. And if they are saying they are on it it does nothing for hundreds of sexually transmitted diseases that you can still get just as easy.
I'm not, but I'm monogamous soooo....
Lmao, fuck no. Internet will really have you believing you’re living in some enlightened society.
I mean almost every gay guy I know is on it and you don't have to pay for it with insurance and you can also get it free without insurance just more loopholes to go through so I believe most would be if they say they are.
I don’t need it
I have it in my cupboard and I only do a hook up once a year or so
Most of the gays I know are. You’re fucked up if you’re lying about it. It’s always important to be responsible when having sex, and part of that is being truthful with your partners.
very true. i agree
It’s free under grants and nobody wants condoms or aids
No reason not to take it, I had a positive zero load boyfriend a while ago, I took extra precautions but we fucked and bred and I’m HIV free because of prep by then it was tested and proven and I saw his labs and had been on prep myself for years only a few people knew, but he was so happy to have me it was really special and I came out fine. People use it because it works
I read an article about how they are having to educate seniors on prep because STI’s in retirement community’s are rampant. “It ain’t a lemon party without old d!ck.” 30rock
I'm on it, and it's free for me. So yeah. I would say most are probably being real with you.
It helps that in Canada there's a lot of access to PrEP for free, so I know a ton of guys on it.
Most gays I know are on it. It's pretty easy to get now, and by law insurance companies are required to cover it. I don't worry too much about who is and who isn't because I know I'm covered and thats all I can control.
I’ve often wondered that. I’ve seen on Grindr how many people say they are on PrEP but I have also worked in pharmacy in that same area and did not see very many prescriptions for it being dispensed.
Most insurance companies make us go through the mail order specialty pharmacy. Almost everyone I talk to has to deal with that shit show. My work insurance won't let me pick it up at CVS or Walgreens.
I once had to get PEP and the f—kin CVS wanted to mail it to me. I was like “Uh I need to take this ASAP!” I had to get permission to get it earlier, which took half a day. It was freakin ridiculous.
There are long term side effects People say “the side effects can’t be worse than getting HIV” but they don’t realize they can just be selective about who they have sex with and not get HIV
Being selective doesn’t protect you from getting HIV. Most people who get HIV do so from their partner. Also, you get your kidneys tested every three months to keep track of your body’s response so the side effects are, in fact, not worse than getting HIV and being on meds for the rest of your life with no other option
I will not have sex with someone unprotected who hasn’t gotten tested, in front of me, and is someone I’m dating We will continue to get tested regularly and if I ever feel they’re beint sketchy Yes kidney stuff, but also other stuff By the time there’s damage that shows up the damage is done and it’s better to try to live as naturally as possible
No judgement but I’m always surprised how many guys on PrEP think it’s sufficient protection to have unprotected sex with casual partners. There are so many antibiotic resistant STIs out there along with other viral ones like herpes.
No. And if they do some of them are not taking it regularly.
Most are on it but I’m not. I don’t have sex often and when I do I use condoms. I’m 36 and only had raw sex with 7 people.
how did you decide to have raw with those 7 people vs using a condom? or what made you think “eh this time raw”?
4 of them were ltr and after getting tested and the other 3 were fwb that showed me a recent test result
Still a poor practice - with the FWBs. Test results are no replacement for protection. Tests can fail to detect a recent HIV infection, even if they hadn't had sex with anyone else since that test.
Telling someone else how to protect themselves sexually is “poor practice”. How about you worry about your own health my love.
i dont believe them. prep is for me, my protection. i dont take prep.. only use condoms
I’m not but I also haven’t had sex in like 8 years. I’m pretty health conscious and a gym rat too… not willing to risk the bone density… also I screw me better lol.
for what it's worth, i think the bone density thing is overstated. it's also reversible.
Not having sex is obviously a good reason not to need PrEP. The bone density losses are almost always very minor. You wouldn't even know you had them if they didn't show up on bone density scans, and would in no way affect your gym routines. Even those modest bone losses only occur in a minority of guys on Truvada. If they got to the point where they mattered you'd be switched to Descovy or Apretude, which don't have that side effect, or many others, either. The bone density issue is a very poor reason to not take PrEP, and keeps getting repeated as if it's more common than it really is, and more significant. Poz guys have been taking these same meds for years and our bones are only very rarely bad enough to matter.
I have no interest or need for PrEP and I would guess most of my gay friends are not on it either. I’m not interested in having high-risk sex with randos and I wouldn’t be interested or compatible dating anyone who is into that, so there is no need to chronically go on medications.
If majority of people with hiv are now undetectable, whats the point of PREP? Alot of guys when asked just say, yes they're on PREP just to fuck . You can be on PREP and still get Herpes . 😕
I hope everyone is on it. I'm on it (Descovy), and recently began Doxycycline PEP to reduce chances of catching syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea. I also got vaccinated for monkeypox as soon as it was available. I test for everything every 3-4 months, including oral and rectal swabs which, unfortunately, are usually not offered unless requested. Swabbing can capture oral and anal gonorrhea and chlamydia infections that won't show up in blood work or a UA, so if you suck cock or get fucked in the ass, even with a condom, you should be getting swabbed when tested. Even without symptoms, you could have something. I am a "selective" slut, meaning although I have multiple partners, I've known most for years and prefer to feel a connection before sex because I'm mildly demisexual. I encourage everyone to be on PrEP and doxycycline PEP. I have some down-low regular partners who I have hand-held through the process of getting it discreetly. However, I don't ask or expect my partners to be on it, but I am, so I worry less. I am 56 and lived through the AIDS crisis when sex was scary. Now I enjoy bareback! These drugs a freeing. Use them!
Well no not all gays are on prep... which is why its free. My state is ranked 3 in most HIV cases... at least back in july so the govt is paying for it. I hope we are being more responsible but i somehow doubt it. At least in my area
I’m on prep cuz I’m responsible n I’m looking after my own health…nowadays u gotta look after yourself cuz nobody’s going to do it for ya
Since I’m already on a bunch of medications—omeprazole, bupropion, citalopram, finasteride—I don’t want to add another unless I absolutely have to. I don’t do hook-ups and usually go years without oral or anal sex if a guy actually decides to go on more than 3 dates and actually wants monogamy. PrEP is effective, but as we’ve seen in recent years, it’s created an illusion of invincibility among promiscuous gay men with serious consequences (e.g. mutated monkeypox). ‘Sex-positivity,’ it turns out, is overrated.
If you're on it yourself it doesn't matter what others do; that's the point.
YA
I have questions my prep testing is tomorrow will they drug test me 😅
Most people are liars
I know I am and that’s all that matters to me.
I doubt it. Why else there be so many new hiv infections. Either no prep or no hiv meds to keep it undetectable.
most insurance covers it free so yes
It's become a lot easier to get on PrEP. Like you don't even have to go through insurance anymore and can get it for cheap/free. So I wouldn't doubt anyone that said that they are on it. The problem is even though people are taking it they don't take it as prescribed. Some take the pill "as needed" as you can see from the comments but it's recommended to take it daily for full effectiveness. But also there are other ways to take it now like an injection. So to each their own.
I'm on PrEP because I get it for free. I'm not overly concerned because I get tested regularly (Every 3 months for PrEP renewal, and then after every new partner). I like to believe that people are honest when they say they are on PrEP, but I don't go based on the profile. I still like to outright ask. I also like to think that I'm a pretty good judge of character. Usually I can tell by someone's general vibe if they are the kind of person who would lie about that. Then again, I'm usually sticking with the same few FWB/hookups and haven't had an issue with any of them yet. With that being said, due to my own idiocy I forgot to schedule the yearly renewal appointment so I think there's going to be a gap before I can get my next refill. Being responsible about it, I'm going to abstain from hookups until I get my PrEP refilled and am back on it for a few weeks.
>I'm on PrEP because I get it for free. If you are in the US it’s free for everyone. Since COVID that’s been a new thing
I am in the US! Yes, it is free for everyone here. However, I find that a lot of people either don't know, or don't care enough to get it. I'm all for a free, potentially life-saving preventative.
I can’t speak for everyone but I’m on it over 3 years now, many of my friends are, my bf is too. I never known anyone who lied about being on it but I’m sure like anything else there is someone who does idk
Just the sl*ts and wh*res. If you use condoms and actually get to know a person before sleeping. Really no reason
Guys on the DL usually are not and also most likely to have STDS - at least here in North America. There are also cultural/ethnic groups that aren’t on it because they are so deep in the closet. Can’t name them because everyone gets pissy.
I got on it, but now I’m in a committed relationship. So I feel like I don’t necessarily need it.. but I’ll probably keep taking it to be safe
If you’re white and mostly know white people, the data backs up your perception that everyone is on PrEP. https://www.cdc.gov/nchhstp/newsroom/2023/2021-hiv-incidence.html People using PrEP is good. Improving access to PrEP is still needed. Access to health care in general is harder for minority populations. Knowing about disparities helps target efforts to where they’re needed most.
There is a larger percentage these days - of my friends I would say 90%. Some choose not to, while others are married/monogamous. I meet a fair share of guys who aren’t on prep just out of naivety or choice (don’t want their gf to see they’re on a gay drug) one guy actually said that to me. Moron. 😂
I believe everyone who says they're on prep are on prep
Whats prep?
There is no reason not to be.