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Avatar universal

PEP needed? Overly worried?

DR
im a male

Fri night. Business trip to the Denver, CO i went out for drinks. my memory is very spotty from the early evening until i realized things. I woke up with a woman at her apt (sat AM). i remember not doing very much but there was SOME unprotected vag intercourse. i remember asking her if she was clean. she said yes and that she hasnt had sex in over a year. shes 29 so do i believe her? i want to. at first she seemed reluctant to do anything as i did but the alcohol got the better of us and i inserted vaginally for a few seconds. stopped. then some more. stopped again. im recalling to the best of my ability. i remember urinating immediately after the last insertion. some oral was performed as well as i performed on her.

following day i caught my return flight to philadelphia. immediately drove to the ER in fear on contracting STDs and of course HIV. Anxiety was overhwhelming since im committed to someone else. in tears i saw the initial nurse who was an older man. said relax and since epidemic began he has yet to see one instance of single hetero contact.

i then waited for the ER nurse. she gave me a shot in buttocks and about 4 white antibiotic pills. she said they were aryth.... I cant remember name. Also i was given an Rx for Combivir (1 pill 2x a day) and Viracept (625mg 2 pills 2x a day). Have a 5 day supply and am to see my primary in a couple days to evaluate and lengthen Rx to 28days.

Qs

does shot and plls i took at ER last night sound right? Nurse mentioned its what they give to rape victims

is PEP necessary? Nurse didnt suggest it till I mentioned PEP. she said they usually give for occupational exposures which mine wasnt but still I was given the Rx and told to test at 6 weeks, 3 mos, 6 mos.

did shot and Rx take care of other STDs like syph, ghon, chlam, etc?

i should mention i was given my first dose of pep at ER. took 2nd dose this (sun) am. been speaking with woman who insists shes fine and feels as guilty as i do
8 Responses
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300980 tn?1194929400
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Rocephin is the brand name for ceftriaxone.

No, no medicatron interactions between lorazepam or alcohol.  


EWH
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Avatar universal
Any reply, Dr?
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Avatar universal
Thank you Dr Hook. I found my instruction/review papers from ER and it says

"You were given 1 gram of Azithromycin and 250 mg im of Rocephin to treat for possible gonorrhea or chlamydia"

You said the shot was probably ceftriaxone. Does the shot I received work the same or as well? Does your analysis of the treatment chgange?

Also I'm not aure if youy missed my questions but I had asked if taking my lorazepam and sometimes (dinner and family) drinking beer/alcohol will make PEP ineffective.

I'm currently in the process of working ouyt details on having my partner tested. She seems ok with it although her feelings are noticeably hurt and we have to work around her work schedule

Thank you and I look fwd to your reply
Helpful - 0
300980 tn?1194929400
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
sorry, I left out the word NOT.  I would not take it (PEP) myself.  

You are  correct.  Gonorrhea, chlamydia, NGU, syphilis, etc are not a concern following the treatment you received.  

The doctors who prescribed it should discuss PEP with you. Side effects are not common but they do occur.  EWH

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Avatar universal
Also you say other STDs are not a concern. Is that because of the treatment I was given in the ER? I mean to say, will the treatment I was given prevent the STDs like ghon, chlam, ngu, syph? I'm sorry for over commenting before your replies. Through the anxiety I forgot to ask this. I also take medication for anxiety. I know, what was I doing even putting myself in the situation. I take Lorazepam as needed. Will that interfere with PEP? Also will social alcohol drinking with family andd friends interfere with the PEP? Basically should I cut out all meds and alcohol while on PEP? Again, thank you
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Avatar universal
Thank you very much for your information, Dr. I'm slightly confused at your wording here though. I'll paste

"If this cannot be accomplished, personally, unless she was an IV drug user or had some other characteristic which put her at risk, I still would probably take the PEP.  That is my opinion"

You would take PEP? Or you wouldn't? I'm reading that as if she wasn't an IV drug user you wouldn't but then you say you would probably take it.

Can you please clarify? And PEP wasn't described very thoroughly to me. Are the risks and side effects of taking it serious? I'm continuing talking to this woman right now and she seems very honest as we just talk about general stuff. Thank you for your time
Helpful - 0
300980 tn?1194929400
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to our Forum. Since I was not present during your visit to the ED on Saturday (yesterday?) I cannot comment too much on the circumstances which lead to the treatment provided by the doctors in the ED.  the treatment you received was almost certainly a combination of ceftriaxone (the shot) and azithromycin ( the pills).  These antibiotics will cure diseases such as gonorrhea, chlamydia, NGU, incubating syphilis, etc.  

In my mind however, the PEP is another thing.  Pardon me for the editorial but I have to say that giving these expensive drugs used for PEP (did you have to pay for them?) and exposing person to their side effects and then handing off the responsibility for follow-up, etc is not something I endorse.   My guess is that you really did not need the PEP.  HIV is uncommon among heterosexual women, occurring in somewhere between 1 in 1,000 and 1 in 10,000 women and even in the unlikely circumstance that your partner had HIV, your risk of infection was less than 1 infection per 1,000 exposures. thus your mathematical risk fo infection is less than 1 in a million and probably lower.  

That said, I also understand the guilt and anxiety that you may be experiencing.  If you can contact your Denver partner, my advice would be to do so and to ask her to get tested.  If she does not have HIV you certainly do not need the PEP.  If this cannot be accomplished, personally, unless she was an IV drug user or had some other characteristic which put her at risk, I still would probably take the PEP.  That is my opinion.  Other visitors to this site, as you may have noticed would take the PEP is the chances were 1 in a million or even 1 in 100 million.  Thus the PEP decision does have a certain element of choice to it depending on your tolerance of the very small risk of HIV involved.

I hope these comments are some help.  Other STDs are really not a concern.  I hope my comments will help you with your decision regarding continuing PEP.  EWH
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Avatar universal
im reading on your forum that PEP is extreme. should i discontinue use? im in a dizzied state of confusion and anxiety
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