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PEP - Combivir

Two things, first one is a little bit silly but it's been worrying me so I figured I would ask it and I really appreciate anyone who would be willing to deal with my craziness and calm my fears.
1) I am taking combivir as a PEP for potential exposure to HIV. If I didn't contract HIV during the potential time that I could have and I take combivir anyway, would I be able to get HIV from the combivir itself? As in, could the combivir give me HIV? It sounds like a stupid question I know but it keeps bothering me.
2) I've been taking combivir for just under 1 week now and I have absolutely no side effects. I'm quite tired and I had a loss of appetite once I'd started taking it but I think that might have just been from the blind panic that I might have contracted HIV - I'm not so panicked anymore and I'm finding it easier to eat and to sleep. So if there are no side effects from the combivir, does that mean it's not working??? Or am I just lucky because I've read through testimonials of people taking combivir and it sounds like some of the people had a really tough time? Do some people experience no side effects? Does the fact that I'm having no side-effects indicate anything about my HIV status?

Thank you so much to anyone willing to help.
17 Responses
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Avatar universal
OK thank you lizzie I appreciate it!
Helpful - 0
186166 tn?1385259382
once again...

you had no risk
you dont need nPEP
you dont need testing

not really anything else to tell you.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I don't understand, I just want to protect myself and be safe. I know what I did was really stupid/wrong and I'm just quite ashamed of myself but I'm worried about my health. Are you saying I should relax?
Helpful - 0
186166 tn?1385259382
(although i am sure i didnt)

worse thing you can do is doubt what you KNOW to be fact.   anxiety is a killer ! ! !
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Avatar universal
thanks lizzie i do feel quite a bit better actually.
if for some reason i can't remember a bit of the episode and i did have unprotected vaginal sex (although i am sure i didn't), what would be the chances of transmission? the vaginal sex only went on for a few minutes at most, not long at all.
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186166 tn?1385259382
ooops...should have read "contact"
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186166 tn?1385259382
transmission requires penetration of an unprotected penis.  

unprotected "contract" is not a risk...transmission takes place INSIDE the body.

you had NO risk !
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Avatar universal
Okay that's much more comforting than what I've heard in the past before. Does the same apply to protected sex? I'm worried that I might have made light contact with the vagina whilst unprotected, but only because I can't remember the entire experience that well because I'd had so much to drink. Is there a risk there? I have racked my brains and I am almost certain that there was no unprotected penetration.
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186166 tn?1385259382
FROM THE HIV EXPERTS HERE AT MEDHELP:

There is no debate (among experts) about the HIV risks associated with oral sex.  The risk is so low that almost nobody who cares for HIV infected patients has ever had a patient believed to have been infected that way.  Among experts, it's a semantic issue about using terms like "no risk" and "very low risk".  There is no difference between my or Dr. Hook's use of "low risk" and other experts' "no risk".
DR. HANSFIELD

"And oral sex is basically safe sex -- completely safe with respect to HIV and although not zero risk for other STDs, the chance of infection is far lower than for unprotected vaginal or anal sex.  Please educate yourself about the real risks.  If you stick with oral sex and condom-protected vaginal or anal sex, you have no HIV worries and very little worry about other STDs. "   DR HANSFIELD

"I am sure you can find lots of people who belive that HIV is transmitted by oral sex, but you will not find scientific data to support this unrealistic concern..."   DR HOOK

"HIV is not spread by touching, masturbation, oral sex or condom protected sex."- DR. HOOK

in the public HIV Prevention forum of MedHelp, TEAK and the other moderators maintain that oral sex in all forms is a zero risk activity. Would you agree with this assessment?  
I TOTALLY AGREE / DR GARCIA

The observation on thousand and thousand of observations is that HIV is not spread by oral sex (of any sort).  DR. HOOK

"With regard to the question you ask, I will repeat, as I’ve said more times than I can think- there are NO credible cases in which persons have acquired HIV through performance of oral sex- none!!.  The chance that you will be the first is ridiculously low.  You are more likely to be hit by lightening while reading my reply to you. DR HOOK

"HIV is not spread by masturbation, through oral sex, through kissing or other casual contact." DR HOOK

"There is no credible evidence that HIV is spread through oral sex, with or without the presence of cuts or blood in the persons mouth."- DR HOOK

"Oral sex. there is no evidence that HIV is spread through giving or receiving oral sex"- DR HOOK

"HIV is not spread through oral sex."  DR HOOK

"HIV is not spread through giving or receiving oral sex"   DR HOOK

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Avatar universal
Yeah I am 99% sure. I definately had unprotected oral sex and I had protected vaginal sex. The problem is that I had had quite a lot to drink and although I was sure I didn't have unprotected vaginal sex (I remember asking the girl after if I wore a condom and she said I did) I was/am still worried and I couldn't forgive myself if I could have done something to avoid contracting HIV. Do neither put me at risk? I thought there was a risk albeit very small?
Thanks
Helpful - 0
186166 tn?1385259382
you had unprotected oral sex and protected vaginal sex?  neither put you at risk.
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Avatar universal
what do you mean?
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186166 tn?1385259382
YOU NEVER HAD A RISK FOR CONTRACTING HIV AND SHOULDNT HAVE BEEN GIVEN nPEP
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Avatar universal
Ahh thank you so much, I was being so stupid.
Do you know anything about my side effects questions? If there are none does that mean they're not working?

Thanks again
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
No you cannot contract HIV from ARVs.
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Avatar universal
yeah?
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Avatar universal
Contract HIV from ARVs?
Helpful - 0
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