How effective is PrEP?

Are you fucking serious OP?

This is what annoys me about Prep… it’s made gays thirsty for bareback, but somehow not responsible for figuring out how to stay safe from HIV. It’s not a magic pill OP. Maybe you get half a point for asking questions, but minus a point for not doing a bit of research your damned self.

R1 I'll take that as a "NO". Thanks for your input even though you didn't deliver it graciously.

As a matter of fact, I have done Google searches and called Gilead, the drug's manufacturer. It is very difficult to get a straight answer. Nowhere have I seen advice to use condoms in conjunction with Descovy.

So I am looking for some plain language anecdotal advice.

aspie alert

What’s the point of having sex if the top doesn’t breed you?

As gay men we have been placed on this earth to take as much seed as humanly possible. There’s no greater sensation than a top pumping his load into you.

So, Miss OP puts out on the first "date."

Pretty sure you're supposed to take 2 pills 24 hours beforehand.

If it’s very difficult to get a straight answer, why wouldn’t you just assume it’s not safe?

There’s no greater sensation than a top pumping his load into you.

Oh ffs you cant feel a thing, it's all psychological

Op:I think it’s encouraged to use a condom even if on PREP. I’m sure I’ll get shit for saying that.

You should be safe. You can take it AFTER you have unprotected sex (as PEP) and still prevent HIV infection.

Ask him when he was last tested. Prep is about 99% effective at preventing HIV infection, so if you’re reasonably confident that he’s been tested recently then it’s extremely safe. It’s quite safe even without that knowledge but that will make you feel more secure probably. Have fun.

Yes, it is safe - as far as HIV goes. But, of course you already know that it doesn't prevent other STIs.

OP, does your "date" have sizemeat?

I understand prep and HIV...but have to ask if you're at all concerned with STDS?

OP Can I have your stuff?

Don't be daft. Play safe. Use a condom since you cannot get "straight" answers about your drug. Presumably you don't want an STD so a condom seems necessary. If you don't care about an STD, and want a sensation, have him pull out and spray your ass with his wad.

Unless R14 uses a condom for oral he’s just as likely to pick up any of the other STDs that way, so don’t let that ignorance distract you.

Rub some clay on your hole first OP, you should be fine.

Let me pray on it.

OP, I've found this:

[Quote][bold]For people who have anal sex, PrEP becomes highly effective after seven days if it is taken every day.[/bold] It takes longer to become effective—21 days of daily use—to be effective at preventing HIV after injection of drugs or in people having vaginal sex.

In terms of the protection from HIV you should be fine OP.

However it gives you zero protection against other STIs. It's not magic, it protects against only one thing.

OP. Take time to groom (i.e. douche) properly before your date and be responsible for your own lubrication. Lots of lube reduces risk of tears, tops don't care they just want to shove it in. Safe or bareback, you should always use lots of lube.

Start taking fiber supplements now, and TONS of water every day, so you'll be super clean when the time cums.

Is your date on prep? It is worth asking. If both of you are on it I suspect there is next to zero risk.

OP, sorry I came off as less than gracious. I was going for the typically cunty R1.

In all serious though, as someone whose friends have started taking Prep, I know there is a time period after you first start taking it after which your doctor is supposed to take another blood test to confirm the medicine’s efficacy. I thought it was 2 weeks, but I’m unsure. Then after 3 months (I think) of active cumguzzling and load chasing, you get tested again for your HIV status as well as other markers in your blood.

R24, that wasn't cunty, that was therapy worthy. Give yourself a read.

What color background would you like on your quilt panel?

R20 do you use condoms for oral?

R4- I have some news for you-

You’re A Whore Darlin

OP, Google Gay Men's Health Clinic. They may come up under different names but these clinics are easy to find, they give a lot of very good, and free, advice over the phone so you don't have to travel. That said you might be closer to one than you think. It's good you get along with your current doctor, but it's really best that you have someone with the most up to date knowledge on the particulars of heath when it comes to gay sex.

Jesus fucking Christ.

YES you can take his load if you’ve been on PrEP as long as you have been.

It is more than 99% effective.

Anyone telling you to wear a condom as well “to protect against other STDs” is ridiculous, because those other STDs could be transmitted via oral sex or frottage — which NO ONE wears a condom for.

Datalounge is one of the absolute worst and most ignorant places to ask questions about barebacking and PrEP. Clueless old farts and fat unfuckable prisses.

OP, you’ll be fine. PrEP really is like a miracle drug.

I have been on PrEP for 3 years already, and I admit I'm a hoe. I live in NYC and 98% of the time I fuck raw (although I have to point out I'm a top and circumcised, which statistically speaking I am at lower risk than a bottom or someone uncircumcised). PrEP is almost 100% effective ONLY if you take it every day (preferably at the same time). Remember, if you first start taking it, it takes 2 weeks in men for you to be completely protected. Also, if you stop taking it, you have to keep taking it 2 weeks after the last time you had sex. I have followed these procedures, and it has worked for me very well. A little piece of advice, I'd suggest taking Descovy instead of Truvada. Both are equally effective, but Descovy is a little less harmful on the bones and kidneys over time.

This being said, if like you say it has been 2 weeks since you started taking it, I don't see why you shouldn't go bareback (if you don't care about other STDs besides HIV). Given the fact that you're from a small town in the South, it's very likely you or your date don't have STDs (not saying that in a shady way). Good luck, and keep us updated ;)

Seriously, though, why would you want to take somebody's load up your ass? It doesn't do anything for the bottom.

Confirmed: R32 is bad in bed.

Why?

Troll thread?

It's all laid out there until the "I want to get fucked NOW" business.

If the OP knew enough to ask for Descovy over Truvada, the bitch can't Google info on duration of treatment before being (relatively) safe?

Bullshit. The most casual search tells how it goes.

R35.

OP Descovy user here. Since your doctor doesn't know much about the drug, I'm wondering how much he knows about the ongoing labs that are recommended for patients taking Descovy for PrEP. My primary care doctor is gay, and on top of that my PrEP care is through a local gay health services clinic. I split time between San Francisco and Palm Springs, so I realize I'm lucky that I have access to lots of LGBT+ health care resources.

As R31 says, there are mild risks with Descovy associated with bone density and kidney function over time. These risks are much lower than the drug formulation in Truvada, but they are still present, and Descovy for PrEP is something people take indefinitely. Most doctors familiar with Descovy and PrEP protocols put patients on quarterly labs for HIV, STDs, and other tests to see how the patients are doing with kidney function etc.

I know there are online services that are prescribing Descovy for PrEP now, but because of the care I have, I don't know much about them. You may want to look into services like MISTR (heymistr.com) for your PrEP. Or, even though you live far away, it might be worth contacting a PrEP counselor at someplace like San Francisco AIDS Foundation (sfaf.org) or Desert AIDS Project (daphealth.org) to get some guidance on PrEP resources that may be available in your area.

Good luck, be safe, take care, have fun. ❤️🏳️‍🌈

All the trolls here complaining about OP's thread, it's not a bad idea to hear personal experiences instead of online articles. You can get more personal here and share your experiences. That's what this whole website is all about. You people act like you have way too many and more important things to do, yet you're still on here.

Can I have your stuff, OP?

R37 thanks

R26 made me lol. I'm still giggling.

Seriously though, good thread OP. People ask questions like this on reddit all the time but I rarely see it on DL. Which is odd. Or maybe I'm just missing the threads.

Have a good date! Let us know how it goes.

Would it occur to you to not get fucked up the ass until you have bonafide answers to your questions?

OP and his filthy bellows.

[quote] As a matter of fact, called Gilead, the drug's manufacturer. It is very difficult to get a straight answer.

It went something like this:

OP: “Hi, I’m hoping you can help. I am a bottom who has a date with a top tomorrow night! I have been on PrEP for two weeks now. Is it safe for me to have bareback sex with him? Especially if I ask him not to cum inside me?”

Gilead representative: “WHORE!” (hangs up)

OP, you have a lot of fucking nerve to accuse someody of answering your stoopid fucking dumbass question 'ungraciously', or however you put it in your puerile and really unacceptable fashion. USE A FUCKING CONDOM! And grow the fuck up. This isn't the place for mama's boys, fruits, nuts and flakes, dear. Lipstick Alley has a few openings. Go check them out.

R25, thank you for the kind perspective. As flattered as I am, I don’t think I should be dispensing advice or therapy to OP since I am not a professional.

I certainly hope OP got the gist that I was just giving friendly, broad strokes of advice. Much like the long, bare strokes he’s craving from his lecherous date.

R45 tbh your comment is a bit nuts.

[Quote]OP and his filthy bellows.

I beg your pardon!

OP is a massive whore and a spaz

R45 You need to grow the fuck up, psycho.

R45 is a registered cunt on this site.

OP, you don’t have to use a condom.

R42, he GOT his bona fide answers right here in this thread. Yes, he’s safe after two weeks of PrEP. No, he doesn’t have to use a condom.

R51 Thanks

[Quote]This isn't the place for mama's boys, fruits, nuts and flakes, dear.

That also includes booze and dope!!

Bump

^^ Yes, update please!

OP Why didn't you discuss it with your doctor?

Antidotal advice; Douching with Coca-cola afterwards should kill any of those STDs bugs. Why would you ever take medical advice from an anon source?

R56 Because like he said (and it happens a lot), his doctor doesn't see gay patients or treat them with PrEP that often, so he basically just says what the CDC/FDA tells him. Some doctors are honestly moronic. I'm a hypochondriac, and I read a lot about medicine. I have gone to doctors and I tell them about medical studies or peer-reviewed articles I have read, and some of them just say, "oh, I didn't know that."

Just got a notification that my insurance is no longer covering Descovy in 2022, only the new generic version of Truvada. I have always taken it but practiced “safer” sex. HIV is not the only STD out there. If you take it, don’t let it make you reckless with your health.

If your doctor knows your gay and prescribes a medicine he doesn’t know anything about to you, just because you asked, what kind of real medical care are you getting? Seriously find a different provider that will at least take the time to understand their patients needs.

^you owe it to yourself.

My GP is gay and his patient base is mostly gay men. He is very knowledgeable. If you are sexually active, you should look for one as well, since he can help you to maintain your sexual health.

I'm on Descovy. I started six months ago. The paper Descovy gives you with all the fine print says something about meant to be used with or should be used with a condom. Also getting it through online MISTR. Doctors very helpful and knowledgeable. In Pennsylvania it's free for everyone.

It's not been fully proven or properly tested yet.

OP in the future also go to Reddit and use “askgaymen” or “askgaybrosover30.” That’s what I do.

There is some great advice on this thread from sexually actively DLers but also some serious judgment and nastiness from bitches scolding and shaming you for asking a reasonable question on a gay men’s forum about the effectiveness of prep. You would think OP had posted on some Christian frau mommy blog the way some of you cats are hissing at him.

MEOW!!!!

Of course they’re going to tell you to use it with a condom, but no one does.

It’s a return to the hedonistic 60s and 70s, and if you’re horny, you should fuckin’ *go for it*

People here that are saying their insurances don’t cover Descovy, you might still be able to get it. I have Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield, and my insurance also doesn’t cover Descovy UNLESS your doctor specifically requests that you need it instead of Truvada or its generic form. Ask your doctor about this, and he/she might be able to prescribe it to you as long as they specifically send the request, and it’s likely it’ll be approved. I’ve also heard that Gilead has special programs where they will pay for most (or all) of your Descovy prescription if you have a certain amount of income.

Yes I have never paid a copay for Truvada or Descovy. Get the copay assistance card from Gilead.

Thanks for the heads up r67

[quote] Antidotal advice; Douching with Coca-cola afterwards should kill any of those STDs bugs.

Oh, dear; oh Dear oh; dear!!!!

I always cringe when I see a HIV/Prep/PEP related thread on the DL considering the incredible ignorance, and judgement, of most posters. Probably all of whom haven’t had sex since the 80’s and are projecting their frustration towards the OP or well informed posters.

This thread doesn’t disappoint in this matter, but it’s also good to see excellent, well informed answers. Yes OP, go ahead and have sex as nature intended, ie. without condoms, as long as you take your prep as prescribed (ie every day or “on demand”, which is 2+1+1). Numerous studies in Europe and Australia have shown that prep is >99% effective at preventing the transmission of HIV between partners.

What prep will not do is prevent the transmission of other STDs. For those however, a pill or injection will take care of them. Have fun!

What about anal warts from HPV if receiving anal? That's one of the STDs you can get if no condom.

Even a condom doesn't prevent that, as not all of the condom can cover all of the groin and genitals where HPV may be present.

Just say NO!

OMG! Why has no one mentioned the risk of other STIs?!

[Quote]What about anal warts from HPV if receiving anal?

It is a concern.

[Quote]Among men who have sex with men (MSM), the incidence of anal cancer is significantly more prevalent and increasing annually.

[Quote]Current estimates are that HIV negative MSMs are 20 times more likely to be diagnosed with anal cancer. Their rate is about 40 cases per 100,000.

Does the cervical cancer vaccine stop anal warts or does it just prevent them from becoming cancerous?

R76 It should prevent anal cancer if you're vaccinated before the age of 26. Afterwards, they're not sure, perhaps since you're already likely to have been exposed to HPV.

[Quote]The best form of prevention for anal cancer may be a vaccination against HPV infection. Currently, Gardasil by Merck, has been approved as a prophylaxis against HPV and cervical cancer for girls between the ages of 9 and 26.

[Quote]The FDA is considering its use in boys, ages 9 to 26 also, based on preliminary research showing that it was effective for them as well.

[Quote]The large study included 500 self-identified gay men. [Bold]While that will prevent boys from developing anal cancer later in their lives, it is unclear how Gardasil may help adult MSMs over 26 years old, HIV+ men and those already infected with HPV.[/bold]

R75, that must be an old link because Gardasil is now approved for all to age 45

R78 You're right, it's from 2009. The one posted here is from 2019.

I’m getting the gardisil shot (3 shots actually) at 42. Better late than never.

I'm 46 and my doctor won't give me the shots!

Another vote for roundly ignoring R45.

Entirely without merit. A low bar here. His only advantage over Greg is he apparently pays to flaunt her name.

I got throat cancer from HPV at 27, most likely from oral sex. I had the HPV vaccine after that. Haven't sucked a dick, rimmed an ass or bb since.

Is that because you bring up your cancer, R83? I imagine probably on the first date. FYI it kills the mood, much like it killed this thread.

[quote] Haven't sucked a dick, rimmed an ass or bb since.

Yikes. Sorry about the cancer and glad you’re still with us, but… do you ever wish it had just killed you?

I now have genital herpes and apparently it can recur and recur. Do I have to tell everyone I have sex with? Is there a cure?

Nice try R86.

Nothing tastes as good as being free of HIV feels!

I know people who have died from AIDS and people who live with HIV. You don't want it!

That’s why god invented PrEP, R89.

Good luck, OP. Grew up in the 80s, and have known a number of people with HIV/AIDS.

On the off chance you are being serious, make your partner and yourself get tested. There are free clinics in most cities in the US. They're generally walk-in, and the test itself takes about 10 minutes. While you wait, the person conducting the test might ask you about your sexual past. I make that part casual, but entertaining because I do like to entertain from time to time.

Even if you're not in a position to give to the free clinics that perform those services at this time, do so in the future.

And if you throw all caution to the wind, and do it anyway, best of luck to you. I have, and have come up negative. Not sure how, but it does happen.

What tests are we talking about, R91?

HIV/AIDS test.

I do not take Prep.

Does PrEP prevent syphilis, gonorrhea, herpes and what may have you? Wear a rubber and a mask at least. People are dumb as fuck.

[quote]People are dumb as fuck.

Yes, we can see that.

Yes, STDs do exist. I've been around the proverbial block a number of times. Somehow, I've never had a single STD. Not even one of the minor ones. How? No clue. I've had all sorts of random hook-ups.

You do know that they also have prescription medication for anxiety, depression, and other various social issues. Sometimes the problem comes from within. Have fun with that, R94.

W&W for R96.

[quote] It is more than 99% effective.

Said like that, it's not reassuring. 1% failure over hundreds of time I'd have sex with HIV+ strangers in my lifetime means getting HIV can happen with non-negligible probability. I do hope the success rate is more like 99.999%.

R98 its 99% effective at preventing HIV in an encounter when you expose yourself to HIV. It’s not like 1 out of 100 times, because not everybody has HIV and / or is infectious. Given that prep is lowering the rate of HIV in the general population it’s getting less and less likely that your partner would have HIV to begin with. Ditto with increased rates of testing, and greater access to medication for positive ppl all means your likelihood of encountering an infectious HIV person is decreasing. It’s as safe as if not safer than using a condom in a non laboratory setting. Does that sound reassuring?

If everyone is on PrEP or on HIV meds, we finally have a chance to stop HIV!

[quote] its 99% effective at preventing HIV in an encounter when you expose yourself to HIV. It’s not like 1 out of 100 times, because not everybody has HIV and / or is infectious. Given that prep is lowering the rate of HIV in the general population it’s getting less and less likely that your partner would have HIV to begin with.

Exactly. And to be at risk of still contracting HIV 1% of the time, you’d have to be on PrEP and ONLY have sex with HIV+ tops who aren’t on any antiretroviral meds.

It’s just ridiculous to even worry about, but people don’t understand numbers—as we’ve seen with Covid vaccines and the way people think about efficacy rates.

Why is that ridiculous? Given the high prevalence of HIV positive people amount the gay community (in the US, more than half of HIV+ people are gay and bisexual men), the odds of hooking up with someone positive are not low.

Because PrEP reduces your chances of getting HIV from one of those HIV+ people to less than one percent, R102. Ugh

Exactly my point. So if you have 100 hook ups with HIV people over your lifetime, 1% is not small.

If I told you that the probability of air crashes was 1%, you'd freak out and stop flying.

So I do hope that the actual percentage is more like 99.999%

Respectfully, I don’t think you understand the concept of relative risk. Either that, or you are or are planning to be one of the biggest bottom cumdump sluts alive. In that case, yeah… I guess it’s worth worrying about?

That's right, resorting to name calling when contradicted. I'm still waiting for the latter. Where's my math wrong?

Ah that's right, "people don't understand numbers"...

What math have you even shown? Look, I’ve been a total bareback slut myself (but as a top, not a bottom), so I’m not shaming you or calling you any names.

The problem isn’t your math, it’s that you’re trying to justify your anxiety by using statistically highly unlikely conditions and assuming they’ll be the conditions you encounter most frequently in your life. It just doesn’t jibe with reality.

R94 You're saying people are dumb as fuck, yet you suggest wearing a mask during sex? You're the DL version of Cirque Du Soleil.

[quote]I've been around the proverbial block a number of times. Somehow, I've never had a single STD. Not even one of the minor ones. How? No clue.

Let's start with asymptomatic.

"if you have 100 hook ups with HIV people over your lifetime, 1% is not small."

Hun, 1% of 100 = 1. Which is pretty much the definition of small.

Ok, speaking of people who don't understand numbers... Let me spell it out for you.

Yes 1 seems a small number. But that 1 is when your seroconvert! In other words, on average, over 100 hookups with an HIV positive partner, 1 is likely to get you infected. That sounds quite bad to me! So it's not a small number for such a life-changing outcome... If it's unclear, read my analogy with air crashes.

Again, hoping the actual number is more like 0.01%...

R111 no that’s not it.

Relying on a condom is less effective particularly since the condom has to be put on correctly, might break, and could be taken off by the top (stealthing).

The most powerful reason why PrEP is superior is that, finally, the bottom has control of prevention.

R111 is just tragic. I could cry at the cluelessness.

R113, condoms saved a lot of lives between the 1980s and Prep. Come on.

That’s true, R115, and thank god for that. But that doesn’t negate what R113 said.

No and I agree Prep is the superior intervention but I read the arguments against condom use as a bit of a stretch.

I've never had a condom break (and have never known anybody claim so), I have a difficult time envisioning the monumental complexity of putting on a condom properly, and I guess there are people of mental or ethical disorders who would stealth but again, seems like a stretch.

As a healthy skeptic, I had to wonder if R113 wasn't stealthing around the probably true but in the scheme of things irrelevant whine 'but it feels better!' In my experience sex using condoms feels better than no sex at all or sex on HIV meds or antibiotics or Valtrex. Condoms are practical for the prevention of disease that Prep isn't meant for. And no physician will argue that when it comes to any illness prevention is not the first, best course of action. Call me a pragmatist.

R114 continues in name calling but they're unable to articulate what is wrong with what I'm saying.

[Quote] condoms saved a lot of lives between the 1980s and Prep. Come on.

HIV infection rates didn’t go down at all during the entire condom-always messaging period.

Certainly lives were saved by individuals who used them, but nothing like the power of Prep to actually make dramatic progress to stop the spread of HIV

Few people actually used condoms all the time. Thus, they weren’t all that effective overall

Of cpurse you can cite research, R120?

R121 its self evident. People were still contracting HIV in steady numbers. Thankfully prep can change that.

R121, here you go

A Third of U.S. Men Use Condoms, but Not Every Time.

Just 19% of men use condoms every time

Some of you asked me to report back. It went well. Glad I did it.

If I write more, somebody will claim this is an EST.

Are you dead yet, Op

R124, did he cum inside you?

No, but I wanted him too.

R127, that’s the whole point of PrEP. No more worrying about HIV . You’ll be seen by a doc every few months to check for other possible STIs.

Enjoy sex. Stop being fearful of an intimate act

[Quote] My doctor knows that I am gay and is comfortable with me. However, I'm guessing that he doesn't have a lot of experience with gay men. At my request, he has prescribed Descovy. But he knows hardly anything about it.

Any good doctor would have gone and read up on it the second a patient brought it up and he prescribed it. He should be more aware of how it works by now

R128 Thanks.

I don't want to lower the tone, but I gather anal warts or herpes anywhere is something that in retrospect often seems less troublesome than it actually is, so is it perhaps possible that we can all make different choices that suit our levels of risk. And in that spirit, why must everyone who doesn't want to bareback be fearful of sex? Can't they just be, oh, I don't know, less unconcerned about risk of other STIs?

While as a bottom, I don’t really feel much when guys cum inside me, not having to deal with a condom means the spontaneity of sex, the lack of interruption to get and out in a condom, brings the magical aspects back to sex. Plus, when he cums, you know he’s feeling it all.

[Quote] And in that spirit, why must everyone who doesn't want to bareback be fearful of sex? Can't they just be, oh, I don't know, less unconcerned about risk of other STIs?

Gay men have been taught that sex with another man, the most central aspect of who we are, might kill us. That has completely screwed with us psychologically.

Yes, condoms can be STI prevention, but when people keep yelling “use condoms or you’ll get terrible STIs” as an excuse for not starting PrEP, there’s a lot of AIDS fear still in that.

I was amazed, as a bottom, at the difference in sensation.

R134, glad you feel a difference. I don’t feel much of a difference between a guy who wears a condom and a guy who doesn’t. The main difference I feel is the worry about if the condoms slips or breaks. PrEP ends that worry

[quote] I was amazed, as a bottom, at the difference in sensation.

Tell us more. This is sure to be controversial and triggering for some.

I’m now applying the same no fucks given policy that I have for anti vaxxers/maskers. Please do what you want. It’s your body, your choice. I don’t care anymore. The Serenity Prayer is a wonderful thing.

Are you the “1 time out of 100” poster from upthread, R137?

OP tell us the details!

If I give details, it would be dubbed an EST. Let’s just say that I never ever had so much fun.

I'm sorry that previously your sex life was that unremarkable.

R141 you have no idea How good it was. You’re just a troll.

OP what's EST?

Elaborate Scenario Troll

Someone who writes porn fantasies rather than reality, basically

Ohhh thank you.

Gulp.... is that the worst thing? Who cares if it's a fantasy lol. If it's hot, it's hot?

[quote] Let’s just say that I never ever had so much fun.

and that's the whole point--not fear and paranoia

Thankfully, PrEP has brought us back to that.

Fucking naturally is the way sex is supposed to be.

Thanks to PrEP we don’t have to fear while we feel maximum pleasure.

Lol, r147, you sound like Dr Frank N Furter - "absolute pleasure!!" 🤣🤣🤣

R 148 hasn’t been fucked since 1983. I’m tired of the sex phobia on DataLounge.

Yes PrEP can be so freeing.

After a decade of using condoms, and tops trying to persuade me to let them fuck me without a condom, and freaking out a few times because the condoms broke—PrEP is a huge psychological relief.

Sex just flows better. There’s no stopping to put on the condom. There no taking off the condom when you’re done and sticking on another when you want to fuck again. Plus, you know the top is feeling everything.

This is the way sex is supposed to be. Why not experience it that way? PrEP allows that by taking away all the fear.

What about the dookey though. That has to be addressed in the post-condom utopia.

People who act like “oh, it’s just a little bit of dookey, no big deal” are the most disgusting people in the planet. You’re not changing a diaper. No amount of poo is acceptable. Especially on the skin.

Condoms give protection from that.

R151, it’s not all about the top anymore. I don’t have to pray the top doesn’t try anything shady and will keep the condom on the whole time. I can finally take care of my own health

Or have sex with a better quality of person. Just a thought.

OP asked for a straight answer and other than r19, none bothered. DL is no longer as helpful as it used to be. And r1 biting OP's head off for simply asking a question, is the type of person you don't want to be around in real life. Definitely an early 1950s boomer eldergay.

R128 is the Life is A Banquet Troll.

Yes exactly r154 that’s why I said go to Reddit - AskGayBros or AskGayMen for any sex questions. Datalounge isn’t that place to go for that.

I love the feel of cum up my ass

OP, PrEP doesn't work in the South. Both cornbread and poke salad interfere with the effectiveness of PrEP. You need to live in a blue state for it to work properly.

R158 That's discouraging.

Damn, OP, that was cold. I'm actually on your side, I'm a PrEP-usin', bb, slut bottom - just like most other nurses I know. I just thought the way r147 phrased it was cute. That was my version of "Yassss kween!" Sheesh, I get that everyone's on edge around here lately bc of all the sex-negative dinosaurs, but come ON, you don't always have to assume the worst.

R160 Thanks. I agree with you and regret the post.

Any further thoughts? Most of you have been super helpful. I just think there might be others who have the same question?

there is a generational conflict in this thread, and it is understandable... it is hard for the aids-generation to see kids today killing themselves thinking that they are the post-aids/std/sti generation... who cares about you kids catching aids when just herpes can ruin your life.

there is no way of getting them to be conscious of the world they live in, they are too dumbed out by the food they eat, the TV they watch, the social media bs and all those things they believe are real.

solution : let's buy big pharma stocks and let's learn to let go.

People on prep thinking they can't get HIV is like people who are double vaxxed thinking they can't get covid. They can, they do, and they die.

At this point, it shouldn't surprise me how much DL hates the idea of gay sex, but it still does. Every time.

And plus even if you do get HIV it is hardly a death sentence. guys on DL think it is 1982 still.

I asked a guy if I could cum in him, and he was on PrEP. He was really scared to let me cum in him. I cummed on our underwear accidently because I didn't expect him to say I couldn't cum in him, and because I was so close to cumming I couldn't control my ejaculation and aim it elsewhere in time. Also, he is in his late 40's. I wondered if his doctor told him it's unsafe for a guy to cum in you even if you are on PrEP, or if he even asked his doctor at all.

R167, how old are you?

It’s supposed to be used as precaution, not as a free pass.

R168 29.

Op, did you let him cum in you?

All the STIs that condoms protect against can be contracted orally. So how is there an argument against condom free sex (while on PrEp) because you might get Chlamydia, etc? Are these STIs somehow worse if contracted through anal sex?

Get out of the kiddie pool. Take a dip in the danger zone.

[quote]Anyone telling you to wear a condom as well “to protect against other STDs” is ridiculous, because those other STDs could be transmitted via oral sex or frottage — which NO ONE wears a condom for.

Oh, ok. I guess the younger gay friend I had to go pick up from the clinic after having venereal warts removed from his urethra was just overreacting. Gotcha.

I have another bizarre younger he/they gay friend who was just treated for syphilis in his anus. Good times.

Neither has ever used a condom in his life. Ever.

R31- You ain't a hoe

You're a WHORE darlin.

R174 I don’t think you understood the point the commenter you quoted was making.

And tbh syphilis obviously isn’t fun but I’m sure your friend was able to handle taking an antibiotic twice a day for a week lol.

Sometimes a guy will want me to fuck them RAW and they tell me they're on Prep. I tell them I NEVER fuck without a condom.

The simple answer to OP's question is: very effective. Just start taking it at least a week before sexual contact. And yes, cumming inside someone is the most natural and most pleasurable way for sex. That's why so many teenage and college girls get accidentally pregnant. Pulling out and jerking off was only popularized by porn for the cumshot. There many Onlyfans now that mostly feature internals because the demand for "real" sex is rising.

Anal sex is a more likely route for transmission of other STIs.

I’m not on PreP, but people’s maths sucks upthread. The 1/100 is small. I don’t know why this is hard to understand. Say that 1 in 40 hookups has uncontrolled HIV. 1/40 X 1/100 = 1/4000 chance of PreP failure given realistic demographics. Most gay people with HIV in the West are on long term medication, a huge chunk are undetectable. So we’re only talking about the small number who recently seroconverted without knowing. The chances of PreP failure are therefore very low given the demographic/epidemiological picture.

It’s worth the poster who was concerned about the 99% looking up how probability works, especially the role of multiplication.

Condoms are not 100 per cent effective. They break. They aren’t put on correctly.

As someone noted above, PrEP represents the first opportunity for bottoms to take charge of their own health.

As someone on PrEP, I don’t care if the top uses a condom or not. I’m fine either way.

PrEP is really about me taking charge of my own health and not having to depend on what the top wants to do.

I only do “weekend”’PrEP because I can’t see myself taking a drug constantly and, in the last year, I’ve only had sex intermittently anyway

No one here is talking much about the long term side effect of taking these drugs - Truvada or Descovy ( isn't that a species of duck). They can be quite TOXIC.

R184

That's where I have concerns too. If you're a person who intends to have all the sex partners you possibly can, then PREP makes total sense, consequences and side effects be damned. But if you are the type to rarely hookup - once a year? - and only have monogamous sex with long term partners (lets say...4 in your lifetime) then is it worth the liver or kidney damage or whatever else to take PREP your whole life "just to be sure"?

Something tells me that any really harmful side effects would be downplayed or never even studied that extensively because the straight medical community probably views any negative consequences as acceptable given this drug is "a way to keep those whoring gays from spreading this over and over to the rest of us 'good people' ".

(Not to be overly negative)

R185- Only have sex once a year- Like Stanley and Helen Roper.

or R185- One can just use a condom or have the top use a condom until one is in a monogamous relationship. I only fuck with a condom ( top here) although I've slipped 2 or 3 times over the years. Not since 2019 at least. I've been tested for HIV and I'm negative.

[Quote] . But if you are the type to rarely hookup - once a year? - and only have monogamous sex with long term partners (lets say...4 in your lifetime) then is it worth the liver or kidney damage or whatever else to take PREP your whole life

PrEP was approved by the FDA for temporary use, not a lifetime of use

R188 That’s interesting.

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monogamous relationship.

How many times do we have to go thorough this? Usually only one of the persons is in a monogamous relationship, the other is out doing his thing.

For all the queens worried about STDs:

Gonorrhea: Curable in 1 week max.

Chlamydia: Curable with 1 pill in 1 day,

Syphilis: Curable in 2 weeks max.

HIV: Not curable, but almost 100% preventable if PrEP is used correctly.

HPV: Most strains preventable with vaccine, and if you get it, it goes away in most cases in 1-2 years. Good thing you won't get cervical cancer because, duh, you don't have a cervix.

Herpes 1. (aka oral herpes): Most people will get herpes 1 at some point in their life. This being said, most people are asymptomatic their whole lives and never get cold sores. They're mostly a stereotype. The virus is in fact a type of cold, that is EXTREMELY easy to get it. As easy as sharing utensils or drinks. Even some children get it early in life. In fact, it's so common that when you get an STDs test, they don't include it. You have to specifically ask for it, and they might even charge you extra.

Herpes 2 (aka genital herpes): If you are a 100% condom user, it reduces the chances of getting it only by 30% meaning you might as well not use condom if you are still 70% still likely to get it. If it's any consolation, statistically speaking, it's more common in straight people, especially women. But that doesn't mean it's not present in the gay community.

OP, if you are fully on PrEP, then you should not worry other STDs. They're part of life, just as common colds are. If you're not worried about colds, then you shouldn't worry about STDs. They're mostly stereotypes because they are related to sex, therefore are are considered a taboo subject. Most people on this thread are old men who still have PTSD from the 80s.

R193 thanks for one of the most helpful posts. A doctor once told me that the herpes virus is ubiquitous in the human population. Something like 92% of us already have it. And I have had Gardasil. So I feel confident.

R193 you wrote the post I was going to write - only things I'd add:

get your Hep A and Hep B vaccines too, and if you are in a big city especially (I know OP isn't) just be aware of the drug-resistant Gon that's on the rise.

And remember to check for crabs and bedbugs.

The best advice on here comes down to one thing: education from reliable gay-friendly sources is your best answer to make the choices that are right for you. Don't expect others to have made those same exact choices, so it's up to you to know enough to protect yourself when you are in a situation where you need protecting.

I know how it is out there, with bareback sex and cum in your hole as the new gay handshake...in the likely small circle of gay men in a small town people will know that you've done that sooner than you think. For me (and your decision may be different) I'd be thinking "when in doubt, don't" and make him wait at least a little before giving him everything, if only so there's a tiny bit of pursuit, of mystique.

R195 You're right, I completely forgot about Hep A & B. Both are also preventable by a vaccine.

R195 Thanks for the observation about small town gay life.

I’m aware. It’s the reason I do my whoring in the very big city 90 miles away.

All the ignorant, sex-negative, Boris Maiden Aunt trolls notwithstanding, the efficacy of PrEP is well proven at this point.

There are only 4 documented cases in the western world of people becoming HIV positive while properly using PrEP. There are a few more from Africa, with less robust evidence of medication compliance. During PrEP trials where everything was locked down, there no HIV infections among those taking PrEP.

The few modern studies that are out there have huge methodological problems, like, the researchers didn't really monitor compliance, and the researchers didn't check for other illnesses, or addiction or other issues that might contribute to either medication noncompliance, or susceptibility to infection.

One study from a clinic in NYC tried to claim that the risk of HIV while on PrEP is about 1:1800, but that was because their population sample was people who said they were taking PrEP and were going to a PrEP clinic. There was no monitoring of PrEP use; and there were problems with pre-PrEP testing, meaning some people may have been HIV+ before they began PrEP.

Other STIs are a risk with all sex, heterosexual and homosexual. Fortunately they are treatable. People need to assess their own risk and comfort with different sex activities. Sex-shaming though, is an activity only for homophobic bitch trolls, such as infest Datalounge.

[quote] A doctor once told me that the herpes virus is ubiquitous in the human population. Something like 92% of us already have it. And I have had Gardasil.

While oral herpes is ubiquitous, genital herpes is not.

Gardasil is for Human Papilloma Virus, not herpes.

R193, excellent post. Everyone on PrEP is supposed to see their docs every 3 months so all these should be caught early. The only one I kind of fear is genital herpes.

R200 Correct! The most harmful of all of them (excluding HIV) is syphilis, which shouldn't cause long-term damage if you properly get tested every 3 months.

I hope you've found some helpful advice, you Whore.

R175 and R202 Probably haven't had sex since Eisenhower.

[quote] Probably haven't had sex since Eisenhower.

Well, he was MY husband.

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It's very effective, even against COVID. Now, buy me a drink?

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