It’s normal to be worried after you have a slip up in bed.
If you’re HIV-negative, think about getting PEP right away if you fucked or got fucked without a condom, or if the condom broke in the middle of the fun. This is especially important if you don’t know your partner’s HIV status, you didn’t talk about it, or you think it’s possible that you’ve been exposed to detectable HIV.
Sometimes guys who believe they are HIV-negative may have recently acquired HIV, and may not be diagnosed. During this period, guys have particularly high viral loads and are more likely to transmit HIV. Take a look at our sero-sorting section to learn more about this.
If you’re an HIV-negative guy, and you find that you’re having sex without condoms and feel worried, make sure you are getting tested regularly and consider starting PrEP.
If you’re someone who doesn’t deal with enough possible HIV exposure to justify going on PrEP, but you can anticipate that you might be exposed to HIV from someone who isn’t on treatment in the future, PIP (PEP-In-Pocket) may be useful or you. PIP is PEP you get in advance, and keep on-hand in-case you need it, without having to visit an emergency room.
If you’re HIV-positive, knowing about PEP and how guys can access it can help you talk through situations with your partners if they arise. Learn more about where to access PEP and PIP.
Morning After Moments
Sometimes we feel bad or confused about the sex we’ve had in the moment or morning after it has happened. Conversations that happen after guys have had sex can be scary, especially if you didn’t talk about HIV or sexual health beforehand. You or your sex partners might be worried that somebody’s been exposed to HIV.
There are ways for an HIV-positive guy to help in this conversation, like talking to his sex partners about PEP and his viral load. A doctor can help a guy decide whether PEP is right for this situation.
There are a lot of things to consider when determining if PEP is right for you. What kind of sex did you have? Did you just make out? Did you only have oral sex? Some acts have a very low chance of HIV transmission, or none at all. Read up on HIV transmission & sex to learn more.
Finding out you hooked up with someone living with HIV can feel scary if you don’t know a lot about the reality of HIV today. If a guy has an undetectable viral load, you don’t need to take PEP after having sex with him, because he can’t pass on HIV.
When you talk to a past partner about HIV, your feelings are important, and so are his. Make sure you read up on how to have those tough conversations respectfully, and with all the facts. Ultimately, your health decisions are yours to make with the guidance of a doctor, but do your best to make those decisions with the most up-to-date information, and without stigma.
