Previous My PrEP Experience Posts

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

[VIDEO] Voices of Choice - Brad from San Francisco on Being in the iPrEx Open Label PrEP Trial

"I fell in love with someone who is HIV-positive..."


In the video below, Brad from San Francisco discusses his participation in the iPrEx Open Label Study and taking Truvada as a way to prevent HIV infection.

The iPrEx trial was the first study to show that an antiretroviral drug (ARV) - normally used to treat people living with HIV - could also be used to prevent HIV among people who are HIV-negative.

In July of 2012, the FDA approved the ARV drug Truvada for the prevention of HIV.
 


 

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

PrEP Study NOW Recruiting in LA, Long Beach


Research Study Information (in Spanish below)

Are you a man interested in taking medication that could reduce your risk of getting HIV (Pre-exposure Prophylaxis, otherwise known as PrEP)?

Are you HIV-negative or know of someone who is HIV-negative?

Are you sexually active with men?

Are you at ongoing risk for acquiring HIV?

If so, you may qualify for a PrEP study at LABioMed at Harbor-UCLA and the Long Beach Health Department that is looking to see if text messaging reminders can improve taking the study medication according to schedule.

If you are interested in participating in this study, contact Angela at (310) 222-3848

-------------
Estudio de Investigación

Es usted un Hombre interesado en tomar medicina que le reduzca el riesgo de adquirir VIH (Profilaxis para evitar infección de VIH, también llamado PrEP)?

Es usted VIH-negativo o conoce a alguien que es VIH-negativo?

Es usted sexualmente activo con hombres?

Esta usted en constante riesgo de adquirir VIH?

En este caso, usted podría calificar para un estudio de PrEP que se lleva a cabo en LABioMed/Harbor-UCLA y el Departamento de Salud de Long Beach. El estudio esta evaluando si los mensajes de texto ayudan a mejorar la constancia a tomar medicinas durante el estudio.

Si esta interesado en participar, favor de llamar a Ángela al
(310) 222-3848

 

Friday, September 20, 2013

[VIDEO] Alejandro on Using PrEP and His POZ Partner

[Video courtesy of Project Inform]


Alejandro has been with his partner for several years. They're a mixed status couple ... Alejandro is  HIV-negative, and his partner is positive. Here, Alejandro describes some of the things he and his partner thought about when they were deciding whether or not to use PrEP.



Project Inform is a great resource for info on PrEP. Click here.

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Learning Lessons and Taking Action to Keep Myself Safe - Jermaine Brooks on PrEP


by Jermaine Brooks, via Positively Aware's recent "Let's Talk about PrEP" issue 

What would life be like if we didn’t make mistakes?

Many of us try to map out our lives in hopes that things will go according to plan. The truth is that no matter how hard we try, there will always be something that catches us by surprise. A surprise is what actually started my journey with PrEP.

It was 2009, I had just started college and was living on my own for the first time. So as not to get too personal, let’s just say that it was a time of “finding myself” and much sexual exploration. Things were going pretty well for me and, for the most part, I would say that I was growing into a responsible young man (especially compared to what some of my peers were doing). But no one is perfect, and occasional slip-ups with condoms led to an “STI scare” that completely changed everything for me.

I share everything with my uncle, Keith Green (well…almost everything). At the time, he was working on a study about PrEP at the county hospital. When I told him about my scare, he suggested that I consider taking part in the study.

"Just weighing the options can teach one how to relate to their body and treat it with respect."

Of course I had many questions about how this actually worked and if I would be in any danger if I did start taking the drug. My uncle told me what he knew about PrEP, all of the benefits and potential challenges, and suggested that I speak with the study nurses for more information. That led to even more questions!

Mildly apprehensive but very intrigued, I decided to enroll in the study and to continue to educate myself about PrEP in the process. When I first started, they were still testing the drug and some people were actually placed on a placebo. But I knew from the very beginning that I was actually receiving the real thing.

 Read the rest here.

[Chicago October 17] Raw Sex Just Got Safer?



The PrEP Experience Talk Show and Mini Ball
 


Join hosts Prince Magneto Ebony and Father Memphis Khan, and expert guests, to talk about the pill that can actually prevent HIV (called PrEP). Ball categories (with cash prizes) include OTA Realness and OTA Performance.

Light refreshments and appetizers. And YOU.

Brought to you by National Youth Pride Services, Care2Prevent, and Project RSP!

CLICK  for more info and to RSVP.

WATCH: Famous Chicago vlogger Ken Like Barbie explains PrEP in this short video.

Monday, September 16, 2013

[VIDEO] Voices of Choice - Amir from San Francisco on Being in the iPrEx Open Label PrEP Trial


"It's good, but it's tedious..."

In the video below, Amir from San Francisco discusses his participation in the iPrEx Open Label Study and taking Truvada as a way to prevent HIV infection.

The iPrEx trial was the first study to show that an antiretroviral drug (ARV) - normally used to treat people living with HIV - could also be used to prevent HIV among people who are HIV-negative.

In July of 2012, the FDA approved the ARV drug Truvada for the prevention of HIV.
 

Saturday, September 14, 2013

Truvada can prevent HIV. So why are so few gay men taking it? - via OUT

by Tim Murphy, for OUT Magazine

The gay 40-something well-known New York City doctor with many gay patients — let’s call him Dr. John — can barely talk freely about what he’s doing. “It’s telling, how reluctant I am to talk about this, even anonymously,” he says. “This isn’t being talked about in our community at all.”

The subject causing such anxiety for Dr. John is an oval blue pill called Truvada. He takes it once a day — not to treat HIV, but to keep him from getting it. It’s even covered by his insurance, thanks to a decision by the FDA last year to approve it as a prophylactic against HIV. That approval followed a groundbreaking study in 2010, called iPrEx, that found that HIV-negative gay men who faithfully adhered to a one-a-day regimen of Truvada reduced their risk of getting HIV by more than 99%.

Those findings, which HIV specialists had been keenly awaiting for several years, were enough to make Dr. John talk to his own doctor and start the regimen himself. “I don’t want to become HIV-positive,” he says. “But I don’t love using condoms.” Sexually active with multiple partners, Dr. John admits he avoided condoms about 20% of the time. He was tired of stressing constantly over whether he’d gotten HIV. “Even if my sex was relatively safe, I would have long periods where I’d be freaked out that something had happened.”

Since he started taking daily Truvada, or PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis), as the regimen is called, Dr. John has remained HIV-negative and has experienced no side effects from the drug. “My sex life has been much less anxiety-provoking,” he says. “Now if I don’t use a condom, I feel like there’s a safety net.”

So why isn’t he shouting about PrEP from the rooftops? Partly, he says, because he doesn’t want people to think that because he’s a doctor, he’s endorsing PrEP for everyone: “There’s a difference between giving medical advice and making individual choices.”

But his reluctance is deeper than that. He also doesn’t want to be judged for eschewing condoms from time to time. “Gay men talking about not using condoms is really stigmatized,” he says. “Most of us have never known sex without condoms or without threat of a ‘deadly disease.’ ” But he adds passionately, “I think it’s a lot to ask an entire generation of gay men to use condoms forever.”

Read the rest.



RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUNG GAY MEN IN THE U.S.

Are you a young gay man living in the United States between the ages of 15 and 17? Are you interested in new methods of preventing HIV, like PrEP?

Project PrEPare is an innovative HIV prevention study designed to explore the safety, acceptability and feasibility of PrEP among young gay men and other men who have sex with men who are at risk for HIV infection in the United States.

The study is taking place at clinical sites across the U.S. in Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Chicago, New Orleans, Boston and Denver. Click here to quickly check if you are eligible to participate.

More information about the study and city-specific contact information can be found on the Project PrEPare website.

Thursday, September 12, 2013

[VIDEO] Figuring out how PrEP fits into your life

[Video courtesy of Project Inform]

Jonathan recently broke up from a long-term monogamous relationship. He's been a little depressed but he's also chatting online and dating quite a bit. Condoms aren't always used.

Listen to Jonathan talk about how PrEP has helped ease his mind as he's working through this new stage in his life. And hear from other advocates/experts about the use of PrEP.



Project Inform is a great resource for info on PrEP. Click here.

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

[VIDEO] Voices of Choice - Lucio from Rio de Janeiro Discusses Being in the iPrEx Open Label PrEP Trial

In the video below, Lucio from Rio discusses his participation in the iPrEx Open Label Study and taking Truvada as a way to prevent HIV infection.

The iPrEx trial was the first study to show that an antiretroviral drug (ARV) - normally used to treat people living with HIV - could also be used to prevent HIV among people who are HIV-negative.

In July of 2012, the FDA approved the ARV drug Truvada for the prevention of HIV.




RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUNG GAY MEN IN THE U.S. 

Are you a young gay man living in the United States between the ages of 15 and 17? Are you interested in new methods of preventing HIV, like PrEP?

Project PrEPare is an innovative HIV prevention study designed to explore the safety, acceptability and feasibility of PrEP among young  gay men and other men who have sex with men who are at risk for HIV infection in the United States.

The study is taking place at clinical sites across the U.S. in Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Chicago, New Orleans, Boston and Denver. Click here to quickly check if you are eligible to participate.

More information about the study and city-specific contact information can be found on the Project PrEPare website.



Monday, September 9, 2013

Recruiting Young Gay Men in 6 U.S. Cities for Important PrEP Study


Condoms are not the only way you can have safer sex! Are you a young gay man between the ages of 15 and 17? Interested in new methods of preventing HIV, like PrEP?

Project PrEPare is an innovative HIV prevention study designed to explore the safety, acceptability and feasibility of PrEP among young gay men and other men who have sex with men who are at risk for HIV infection in the United States.

The study is taking place at clinical sites across the U.S. in Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Chicago, New Orleans, Boston and Denver. Click here to quickly check if you are eligible to participate.

“Considering that young men who have sex with men continue to be disproportionately affected by the HIV epidemic in the United States, we are excited to gather youth-specific data on PrEP - the newest addition to the ‘toolbox’ of HIV prevention interventions,” said Dr Sybil. Hosek.

More information about the study and city-specific contact information can be found on the Project PrEPare website.

Thursday, September 5, 2013

The New Revolution: Bob Grant Talks PrEP in Special Issue of Positively Aware

by Robert Grant, MD, MPH (via Positively Aware's recent "Let's Talk about PrEP" issue)  
"PrEP is a proven concept. A single tablet that contains two medications originally approved to treat HIV/AIDS, tenofovir and emtricitabine (brand name “Truvada” in the United States), was approved to prevent sexual transmission of HIV by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in July 2012. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have issued guidelines for the use of PrEP. The medication is already available in generic form to people living in the poorest countries of the world."
 

Antiretroviral therapy has revolutionized care for people living with HIV/AIDS by prolonging life and restoring health, preventing transmission to uninfected partners, and preventing tuberculosis disease. These same medications can be taken by HIV-negative people with the goal of staying free of HIV. The combination of highly active antiretroviral interventions for both HIV prevention and treatment has led to unprecedented optimism about the prospect of ending AIDS.

The preventive use of anti-HIV medicines by HIV-negative people is called post-exposure prophylaxis (or PEP) if the medicines are started after sex or a needle stick that could lead to HIV transmission. Pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, is when medicines are used before and after possible exposures to HIV infection.

Read the rest here.


Wednesday, September 4, 2013

[VIDEO] Voices of Choice - Garland from Chicago Talks About Being in the iPrEx Open Label PrEP Trial

In the video below, Garland from Chicago discusses his participation in the iPrEx Open Label Study and taking Truvada as a way to prevent HIV infection. The iPrEx trial was the first study to show that an antiretroviral drug (ARV) - normally used to treat people living with HIV - could also be used to prevent HIV among people who are HIV-negative.

In July of 2012, the FDA approved the ARV drug Truvada for the prevention of HIV.

Thanks to the iPrEx team, My PrEP Experience will be sharing a number of videos from iPrEx study participants over the coming days and weeks. Check back often, or like our partner Project RSP! on FB and follow along with all the new videos that way.



If YOU are taking Truvada as PrEP, we'd love to hear your story. You can share your experience in a video, or you can write something up. Whatever you want to do - we want to hear your experience - whether taking Truvada as PrEP was a good experience or a bad experience - or anywhere in between. Email myprepexperience@gmail.com and let us know!