Page 8 - Adelante September Magazine

withDESCOVY for PrEP®DESCOVY for PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) is a once-daily prescription medicine for adults and adolescents at risk of HIV. It helps lower the chances of getting HIV through sex.DESCOVY for PrEP is not for everyone:• It is not for use in people assigned female at birth who are at risk of getting HIV from vaginal sex, because its effectiveness has not been studied.• You must be HIV-negative before and while taking DESCOVY for PrEP.DESCOVY® is the smallestpill approved for PrEP.Actual size: 13mm x 6mmIMPORTANT FACTS ABOUT DESCOVY(des-KOH-vee)This is only a brief summary of important information about taking DESCOVY for PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis). This does not replace talking to your healthcare provider about your medicine.Before starting and while taking DESCOVY for PrEP:• You must be HIV-negative. You must get tested for HIV immediately beforeandatleastevery3monthswhiletakingDESCOVY.Ifyouthinkyouwere exposed to HIV, tell your healthcare provider right away. They may want to do more tests to confirm that you are still HIV-negative• Many HIV tests can miss HIV infection in a person who has recently become infected. Symptoms of new HIV infection include tiredness, fever, joint or muscle aches, headache, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, nightsweats,and/orenlargedlymphnodesintheneckorgroin.Tellyour healthcare provider if you have had a flu-like illness within the last month before starting or while taking DESCOVY.• DESCOVY does not prevent other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Practice safer sex by using a latex or polyurethane condom to reduce the risk of getting STIs.• DESCOVY by itself is not a complete treatment for HIV-1. Do not take DESCOVY for PrEP unless you are confirmed to be HIV negative.DESCOVY may cause serious side effects, including:• Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. Your healthcare provider will test you for HBV. If you have HBV and stop taking DESCOVY, your HBV maysuddenly get worse. Do not stop taking DESCOVY without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to check or give you HBV medicine.Ask a healthcare provider ifDESCOVY for PrEP is right for you.To learn more, visit AboutDescovy.com.ABOUT DESCOVY FOR PrEPDESCOVY for PrEP is a once-daily prescription medicine for adults and adolescents at risk of HIV who weigh at least 77 pounds. It helps lower the chances of getting HIV through sex.DESCOVY for PrEP is not for everyone:• It is not for use in people assigned female at birth who are at risk of gettingHIV from vaginal sex, because its effectiveness has not been studied. • You must be HIV-negative before and while taking DESCOVY for PrEP.To help determine your risk of getting HIV-1, talk openly with your healthcare provider about your sexual health.Do NOT take DESCOVY for PrEP if you:• Already have HIV infection or if you do not know your HIV status. If youhave HIV-1, you need more medicine than DESCOVY alone to treat HIV-1. If you have HIV-1 and take only DESCOVY, your HIV-1 may become harder to treat now and in the future.POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF DESCOVY FOR PrEPDESCOVY can cause serious side effects, including:• Those in the “Most Important Information About DESCOVY for PrEP” section.• New or worse kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcareprovider should do blood and urine tests to check your kidneys before and during treatment with DESCOVY. If you develop kidney problems, your healthcare provider may tell you to stop taking DESCOVY.• Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious but rare medical emergency that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: weakness or being more tired than usual, unusual muscle pain, being short of breath or fast breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, cold or blue hands and feet, feel dizzy or lightheaded, or a fast or abnormal heartbeat.• Severe liver problems, which in rare cases can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow, dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored stools, loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, or stomach-area pain.MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT DESCOVY FOR PrEP