The first time I asked for PrEP, I rehearsed the sentence on the bus. I was sure the nurse would ask me why, and look at me as if I had done something wrong. She didn’t. She asked when I’d last had an HIV test, took a little blood, and told me to come back for my first prescription. That was it.
Why I wanted it
I’m in my thirties, I date, and I like to be in charge of my own health. I already used condoms most of the time, but “most of the time” was the part that kept me up at night. A friend mentioned PrEP over dinner, as casually as recommending a moisturiser, and I realised I had always assumed it wasn’t meant for someone like me.
I had always assumed it wasn’t meant for someone like me. It is.
PrEP stops HIV from taking hold if you are exposed to it. Taken as prescribed, it lowers the risk of getting HIV from sex by about 99 per cent. It is for anyone who wants that protection.
What it is actually like
One small pill with my morning tea. In England PrEP is free from NHS sexual health clinics. Every few months I go back for a check-up: an HIV test, an STI screen and a quick kidney check. The appointments are short and, honestly, kind.
PrEP doesn’t protect against other STIs, so I still think about condoms. What has gone is the low hum of worry I used to carry around.
Why I talk about it
Someone talked to me about PrEP, so now I talk about it too. If you’re curious, you don’t need a reason or a story. Contact your local sexual health clinic and say the word. You are allowed to look after yourself.