HERE IN WYOMING,
WE LIVE AND LET LIVE.
BUT WE ALSO LOOK OUT FOR EACH OTHER.
One of the best ways we can do that is by taking charge of our own sexual health.
More than a way to protect ourselves, it’s also a way to protect our partners.
HERE IN WYOMING,
WE LIVE AND LET LIVE. BUT WE ALSO LOOK OUT FOR EACH OTHER.
One of the best ways we can do that is by taking charge of our own sexual health. More than a way to protect ourselves, it’s also a way to protect our partners.
IF YOU…
Have condomless sexual contact
Have sex with multiple partners
Have sex with someone who’s HIV+
Have (or have recently had) an STI
Use drugs
Have sex with anonymous partner(s) or met partner(s) on an app/online
…THEN YOU NEED TO KNOW WHY PrEP MATTERS.
WHY PrEP MATTERS
As of December 2020, 349 people in Wyoming are living with HIV. The most-affected groups included men who have sex with men, injection drug use, and heterosexual sex. As someone’s sexual partner, the choices you make have real power: Power to positively or negatively affect not only your current partner, but also your future partners, their future partners, and so on.
PrEP matters because you deserve to feel safe, protected, and prepared as you explore your sexuality, and taking control of your sexual health is the first step. It’s how we look after and protect ourselves, and it’s how we look after and protect each other. For more information on accessing PrEP in Wyoming, explore our Resources section below.
COST CONCERNS
HOW much does PrEP cost?
HOW DO I GET PrEP IF I DON’T HAVE INSURANCE/PRESCRIPTION COVERAGE?
You can make an appointment with your healthcare provider, or you can click here to complete a self-referral form online. We partner with the Colorado Health Network (CHN) to provide patients with assistance in navigating access to PrEP medication, including finding a prescriber and coverage for the cost of the medication.
THE BASICS
WHAT IS PrEP?
PrEP, an abbreviation for Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, is a daily prescription pill for HIV-negative people who are at risk of getting HIV through sex or injection drug use.
WHAT DOES PrEP DO?
When taken daily, PrEP reduces the risk of getting HIV from sex by more than 90%. Among people who inject drugs, it reduces the risk of getting HIV by more than 70%. When PrEP is combined with regular, correct condom use, the risks go down even more.
Consistent daily use is the only way to ensure the presence of PrEP medicine in your bloodstream, allowing it to successfully block the HIV virus if it enters your system, then prevent it from spreading throughout your body.
HOW LONG DO I NEED TO TAKE PrEP?
The total length of time you take PrEP is entirely up to you and your healthcare provider. Most people take it daily during periods of time when they feel they are at risk for getting HIV, then stop taking it once they adopt different sexual behaviors or lifestyles.
PREP ACCESS IS A RIGHT.
HOW DO I GET PrEP?
You can make an appointment with your healthcare provider, or you can complete a self-referral form online.
We partner with the Colorado Health Network (CHN) to provide patients with assistance in navigating access to PrEP medication, including finding a prescriber and coverage for the cost of the medication. To complete a self-referral form, click here.
WHO IS PrEP MEANT FOR?
PrEP is meant to be taken by people without HIV (HIV negative) who are at high risk of getting HIV through sex or injection drug use.
If you can answer “yes” to any of the questions below, PrEP may be a good HIV prevention option for you.
- Do you use condoms sometimes or not at all?
- Are you open to consistently taking a daily pill?
- Are you having anal and/or vaginal sex with multiple partners?
- Are you having sex with someone whose HIV status you don’t know?
- Have you injected drugs, shared needles, or been in drug treatment in the past six months?
WHEN DOES PrEP BECOME EFFECTIVE?
For receptive anal sex, PrEP reaches maximum protection after about seven days of daily use; for receptive vaginal sex and injection drug use, it takes about 20 days. In both cases, the pill needs to be taken every day to retain its effectiveness and provide maximum protection.
RISKS/SIDE EFFECTS OF PrEP?
Depending on the medication prescribed, side effects that have been reported include headache, abdominal pain, weight loss or weight gain. More serious side effects include worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection, kidney disease, including kidney failure, severe liver and bone problems, including pain, softening or thinning. This occurs in less than 10% of patients and start up symptoms typically resolve in the first month. This is why your healthcare provider will perform STD tests, and blood and urine tests prior to prescribing PrEP, and why it’s so important to continue having these tests performed routinely during the periods you take PrEP.
PEOPLE WHO INJECT DRUGS
HOW CAN PrEP PROTECT PEOPLE WHO USE INJECTION DRUGS?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 1 in 10 new HIV diagnoses in the United States are attributed to injection drug use. HIV can survive in a used needle for up to 42 days, which makes the risk of getting HIV very high if an HIV-negative person shares injection equipment with someone who is HIV-positive.
If you or someone you know uses injection drugs, taking PrEP can reduce the risk of getting HIV by more than 70%.
FIND A PROVIDER
HOW DO I GET PrEP?
Because PreP is available only by prescription, you’ll need to make an appointment with your healthcare provider, find one near you, or complete a self-referral form online..
At your appointment, you and your provider will determine if PrEP is the right choice for you. If you’re not sure what questions to ask, here are some ideas to get you started:
QUESTIONS TO ASK:
- How effective would PrEP be at reducing my risk of HIV infection?
- Can you prescribe PrEP for me here?
- What side effects should I be aware of?
- How often will I have to be tested for HIV and other STDs?
Your provider will also perform blood tests and urine tests to check for the presence of HIV and STDs and ensure your kidneys and liver are in good shape.
Once test results come back, and you and your provider have agreed that PrEP is the right choice for you, your provider will be able to write you a prescription.
RESOURCES
