Pep/food poisoning vs seroconversion

Hello, I am on holiday in thailand, 2 weeks ago I woke up after being very drunk and there was a condom in my bin, it had a small rip in it and I also had a small abrasion on the head of my penis. I assume I had sex with a thai prostitute. 65 hours later l began a three drug pep course. Last night, approximateley 5 hours after eating Thai food I was sick and had diarehhea, the vomiting stopped after I had expelled all food in my stomach however the diarehhea is continuing some 18 hours later and water is going straight through me, I do not have any other symptoms. Due to sickness and diarehhea I have been unable to take pep for the last 24 hours.

I therefore have 2 questions:

Should I carry on with pep
Is the vomiting and diarehhea likely to be due food poisoning or seroconversion

Thanks

[Dr Jose]

Hello,
Thank you for your post and welcome to our forum.
I believe that if you are able to continue PEP, you should carry on. You could take anti-sickness and anti-diarrhoea medication to reduce your symptoms.
The vomiting and diarrhoea are much more likely to be related to the food poisoning. However they could also be side effects of PEP.
Best wishes,
José

Thank you for your reply. If the situation was that I was infected with HIV would I stil be likely to display seroconversion symptoms despite being on pep? And, if so, what would the time window be?

[Dr Sean]

Good Morning

The object of PEP is to stop development of HIV. It is a shortened version of full HIV treatment.

The object of HIV treatment is to suppress viral activity.

Consequently if you had been infected with HIV the PEP would stop the symptoms of new HIV disease until the PEP had stopped when if you had been infected - they may or may not appear.

Like Jose, I think you are simply suffering with food posoining etc effects.

best wishes, Sean

Again, thank you for your reply. One final question, I intend to get a HIV duo test done 24 days post exposure, I will still be on pep at this point. The reason being that I have developed a slightly sore throat and roof of mouth and fear it may be because of the break I had in the pep due to the food poisoning. If the test is negative I will of course get further tests but could you let me know whether the results of a duo test at 23 days post exposure and whilst on pep will have any validity?

[Dr Sean]

Hello again,

The DUO at that point will only show whether you were infected prior to your episode. I wouldn't give it any validity at that point whilst you were still on PEP.

best wishes, Sean