• First of all, it’s important that you check the expiry date on the side of the box / pack and look at the color of condom box from its inside and outside, including the packaging if it’s is still in good condition or pale. It’s necessary that you do not use the condoms that are expiry and in abnormal conditions, such as torn, old, and pale.

• Then, please tear the condom from the zigzagged side carefully, and do not use sharp objects, nail tips, bites as the condom can be damaged;

• Use thumb and index finger to press the condom tip to expel the air out of it to prevent the condom from breaking during having sex;

• Gently pull the condom backwards to the penis end and use it when the penis is fully erect to assure the condom does not come off during sex;

• Once the condom is properly and tightly put on, you can start having sex;

• After having sex, carefully remove or pull out the condom using a paper towel laid in your hand when removing it to avoid contact with the condom, and then throw it in the trash.

Quality of the condom decreases when,

• It’s used the wrong way;
• It’s put on or worn inside out;
• You use lubricant that has skin oil, skin creams, lotions with alcohol ingredient instead of gels
• You use too little lubricating gel;
• You do not change your condom when you have sex for too long;
• You use an expiry condom (you forget to check the expiry date on the condom box or pack before each use).
• You use of the condom with the wrong size;

Condoms are available at the following places:

• Convenience store;
• Pharmacy;
• HIV Testing Service Center; HIV Service Center;
• Hospital;
• Volunteers providing HIV counseling

STIs are sexually transmitted infection (STIs) that can spread from a person to a person through having unprotected sex or having sex with a person with STIs.

STIs are common social diseases, but wrong treatment can make a huge impact in many ways to the family and society, so when you have an STI, do not treat it yourself. See a doctor and importantly, and if you have an STI, you are more likely to get HIV infection easily.

STIs are sometimes asymptomatic. If you suspect that you have been infected, you need to get tested by the doctor so that you can know for sure which type of STIs you have. In general, men often have the following symptoms:

• Ulcers and abscess exist at the tip of the penis, anus, throat or eyelids;
• You have pain, burning when urinating, and leg cramps;
• Itching and pain around the penis;
• There are blisters or broken blisters or lumps on the genital;

Most STIs are asymptomatic and if you suspect of being infected, it’s necessary to be screened or tested for making a treatment plan.

ຍັງບໍ່ມີຂໍ້ມູນ

The first thing you should do when you suspect that you have STIs is to get tested. Most STIs do not show any signs of infection. Although being healthy, you should get tested if you think you’ve been infected and should avoid having sex until you have a test.

Most STIs are easy to be treated and a variety of treating methods are applied, such as taking pills, ointments, or injections. It’s important to keep in mind that STIs should be treated strictly according to the doctor's instructions from the beginning to the end of treatment. Avoid sexual intercourse during the treatment as it may increase the risk of re-infection or transmission to the sexual partner.

There are various ways to reduce the risk of getting an STI, and a simple and popular way is to use a condom and lubricant every time you have an oral and anal sex, and remember that taking PrEP does not help prevent you from STIs.

Some sexually transmitted infections (STIs), such as syphilis, herpes, or gonorrhea, sores on the genital area or in the mouth, when you have these types of STIs and you are exposed to HIV infection, these wounds become an easy passage for HIV to enter into your body more easily.

▪ In addition, for people with STIs, their body's immune system sends some types of cells to destroy these diseases (infections), and while the immune system is getting rid of these viruses, HIV is easily transmitted into the body.

PrEP does not protect you against STIs. The best approach to protect you from STIs is to use a condom only before having sex, whether it’s an oral or anal sex.

PrEP or Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis is a new form of prevention of HIV infection by using antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) to reduce the chances of HIV infection in cases where the virus is exposed. This is an alternative for effective HIV prevention. PrEP can be taken in two ways

Daily PrEP: Take PrEP daily at the same time (you can set your own time) and then take 1 pill daily; At the beginning, it’s necessary to take PrEP for 7 days continuously before you are exposed to the infection or risks and continue to take it regularly.

On Demand PrEP: This is for a person who makes a plan to have a sexual intercourse or have irregular sex. Then, PrEP is taken for a specific time when having sex by taking 2 pills 2-24 hours before having sexual intercourse and then continuously take one pill daily until the person stops sexual intercourse and carry on taking the pills for 2 days after having sex. Then, such person can stop having PrEP.

PrEP is not suitable to everyone, but it’s useful to men, women, men who have sex with men (MSM), trans gender women (TGW) and anyone who is at risk for HIV infection and he/she can continue taking PrEP every day.

Examine yourself and answer the questions below. If your answer is “yes” to any of the questions below, PrEP may be one of the HIV prevention options you should consider.

• Do you occasionally or never use a condom during having sex?
• Have you ever been infected with a sexually transmitted disease (STD)?
• Have you taken any emergency contraceptive or post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) more than once in the last year?
• Your sexual partner and you have a different blood test results — or your partner is HIV-positive, but you aren’t. This is “yes” or “No”?
• Are you in an open relationship or having sex with multiple partners? (Open partner = having a lover, but the person still wants to have multiple sexual partners)
• Do you have sex with people from cities/districts or areas with high levels of HIV infection?

Deciding to use a condom before having sex is crucial. Condoms are an effective prevention of HIV infection, but we know that many people do not use them every time they have sex, hence PrEP is another option for preventing HIV.

However, PrEP does not prevent the transmission of other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), such as syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia, etc. Therefore, condoms are still the best way to prevent HIV and STIs.

There have been complete and on-going researches on PrEP Africa, Asia, North America and South America. The researches were conducted with the vulnerable population who are likely to be infected with HIV from having sex without using a condom and sharing needles. Currently, researches on injectable PrEP are available and the latest researches show that injectable PrEP is more effective than regular PrEP (the pills).

Research also demonstrates that various ways to prevent HIV infection can fail if the person does not use them the right way. If PrEP is not correctly and continuously taken daily, the person cannot prevent oneself from HIV infection, but if the person takes the pills regularly, the pills help prevent him/her from HIV infection by up to 96%

Before you start taking PrEP, you will need to have a blood test to confirm that your blood test result is negative. This prevents you from a condition that HIV is resistant to ARV in case you already have HIV in your body. ARV resistance refers to a circumstance that ARVs are unable to control HIV viral load. So, confirmation of blood status as negative is necessarily crucial before you start taking PrEP

When you take PrEP, you should have regular blood tests every 3 months to make sure that taking PrEP is the right way for you.

During the first 2 weeks after starting using PrEP, some people experience headaches, nausea, dizziness, and lightheadedness. These symptoms are gone in a short period of time, which is called “minor side effects”.

Some research participants have high ratio of elevated kidney function. These side effects do not show any obvious physical symptoms, so it’s better that you get your kidneys checked or tested by doctor regularly while taking PrEP.

Some research participants had a decrease in their bone mass in the first 2 to 3 months, but it’s only a small decrease with no long-term effects and does not increase risk of bone fractures. When stopping taking ARV, bone density will become normal

No significant differences have been found in the effectiveness of PrEP used occasionally by people who use drugs and those who don’t. However, disclosure the history of drug use (addictive substance use) to a physician before starting PrEP and when receiving PrEP on a continuous basis is important as it can prevent unexpected side effects that may occur.

One thing to keep in mind is that PrEP is less effective or ineffective if you do not take them regularly. People who use drugs or have group sex on a regular basis often forget to take PrEP. 

People who inject drugs are able to reduce risk of HIV infection by 74% if they take PrEP regularly.

In Laos, PrEP is available and can be received by entering the program and get PrEP at Xaysethathilath Hospital, Donkoi Village, Xaysetha District, Vientiane Capital and Mittaphap Hospital, Phonetong Village, Chanthabouly District, Vientiane Capital.

ຖ້າເຈົ້າມີຄວາມສ່ຽງ ແລະ ຄິດວ່າອາດຈະໃດ້ຮັບເຊື້ອເຮັສໄອວີ HIV ໃຫ້ຟ້າວກີນຢາເພບ PEP ທັນທີ່ເພື້ອລົດໂອກາດການຕິດເຊື້ອ. ສ່ຽງປຸບກິນເປບ!

ຢາເພບ PEP ແມ່ນຢາປ້ອງກັນຫຼັງການສໍາພັດເຊື້ອ (post Exposure prophylaxis) ຢາຕ້ານສຸກເສີນ ເປັນຢາຕ້ານໄວຣັສທີ່ຊ່ວຍຫຼຸດໂອກາດການສ້າງໄວຣັສເຮສໄອວີ HIV ໃນຮ່າງກາຍຫຼັງການສໍາພັດເຊື້ອ. ສໍາຫຼັບຜູ້ທີ່ມີຄວາມສ່ຽງ ຫຼື ຄິດວ່າອາດໃດ້ຮັບເຊື້ອເຮສໄອວີ HIV ຕ້ອງເລີ່ມກິນຢາເພບ PEP ພາຍໃນ 72 ຊົ່ວໂມງຫຼັງການສໍາພັດເຊື້ອ ຖ້າເລີ່ມກິນໄວເທົ່າໃດ ການປ້ອງກັນຍິ່ງເພີ່ມຫຼາຍຂື້ນເທົ່ານັ້ນ ແລະ ຕ້ອງກີນຢາໃຫ້ຖຶກວິທີ ຈື່ງຈະມີປະສິດທິພາບຫຼາຍແນວໃດກໍ່ຕາມມັນບໍ່ສາມາດຢືນຢັນໄດ້ວ່າມັນຈະປ້ອງກັນການຕິດເຊື້ອໄດ້100%.

• ຢາເພຣບ PrEP ແມ່ນຢາກິນກ່ອນການສໍາພັດເຊື້ອ ເຮສໄອວີ HIV ສຳລັບຜູ້ທີ່ມີຄວາມສ່ຽງຕໍ່ການຕິດເຊື້ອຈະຕ້ອງກິນຢາ PrEP ທຸກມື້ເພື່ອຫຼຸດຜ່ອນໂອກາດຈະຕິດເຊື້ອ.
• ຢາເພບ PEP ແມ່ນຢາກິນເພື່ອປ້ອງກັນຫຼັງມີການສໍາພັດເຊື້ອເຮສໄອວີ HIV ຕ້ອງເລີ່ມກິນຢາພາຍໃນ24ຊົ່ວໂມງ ແຕ່ບໍ່ໃຫ້ກາຍ72ຊົ່ວໂມງ ຫຼື ພາຍໃນ 3ມື້ ຫຼັງຈາກມີຄວາມສຽງໃນການຕິດເຊື້ອເຮສໄອວີ HIV ຖ້າທ່ານກິນຢາເພບ PEPທ່ານຕ້ອງກິນຢາມື້ລະຄັ້ງ ຄັ້ງລະ1ເມັດຕິດຕໍ່ກັນເປັນເວລາ 28 ມື້.

ຖ້າເຈົ້າບໍ່ແມ້ນຜູ້ຕິດເຊື້ອ HIV ຫຼື ບໍ່ຮູ້ສະນະຜົນເລືອດຂອງໂຕເອງ ແລະ ພາຍໃນ 72ຊົ່ວທີ່ຜ່ານມາເຈົ້າມີພຶດຕິກໍາດັ່ງນີ້:

• ຄິດວ່າຕົນເອງອາດໃດ້ສໍາຜັດເຊື້ອ HIV ໃນລະວ່າງການມີເພດສໍາພັນ (ເຊັ່ນ: ມີເພດສໍາພັດແບບບໍ່ປ້ອງກັນກັບຄົນທີ່ມີຜົນເລືອດບວກ ຫຼື ບໍ່ຮູ້ສະນະເລືອດຂອງຄູ່ນອນ, ຖົງຢາງຫຼຸດ, ຖົງຢາງແຕກ ເປັນຕົ້ນ)
• ໃຊ້ເຂັກສັກຢາຮ່ວມກັບຄົນອື້ນ.
• ຖຶກຊໍາເລົາທາງເພດ.

ເຈົ້າຕ້ອງຟ້າວຕິດຕໍ່ຄີຣນິກທີ່ເປັນເຄື່ອຄ້າຍຂອງ testVTE ຫຼືໂຮງໝໍທີ່ສາມາດສະໜອງຢາເພບໃດ້.

ຢາເພບໃຊ້ໃນກໍລະນີສຸກເສີນເທົ່ານັ້ນ ແລະ ຕ້ອງເລີມກິນຢາພາຍໃນ 72 ຊົ່ວໂມງຫຼັງຈາກມີຄວາມສ່ຽງ ຫຼື ຄິດວ່າຕົນເອງໃດ້ຮັບເຊື້ອ HIV ມາ.

ຢາເພບ PEP ບໍ່ສາມາດໃຊ້ປ້ອງກັນເຊື້ອເຮສໄອວີ HIV ໃນຮູບແບບ ອື່ນໄດ້ເຊັນ:

    – ການໃຊ້ຢາຕ້ານກ່ອນການສຳພັດເຊື້ອ ຫຼື ຢາເພຣບ PrEP ທີ່ຕ້ອງກິນມື້ລະເມັດເພື່ອຫຼຸດໂອກາດໃນການຕິດເຊື້ອ.

    – ການໃຊ້ຖົງຢາງອານາໄມໃຫ້ຖືກວິທີທຸກຄັ້ງທີ່ມີເພດສຳພັນ.

    – ການໃຊ້ເຂັມສັກຢາທີ່ຂ້າເຊື້ອແລ້ວທຸກຄັ້ງທີ່ສັກຢາ.

ຢາເພບ PEP ເປັນຢາ ທີ່ປ້ອງກັນການຕິດເຊື້ອເຮສໄອວີ HIV ແບບສຸກເສີນທີ່ມີປະສິດຕິພາບ ແຕ່ບໍ່ສາມາດປ້ອງກັນເຊື້ອໄດ້ 100% ດັ່ງນັ້ນເຮົາຕ້ອງໃຊ້ຖົງຢ່າງອານາໄມທຸກຄັ້ງທີ່ມີເພດສຳພັນ ເພື່ອປ້ອງກັນເຊື້ອ HIV ພ້ອມທັງຫຼຸດຜ່ອນການແຜ່ເຊື້ອໃຫ້ກັບຄົນອື້ນຖ້າເຈົ້າມີເຊື້ອໃນລະຫວ່າງທີ່ກີນຢາເພບ PEP ຢູ່.

ຢາເພບ PEP ຕ້ອງເລີ່ມກິນພາຍໃນ 72 ຊົ່ວໂມງຫຼັງຈາກສຳພັດເຊື້ອ ກິນໄວເທົ່າໃດກໍ່ຫຍິ່ງໄດ້ຜົນດີ. ການເລີ່ມກິນຢາຫຼັງມີຄວາມສ່ຽງໃນການສຳພັດເຊື້ອເປັນເລື່ອງສຳຄັນ, ຜົນການຄົ້ນຄົ້ວເຫັນວ່າ ເພບ PEP ມີປະສິດທິພາບໜ້ອຍລົງ ຫຼື ບໍ່ໄດ້ຜົນເລີຍໃນການປ້ອງກັນເຮສໄອວີ HIV ຫາກກິນຊ້າກ່ວາ 72 ຊົ່ວໂມງ.

ໃນການກິນຢາເພບ PEP ຈໍາເປັນຕ້ອງໃດ້ກີນທຸກມື້ຕິດຕໍ່ເປັນເວລາ 28 ມື້.

ການກິນຢາຊ້າ ຫຼື ບໍ່ຖຶກເວລາແມ້ນດີກວ່າການບໍ່ໄດ້ກິນຢາເລີຍ ແຕ່ຖ້າເຈົ້າລືມກິນຢາ ຫຼື ກິນຢາບໍ່ຄົບໂດສ ຄວນໄປຫາແພດໝໍ  ບໍ່ຄວນກິນຢາເພີ່ມຂະໜາດໃນຄັ້ງຕໍ່ໄປດ້ວຍຕົນເອງ.

ຢາເພບ PEP ເປັນຢາທີ່ປອດໄພແຕ່ກໍ່ມີຜົນຂ້າງຄຽງເຊັ່ນດຽວກັນ ບາງຄົນອາດມີອາການ: ຖອກທ້ອງ, ປວດຫົວ, ປວດຮາກ ອາການເຫຼົ່ານີ້ບໍ່ເປັນອັນຕະລາຍ ແລະ ປິ່ນປົວໄດ້.

ຈາກຜົນການຄົ້ນຄົ້ວເຫັນວ່າຜູ້ທີ່ໃຊ້ສານເສບຕິດ ແລະ ກິນຢາເພບ PEP ໃນເວລາດຽວກັນ ຍັງບໍ່ເຫັນຄວາມແຕກຕ່າງລະຫວ່າງຜູ້ທີ່ໃຊສານເສບຕິດ ແລະ ຜູ້ທີ່ບໍ່ໃຊ້. ຖິງແນ່ວໃດກໍ່ຕາມການບອກແພດໝໍວ່າໂຕເອງນັ້ນໃຊ້ສານເສບຕິດແມ່ນມີຄວາມສຳຄັນ ເພື່ອປ້ອງກັນຜົນກະທົບທີ່ອາດຈະເກີດຂື້ນໄດ້.

   – ແຕ່ເຮົາກໍ່ຄວນຈື່ໄວ້ວ່າຢາ ເພບ ຈະມີຜົນດີ ຫຼື ໜ້ອຍລົງແມ່ນຂື້ນກັບໂຕເຈົ້າເອງກິນຢາເປັນປະຈຳທຸກມື້ ຫຼື ບໍ່.

   – ໃນກໍ່ລະນີກຸ່ມທີ່ໃຊ້ສານເສບຕິດ ແລະ ກຸ່ມຄົນທີ່ມີເພດສຳພັນແບບກຸ່ມເປັນປະຈຳ ເຫັນວ່າພວກເຂົາບໍ່ສາມາດກີນຢາ ເພບ ໃດ້ຢ່າງຕໍ່ເນື່ອງ.

– ເຮົາຄວນໃຊ້ຢາເພບ PEP ໃນເວລາສຸກເສີນເທົ່ານັ້ນ.

– ຢາເພບ PEP ບໍ່ແມ່ນທາງເລືອກທີ່ດີທີສຸດຂອງກຸ່ມຄົນທີມີຄວາມສ່ຽງໃນການສຳພັດເຊື້ອເຮສໄອວີ HIV.

ຕົວຢ່າງ: ຄົນທີ່ບໍ່ໃດ້ກີນຢາເພຣບ PrEP ແລະ ມັກມີເພດສຳພັນແບບບໍ່ໃຊ້ຖົງຢ່າງອານາໄມ ກັບຄູ່ນອນທີ່ມີຜົນເລືອດເປັນບວກ ຫຼື ກັບຄົນທີບໍ່ຮູ້ຜົນເລືອດຂອງຕົນເອງ.

– ຖ້າມີພຶດຕິກຳສ່ຽງເປັນປະຈຳຄວນໃຊ້ຖົງຢ່າງອະນາໄມ ແລະ/ຫຼື ກີນຢາເພຣບ PrEP ຈະເປັນທາງເລືອກທີ່ດີກວ່າ.

ເຮົາສາມາດຮັບຢາ PEP ຈາກໂຮງໜໍຂອງລັດໄດ້ທີ່: ໂຮງໝໍເສດຖາທິລາດ, ໂຮງໝໍມະໂຫສົດ, ໂຮງໝໍມິດຕະພາບ.

ຢາເພບ ບໍ່ມີຂາຍຕາມທ້ອງຕະຫຼາດທົ່ວໄປ ແຕ່ຖ້າເຈົ້າມີຄວາມສ່ຽງ, ເຈົ້າສາມາດຕິດຕໍ່ຫາບັນດາໂຮງໝໍທີ່ລະບຸໄວຂ້າງເທິງ.