When I was first diagnosed with breast cancer, I didn't know what I was going to do. After the devastation subsided, I decided to take a very standard, western approach to my healing. Although initial efforts were successful, my cancer recurred a few months later. I endured many additional months of treatment before I started focusing on myself. I decided it was time to incorporate complimentary alternative treatments into my healing regimen, including massage therapy. I can't even begin to tell you how much it changed my life. My healing became a process, instead of something I simply had to endure. I hope that the articles on my website can inspire you to stay open-minded about your own healthcare.
PrEP has changed the world of HIV prevention. By taking this medication, you can protect yourself from HIV when having sexual contact with a partner who is HIV positive. PrEP can be prescribed by any doctor, but since some primary care doctors are not as familiar with it yet, patients often benefit from scheduling a telemedicine appointment with a doctor who specializes in reproductive health and STD prevention. Here are some tips to help ensure your telemedicine visit for PrEP goes smoothly.
Be honest about your sexual interactions
There are actually two different types of PrEP. One is taken daily, and the other one is taken before and after a sexual encounter. Your doctor needs to know the details of your sex life in order to prescribe the type that is the best suited to your needs. While talking about your sex life with a stranger can be awkward, it is an essential part of this telemedicine visit. Be honest with your doctor about how often you have sexual interactions, how many partners you have, the sex of those partners, and what other forms of protection you use. Your doctor is not judging you; they just need to know these details to do their job well.
Tell your doctor about your health insurance and payment abilities
Patients often assume the doctor they consult with knows about their health insurance status. But doctors do not always see this info when you sign up for a telemedicine visit. PrEP is covered by some, but not all, health insurance plans. If you do not have health insurance that covers PrEP, though, there are discounts available from the manufacturer, special programs you can sign up for, and other ways to make payments manageable. So if your doctor does not directly ask you about insurance and finances, bring this topic up yourself.
Look up dosing instructions beforehand
Daily PrEP needs to be taken with or without food, once a day, at the same time each day. Pre-exposure PrEP needs to be taken for a few days before a risky encounter, and then for a few more days afterward. Make sure you read some information about these two types of PrEP and how to use them before your telemedicine visit. This way, you can have detailed questions prepared for the doctor, which means you'll get more knowledge out of the visit.
Telemedicine visits can be a great way to obtain PrEP from a knowledgeable doctor. Follow the tips above throughout the process for PrEP telemedicine visits.
Share22 October 2021
