You’ve recently engaged in sexual activity that you suspect might place you at risk for developing a sexually transmitted infection (STI). Or, maybe you’ve just learned that the person whom you had sex with has an STI.
Whatever the case, you're concerned for your health, and you’re wondering whether you can be proactive in preventing infection. Your concern certainly isn’t misplaced, as STIs continue to make their unwelcome rounds in the United States. More than 2.4 million cases of syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia were diagnosed and reported in 2023.
The good news is that, yes, we can often take post-exposure steps to stop a sexually transmitted infection from taking hold, if the conditions are right. As urgent care experts, the team at Forest Urgent Care, including Dr. Waiho Lum and Dr. Ping Wong, offers immediate care for these types of illnesses, and here’s how.
If you know or suspect that you’ve engaged in sexual activity that places you at risk for a sexually transmitted infection, the first thing to understand about post-exposure prevention is that you have to act fast — within 72 hours (3 days).
At the heart of post-exposure prophylaxis is the antibiotic doxycycline. When we use doxycycline in this context, we call it doxy PEP, which stands for the aforementioned post-exposure prophylaxis.
The doxy PEP is an oral pill, and we give you full instructions on when and how to take it.
When we use doxy PEP, we’re targeting the three big STIs — syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea. As for how well this treatment works, the CDC reports that 200 milligrams of doxy PEP has been shown to reduce syphilis and chlamydia infections by up to 70%.
Doxy PEP’s track record against gonorrhea is less impressive, but still effective — studies show the treatment stops gonococcal infections about half the time.
Whether 50% or 70%, these are solid numbers in terms of protection against sexually transmitted disease.
The CDC reports that doxy PEP is beneficial in certain populations that are disproportionately affected by STIs, including gay and bisexual men, as well as trans women.
That said, this approach works for anyone who has engaged in vaginal, oral, or anal sex who may be at risk for an STI.
In some cases, we might prescribe doxy PEP so that you have it on hand if you know you’re going to be at risk in the future. In these cases, you should follow our instructions to the letter. For example, you should only take one pill during a 24-hour period, no matter how many times you had sex.
The best way to figure out whether this post-exposure prophylaxis protocol is right for you is to talk with one of our providers. To get that ball rolling, you can contact us at our New York City office in Forest Hills, Queens. You can also visit our clinic during our hours of operation, which are Monday through Friday from 8am to 7pm and Saturdays and Sundays from 10am to 5pm.
