We met Gus though Twitter when he tweeted about using Preptrack and asked him for a chat to share more about his experience. As someone who’s used PrEP for several years, Gus knows it’s not always easy to stay on top of your PrEP doses. Watch the full conversation in the video below or scroll down to read the transcript. Hear more from Gus on his Twitter @Gustavo_EBP

We’d like to chat to more people that are using Preptrack. If you’d like to share your experience please get in touch via social media or email info@preptrack.co.uk.

Full transcript:

Q1: Can you introduce yourself please?

My name’s Gus and I currently live in Southwest London.

Q2: When did you start using PrEP and how do you use it?

I’ve been using PrEP since I think 2019. Before I moved, I was on the impact trial back home in the Midlands and I continued to use it when I came down to London. I actually sourced it through the various websites that you could source it through before I was able to get back onto the NHS when it went free again.

I choose to use it daily mainly because I remember to take it better and it just suits me a little bit better. Sometimes I will use PrEP and barrier contraceptives. Sometimes it will just be PrEP. It really depends on who I’m having sex with.

Q3: Why did you decide to start taking PrEP?

It was just to be kind of responsible for my own health I guess.

Sexual health is a big thing and I was very fortunate that I grew up in a household that was very open about talking about sexual health and how to protect yourself and how to protect others and what is and is not a responsible way to have sex. So when it was available, I decided it was something that I wanted to do because I felt responsible and that I was able to kind of work alongside research, medical professionals in helping kind of reduce HIV transmission.

Q4: How did you hear about Preptrack and why did you start using it?

So, I first heard about Preptrack through a friend of mine that actually is a GUM doctor and I’d messaged him because I couldn’t remember if I’d taken my dose or not and I was just double checking what I thought was the right thing to do and he was just clarifying and said well actually like there’s an app and he sent it to me.

Q5: Has Preptrack changed how you use or think about PrEP?

It’s made it much, much easier I haven’t I almost kind of don’t have to think about it if that makes sense just because I don’t have to remember to set an alarm on my phone because it’s there automatically it’s just made it so much easier to very knowingly be consistent with it which is very handy.

I was generally very good before but the last couple of months just because I’m in two different apartments sometimes I couldn’t remember if I taken it or not so it’s just made it so much smoother and so much easier because even then if I have a little moment I can go and check whereas before even though I set my alarms there was no way to really double check. It’s really handy to flip it open and say “Oh no, yeah, I definitely need to take it.”

Q5: What do you like about Preptrack and how does it help you?

I like that it’s just it’s very straightforward, it’s very easy to use, very easy to set up and it kind of lets me know whether or not I’m protected based on the information I’m giving it and like I said before because I don’t have to set an alarm it’s there for me, it means that on days where I’m going to be sleeping in a little bit later that I’m not being woken up early or I’m less likely to miss it. It’s just really seamlessly transitioned into my everyday life.

Q6: Would you recommend Preptrack to friends?

Absolutely yeah, I already have done. I’ve already suggested it to some of my friends to use that I know. I’ve suggested it more to my friends that take event based because they have mentioned to me before that they struggle to remember to take their post- doses. Uh my friends that seem to take it daily seem to be okay but I’ve still recommended it to them because it’s just so handy.