Hi Doc,

March 21 I went for a massage and ended up receiving a handjob only. My symptoms since then: Oral mucocele at day 2, Small bump on neck near jugular lymph node at day 7 (folliculitis?), Swollen left armpit lymph node at day 10 (confirmed by my doctor), Swollen parotid lymph nodes on both sides at day 16 (checking today), Today (day 17) I have minor dull aches in my glutes and hamstrings and slight.

Questions: 1) is there a risk for HIV?, 2) Is it really possible I have conjured these symptoms into existence?, 3) I did not check her hands, could a cut or sore on them have caused this to happen?, 4) What about bodily fluids?, 5)Do i need to do any testing?, 6) For the swollen lymph node, would antibiotics be recommended?

Some questions can be addressed pretty well from only the title the user selects. In response to "Handjob - HIV risk": there has never been a case of HIV known to be transmitted by hand-genital contact.

Now having read the question itself:  You were not at risk for HIV and your symptoms don't fit with HIV anyway. To your questions:

1) "Is there a risk for HIV?" No; as noted above, there has never been a case of HIV known or even suspected to be transmitted in this manner.

2) "Is it really possible...?" Whenever someone suspects their symptoms have an emotional or psychological origin, usually they are right. Since you apparently suspect this, I have to agree it's a very good possibility for your symptoms.

3) A cut on her hands would make no difference. It doesn't matter than you didn't look.

4) Body fluids are not a problem when they contact skin surface of the penis or anywhere else.

5) No, you do not need to be tested for HIV or any other STI.

6. HIV infection never causes a single lymph node to be enlarged or inflamed. There are too many possibility for me to know whether treatment is necessary; or, if it is, what antibiotic to use. Discuss with the doctor who diagnosed the inflamed node. It has nothing to do with the massage or handjob March 21.

I hope these comments are helpful. Let me know if anything isn't clear.

HHH, MD

FYI, in the 21 years of this and our preceding forum, with thousands of questions from persons worried about HIV after a possible exposure, nobody yet has reported testing positive. You won't be the first. If it finally happens, surely it will be from a genuinely risky event:  think unprotected anal between two men, for example.

I would think that considering I developed it just 2 days after my exposure that it is completely coincidental and does not in any way fit the timeline for HIV. I did find articles that say its an early sign but they are niche and go against what mainstream knowledge says.

Thank you.

Mucoceles are normal occurrences from time to time in all humans; they really aren't even considered abnormal and I am unaware they occur with increased frequency in any important medical condition. And I've certainly never heard of them being associated with HIV infection. And of course you're right that this didn't fit the timeline of acute HIV infection, which cannot cause symptoms sooner than a week after exposure.

That concludes this thread. Thanks for the thanks; I'm glad to have helped.