I wanted to follow up. This morning I woke up with a sore throat, no fever or headache but an enlarged salivary gland at the back of my throat. I went to the local, in store clinic where I tested negative for strep and the flu. The sore throat looks viral in nature according to the practitioner, with white tonsils . The salivary gland is not sore, but all of this happening 11 days post (potential) exposure make  me wonder if this would change your opinion for me "returning to a normal life". 

Welcome back, but sorry you found it necessary. I've given you my professional advice and opinion, and this doesn't change anything. It's cold/flu season, and almost certainly this is a garden variety respiratory infection; and to my knowledge acute HIV does not affect the salivary glands. If in the next few days you were to develop more typical symptoms of acute retroviral syndrome (ARS), such as fever, several enlarged lymph nodes, and/or a widespread non-itchy skin rash, I would be more worried. But even then I would be skeptical about ARS or any connection to the low risk sexual event you described.---

Thanks Doctor. I forgot to mention that the practioner prescribed me 40 mg prednisone for 5 days to allow drainage from my ear canals. I have not seen any fever, rash or swollen lymph nodes, muscle aches, night sweats or joint pain. Any reason to think prednisone would hide all the potential symptoms? I am incline to trust your original opinion, but want to make sure I'm not getting too excited and relieved.

And yes, I jus realized how ridiculous I sounded asking that after reading it...

Prednisone might slightly ameliorate ARS symptoms, but probably would have little effect. In any case, symptoms are always unreliable indicators for or against a new HIV infection. That your exposure carried no plausible risk is the important thing. You might consider re-reading my main reply to your previous question. It was meant to be very reassuring!---

Thanks, I did go back and reread the original entry and as you mentioned it was very reassuring. The pea sized knot on on of the parotid gland duct has really thrown me off. It is still there, I went to an oral surgeon who said we will cut into it if it doesn't go down by the end of the week, but all he can say was it isn't cancer from his experience. As you can imagine, mentally I am connecting dots because it seems too coincidental in my mind . I know there is a connection between the swelling of the parotid gland and HIV, but I can't find at what point that it occurs. Today is the final day of prednisone, so I am somewhat concerned that everything is going to swell up all at once (again, not knowing the real impact of 40mg per day for 5 days). I still haven't seen any other symptoms, the sore throat went away bu then I tried to squeeze the swollen gland duct in my mouth. I know you have said to remember, "your exposure carried no plausible risk is the important thing" but this still has made it uneasy and concerning for me. I am even wondering if my mind is making phantom sensations in my underarms to mimic lymph node pain. Could the constant acid reflux I have had for 2 weeks play a role? 

A few comments before closing this thread. First, you were not at risk for HIV: believe it. Second, HIV never, ever causes only a single symptom and would never cause whatever sort of bump you have in association with your salivary gland or its duct. And of course anxiety can cause "phantom sensations"; the lymph node inflammation with HIV is not painful. Acid reflux isn't a cause of any of this, but is another symptom typical for anxiety magnifying symptoms or even normal body sensations.---