I may sound like a hypochondriac, but 4 weeks after receiving an erotic massage from a gay man, I have swollen glands above my trapezious muscles, one gland up in my neck, itching, mild night sweats, raspy throut. He performed oral sex on me with a condom (although there was oil on my penis), there was a small cut on my finger covered by a bandaid treated with benzalkonium chloride (some massage oil got to the cut). He did not ejaculate or even get aroused. I'm worried more about transmission from his other clients (contaminated oil). I did get a vaccine for hepatitis b and tetanus a week later and had a pretty pronounced reaction. I still can't seperate these symptoms from the fact that I may have contracted HIV. Please help

HIV is not spread through contact with massage oil. In fact, there is only evidence that, in terms of sexual contact with others, HIV is transmitted during anal, vaginal, and oral intercourse/sex. Further, there is no evidence that HIV is transmitted through receiving oral sex (and wearing a condom would make transmission virtually impossible).

It does sound like you are pretty anxious. It also sounds like you are practically inventing new ways that HIV can be spread in order to "prove" that your symptoms are related to HIV (there is really no logic behind the infected massage oil argument). It is crucial that you evaluate the anxiety that you are experiencing. If you feel that your anxiety is pervasive, severe, and/or disruptive to your life, consider talking with a mental health professional about options for alleviating the anxious symptoms.

RMK