Can it be a begining stage of Aspiration Pnemonia?

[lunggal217]

I am forty something year old woman
Asthmatic ((on zyrtec, singulair and xopenex as needed)
Diabetic (type 2) semi controlled with food and exercises only
Borderline high blood pressure
Saturday, I had about 1/4 of a chewed peanut in mouth when I went to speak I lost my breathe and had to catch it many times. I did not choke in the usual sense of the word but rather had hard time breathing ( Kind of like when you inhale saliva the wrong way) Anyways, after finally catching my breath I kept coughing as I felt sensation in throat as something was  there. My voice became super raspy but I still felt weird. So I went to the E.R department/they took x-rays checked my throat said x-ray did not see anything but they wanted to give me a bronchoscope just to make sure. I denied the procedure as I was starting to feel better. That same night I felt something hard in back of tongue but I managed to swallow it.
Sunday- I was fine
Monday- felt chest tightness some wheezing took inhaler
Tuesday-Started feeling chest tightness but  no wheezing  by sternum and every time I would cough up from chest  clear to white thin mucous I felt my chest get colder. It is Friday and still has cold sensation in chest near sternum. No fever, no wheezing, but is have noticed if I speak too  long I need to kind of catch my breath a little also suffer from acid reflux so I am thinking it may be that as well.
Should I be concerned this is beginning  stage of aspiration Pneumonia?
Do I need another x-ray? Bronchoscope?
What should I look out for ...fever?etc
Can Mucinex help? How do I rule out lung infection?
Thanks for your reply.

[lunggal217]

Thank you for taking the time to answer my question.
it will be 3 weeks this coming Saturday since it happen.I have not had fever yet but do have lots if acid reflux and chest tightnessand on and off wheezing  that seems to produce milky white mucous from my chest.I lost 7 lbs since.Since I am scared to eat solid food.
last night I ate ravoli and I swear I felt a piece of it  lodge d in my throat  near my treachea.I still have no fever but as I said milky white mucous from chestabout 1/8 of a teaspon produce yesterday.Allergies? Aspiration ?
Acid reflux? I am going out if my mind.
Could peanut actually be stuck somewhere in the back if my throat causing problems ? How long will it take a aspiration pnemonia to develop?
Did I mention , I am allergic to most antibotics as well.

[David Tinkelman, M.D.]

The suspicion of the ER physician that you had aspirated the peanut was probably correct and bronchoscopy, unlike the usual negative Chest X-ray, would probably confirm that diagnosis.  Most aspirated foreign do not show on X-ray.  To answer your question regarding aspiration, yes, aspiration of a wide variety of foreign bodies, can cause pneumonia and/or lung abscess and fever could be one sign of this complication.  

I suggest that you contact your primary care doctor to get his/her opinion and that strong consideration be given  to bronchoscopy.  Mucinex or any other medication is unlikely to clear whatever was aspirated.  Also, the longer you wait, the more likely are you to develop lung infection.

Good luck,

As an aside, should you have children or grandchildren it is a good practice to not allow anyone under the age of 7-10 to eat peanuts, any other nuts, or any food of a similar size or shape.