Sorry about what your Pulmomologost told you about being prone to aspirate. Recently I read somewhere about how tipping one’s head slightly downward can help to prevent food or liquid to go down the wrong path. One of my sisters who is a Doctor told me that a good percentage of people have been known to aspirate with no ill side effects because their immune system was strong. So on a positive note, if you don’t have any underlining severe illnesses or a suppressed immune system your body is in a good state to fight off any foreign invaders that would try to attack your immune system.

As to what you said with antibiotics, they can actually be more harmful than helpful if prescribed unnecessarily. There have been known to be many different side effects from aspiration - some people pneumonia (bacterial, viral, or foreign debris), some pneumonitis or hypersensitivity pneumonitis, some ILD (interstitial lung disease), some RI ILD (respiratory infection interstitial lung disease), some bronchiectasis, some bronchiolitis (of which there are constructive, obliteramos, fibrotic, or cellular versions), etc.

Even if the aspiration side effect caused a bacteria infection, I understand the most effective way to completely eradicate it is to get a biopsy and have it cultured by a pathologist in order to get an accurate idea as to the exact type of bacteria that caused it. This way the right type of antibiotic can be prescribed to eradicate it.

To blindly be prescribed antibiotics by a Doctor without them knowing the exact diagnosis can do more harm than good because many cases it may not be bacterial. Taking antibiotics unnecessarily could cause the person to build a resistance to the antibiotics which could be detrimental for them in a future situation where their body may need to rely on an infusion of antibiotics via IV to survive (in the case of sepsis, for example).

Thanks for your kind words as to the upcoming visit on the 17th. That will be conducted via video for the patient to get a second opinion. Their hope is the Doctor can make a diagnosis simply by viewing the CT chest scan rather than calling for a bronchoscopy. However, if a bronchoscopy is needed after all they will proceed that route.