Dr. Jennifer L. Deason, MD

Asthma symptoms can come and go with upper respiratory infections, allergies, and other triggers. If you have a very mild case, your symptoms can self resolve. If you were diagnosed simply by being listened to with a stethoscope, technically, all you could have been diagnosed with was wheezing, which is a symptom, presumably from an infection that has now resolved.

A true asthma diagnosis is achieved with something called pulmonary function tests. It is possible that while you feel better, you are still not breathing normally. Sometimes, people have been wheezing for so long that they don't even realize how restricted their breathing is. I'd recommend you schedule a follow-up with your doctor so that they can recheck your lungs and you can discuss your concerns and get your questions answered.

Yes, most likely your B12 deficiency is from your diet changes. Vitamin B12 is found in exactly the foods you identified as reducing. B12 deficiency can lead to anemia, neuropathy, mood disorders, fatigue, and other symptoms, so it is not to be taken lightly. I would recommend you either take the supplement as recommended by your doctor or find a way to get enough in your diet, and have your levels rechecked.

Unfortunately, I don't have enough information to answer this question. Your physician should be able to discuss this with you.

It could be a coincidence or you could be having a mild reaction. If you don't develop any further symptoms, I would not allow it to prevent you from having another flu vaccination next year, although you might take a dose of tylenol with it as a prophylactic measure!

If the fever resolves after a day or two, you may just have been fighting off a virus or other infection. If it persists though, especially beyond a week, without other typical infectious symptoms like a cold would produce, then you should schedule an appointment with your primary care physician for a visit, just to make sure everything is okay. It could be something as simple as a bladder infection, or your thyroid could be slightly overactive. There are a number of other reasons it could be elevated, all of which your doctor would rule out with a physical and blood work. Please monitor your symptoms and follow up if it persists.

While we do not know the direct genetic link, the answer to your question is that yes, asthma has a definite hereditary component, so there is some increased risk that you or your children will develop it, if what your grandfather had was truly asthma and not emphysema/COPD. You cannot do anything to change your genetics and change that risk. You can of course avoid tobacco products and not add on the risk of emphysema or COPD, which I certainly would encourage you to do. The fact that your mom did not have it and you have not yet developed it is encouraging, so focus on that positive factor and try not to worry about the part you can't control. I hope that was helpful.

It is very hard to know with the limited information you provided what to make of your symptoms. I would recommend you make an appointment with your primary care physician and discuss your symptoms with them. If your symptoms are severe, associated with chest pain, or are persistent and do not resolve, please call 911 and go straight to the ER.

I will have to defer you to the surgeon for this question, whether it was an orthopedist or ENT who managed her care.