Asthma relapse after 20 years - worried.

My best mate is 38, we both had asthma as kid's, he grew out of his and set out on a life of 20 cigarettes a day and 10 pints a week down the pub, followed up by loads and loads or hard workouts. I on the other hand have always had asthma and the only improvements in my condition has been better medicines and understanding of how I react to allergens, smoke, pollen, alcohol etc.

Now after a few years of relatively little working out, he suddenly got back into training again, (spinning 5-7 days a week) I told him to take it easy and build it up slowly, but he just did his thing... then after a hard outdoor party at my place where he did about 3 packs of cigarettes, 20 bottles of san miguel and a ton of schnapps he suddenly woke the next day with chronic asthma, hospital visits and doctors visits daily now for the past 10 days and still no sign of it lifting... he has been told to take it easy, no exercise, no smoking, no drinking. His PEF is down to around 500 l/m. Normal for him is around 700 l/m.

He has us all worried that it might be the big ""C"" or something equally serious.... blood tests have only shown that his liver values are a bit dickey... and it's wouldn't surprise me if he hasn't got a nasty cold on top of it all.

I suppose he is going through this bout of asthma and topping it off with cold turkey by being off the booze and nicotine.... bloody shock to his system...

I don't suppose I am looking for a diagnosis... but just need to talk about it to some anonymous internet ether peeps... anyone been through anything similar....?

Mike