Hi
As a lifelong (well, since I was about 5) hay fever sufferer, I was originally diagnosed with childhood asthma back in the 80s, during a particularly hot summer holiday (we had to find a GP while on holiday) when I had a hacking cough and drank so many fluids to try and reduce the incessant coughing that I kept wetting the hotel bed! 
I wasn't given anything for it as it was deemed 'seasonal' I guess. I was also in a swimming club at the time and that helped as I was quite fit *sigh*
When I first met my hubby's best mate and his wife about 5 years ago, they had two long-haired, mangey cats and to be frank, their house was filthy with cat fur. By the time we left after a 3-hour visit, I could barely breathe. Subsequently, I got a Ventolin spray from my GP, as I've gradually become more allergic to animals as the years go by - my best mate has a dog, and my sister-in-law has a large hairy Alsatian, plus a cat.
Over this last Christmas, I started with a cold which just settled on my chest and at the beginning of January I had to leave work it was so bad, and get myself an emergency GP appointment. My GP asked if I'd been using my Ventolin spray and tbh it had never occurred to me as I just presumed it was a chest cold or at worst a chest infection. Felt a bit of a muppet I must admit. Anyway, she prescribed me a preventer and a new inhaler (the other one hadn't been used for a while) along with a spacer (stupidly forgetting I had to pay prescription charge for that as well!) which I've already stopped using.
I work in an open-plan office but there's no air-con or anything and I don't find that it affects me that badly - although I work in a University so there's always some germs or other floating about! If I laugh too hard, I start hacking and coughing away. My preventer ran out at the weekend but I was confused by the conflicting information; my GP said only use it till my condition improved but the instruction leaflet said don't stop using it unless your GP says so. The pharmacist told me to use it all the time.
I apparently have to see my GP before I can get another preventer - is this just because it's my first time or is this routine? Long story short, I rang the surgery and asked for one on a repeat prescription last week. Instead of telling me that I couldn't have one, I was prescribed something completely random off my repeat list! As I didn't know the actual name of the product, they're basically saying it's my fault and I should apparently know that my GP has to see me again first.
As the hay fever is starting to kick in, I'll have to see how I get on for the next couple of months and whether it has any bearing on my asthma.
Using Fostair 100/6 & Ventolin Advice 
Late onset asthma confusion 
New confused and fed-up!
Infection without cough or fever? 
No allergies but reacting on pollen?
