How do you make a diagnosis?

When I go home to visit my family - and the family dog - I end feeling fairly ill due to sneezing, wheezing and other generally unpleasant things. When I was living with my family this happened on and off, and since then, it happens every time I go home for the weekend.

Since I'll be going home for Christmas, longer than a weekend, I thought this time I'll go to the doctor and see if she can give me some stronger antihistamines since the over the counter ones aren't particularly effective. I explained the symptons, and she decided I had asthma, and prescribed an inhaler.

I was diagnosed with asthma when I was about 9, and given an inhaler, but my mother took it away. So I guess I just want some confirmation, before I start getting annoyed at Mum - does this sound like asthma? Are you not supposed to do tests or something before prescribing the inhaler? I can only remember 2 or 3 times when I've had trouble breathing, and I've never had a full blown asthma attack. I always thought I just had allergic rhinitis, hay fever and animal allergies.

Thanks for any advice...

Laura

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I'm not a doctor so I can not give you a confirmation, but I think it sounds like you have allergic asthma. You can have asthma without having had a full-blown attack.

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Ok thanks!