I'm asthmatic too, kopfhorer...
...have been all my life, WILL be all my life. It nearly killed me during my toddlerhood more times than I'd care to count if I COULD remember all the way back that far, and I'm lucky I can't, truth to tell. Little is more frustrating than when you can't draw enough breath to feel more than helplessly kitten weak and dehabilitatingly ill. However, I've lived long enough with it (and through it) to learn some valuable tips:
1) Adrenaline injections (of which I was given many during my prepubescence, and they DID help a great deal at the time) are a HUGE no-no now for asthma relief, according to doctors. Avoid at all costs, even if no other better option for immediate relief is available. I'd suspect hospitals don't even administer them for asthma any longer.
2) Allergies and asthma, studies have shown for years now, go hand-in-hand, which only stands to reason: asthma occurs due to airway constriction in the lungs, often caused by inflammation of the wall lining, the latter very commonly triggered by allergens, particularly outdoor ones. Pet danders and plant/tree-related causes (pollen, ragweed, mold spores, etc.) are main culprits, but you'll want to avoid heavily-dusty areas as well, and freshly-cut grass can play Hell with asthma too, I've noticed. Also, you'll want to avoid dairy products, milk particularly, when asthma-related symptoms flare up, because the thickness of the dairy further restricts the breathing process and therefore becomes almost undigestible and, ultimately, counterproductive.
3) Humidity is important to avoid and, of course, that DOESN'T just happen in the summertime, though that's often the worst time for asthmatics, what with the "dog days" bringing on haze and thick, scarcely-breathable air. Of course, air that's TOO dry isn't good, either. I believe it's said that roughly 40-50% humidity is most ideal, though I may not be entirely right about that exact range.
4) Hot liquids can work wonders for temporary asthma relief. The steamy vapors are said to open up bronchial passages sufficiently to allow greater ease of inhaling. For me, coffee and hot cocoa are the yummiest cures, but hot tea and virtually any high-temperature beverage would do the trick when sipped slowly and savored over a fairly length period.
5) Primatene Mist, the top brand-name over-the-counter asthma inhaler, is generally widely poo-pooed by most physicians I've talked to and/or read reports from. I couldn't scientifically tell you why, but clearly the medically-prescribed varieties (which may contain a greater steroid base though, again, my knowledge of the medical particulars isn't as clear as I'd like it to be) are far more beneficial. I recall names like Beclovent and Vanceril from my youth, and I believe at least one of those is still on the market. I also hear that Flovent is a commonly-used one these days.
Bottom line, I'd say, is that in order to best cope with asthma, you do the obvious (avoid smoking, don't excessively or too strenuously physically exert yourself, limit yourself physically in less than ideal weather, don't get too heavy), but yet you can still maintain a relatively "normal" existence if you approach things with moderation. I'll pray for your health and for you to avoid any more emergency room visits, of which I haven't had one due to asthma-related concerns since I was perhaps twelve years old, but still recall all too well how horrifying they can be. I'm sure you were likely aware of any and all of the points I detailed above, but I've been there, always will be, and hope I somehow helped. Take care of you.
