Is it Allergies? Is it Allergic rhinitis? Is it Asthma? What is it?

I am a 50 year old male, who for the last few years, seems to have violent coughing/ gasping for breathe when encountered with: stale air (eg. Closed cars) or strong odor (eg. Car exhaust).  I have been tested to be allergic to dust/ dust mites. After a couple of minutes of coughing and spiting out and having a tablet of Benadryl allergy medication, things are pretty normal. The above mentioned reactions happen mostly in morning. I have tried: Zyrtec, Astelin, Flovent discus, among other medicines to no avail. Any suggestions on medicines or potential cures?

[ducky406]

Have you tried claritin? I started using that to combat my allergies with perfume, but found that zyrtec worked better. I'm not sure about other allergy meds though, have you tried nasal sprays?

Benadryl knocks me out in seconds so I understand not wanting to take it all the time- have you tried using the tablets and cutting them in half? I found a 1/4 of the adult dosage works well enough on reactions my Zyrtec isn't good enough for without causing excessive drowsiness. Although I still need a whole pill or 2 if i get hives or am around aresols...

[Irishbred]

I've been told I have allergies that led to this ongoing miserable rhino-sinusitis w/out any meds helping me. I am not allergic to dust/mites...just trees/grass. I would say if you have "vents"/hot air heating.. have them
professionally cleaned out. I know it's expensive..but your health is worth it.
I don't have carpeting..had vents cleaned..tore walls down in basement, if mold was creeping around. Still, no improvement.I'm not sure where your located...but "keeping window open 1/2". at nite..may help with environmental, if that's the problem? Use an lap type elec. blanket to endure 1/2" cold window, it works for me.
Neti pot...work wonders. Go to Youtube.com..enter NETI POT USAGE. It's better than all the meds I've been on for the past 1.5yrs.  SIMPLE..JUST KEEP UR MOUTH OPEN WHEN USING.
GOOD LUCK..

[Paderla Anitha, DNB]

Hello and hope you are doing well.

Cough, chest tightness and breathlessness the three symptoms mentioned by you are the triad of symptoms for Asthma. It is a disease affecting the lungs causing narrowing of the airways, usually due to an allergic reaction to triggering factors. Therapy is with bronchodilators which cause the airways to dilate. Have yourself evaluated for the same. This can be detected by a spirometry test.

Steroid inhalers are used regularly for prevention of attacks. The steroid content is very low in an inhaler and only acts locally. Use will prevent the causative allergens from triggering an attack.

Discuss these options with your consulting doctor.

Hope this helped and do keep us posted.