Adult onset asthma

Hello, I'm 24 years old, I moved to the Bahamas just 2 months ago and started to get a dry constant cough mostly at night and the coughing would lead to wheezing, and heart palpitations. It was also hard for me to breath and very hard for me to go to sleep. I took a trip to Florida to get checked and hopefully get some answers. The doctor told me that I had asthma and quickly wrote me a prescription for albuterol. I've never been too keen on taking any kind of medication but the albuterol does help me breath and makes the wheezing stop. I'm new to the asthma thing and I'm very concerned because the cough and wheezing happen everyday 2 or 3 times a day. I try not to use the nebulizer everytime because I dont know if it's too much. The cough is very annoying and I wish there was a way to just control it so that I dont cough all day. This all started 1 month after being in the Bahamas. My in-laws smoke alot of cigarretes in the house could that have triggered it? Oh and I forgot to mention that I do have allergies as well and that can lead to asthma but I never had coughing and wheezing before moving there. I'm very scared because I'm hoping that it anything more serious than asthma. and I dont want to use a nebulizer everyday for the rest of my life. Also the heart palpitations scare me alot too. The doctor did an ekg and said that it was normal but they're happing everyday. Sorry if I'm rambling but I hope someone can help me.

[Pum]

I'm sure the cigarette smoking environment is not helping you. Some reliever medications can speed up your heart and maybe they can trigger palpitations.

Good luck.

[agirltech2]

Is it damp and humid where you moved?   If so, this could have triggered the problem.  Gosh, get away from the cigarette smoke, I can't even tolerate it when I am outside breathing the smell of smoke.  I am certain this will only make it worst.
First , relax, take care of you, Ask your mother if the inlaws could please consider other non smokers by taking their smoke outside, there is no reason you should have to be subjected to the second hand smoke.  Also, learn how to breathe by learning some very simple yoga breathing exercises and try cutting dairy products and sugar from your diet.  I was diagnosed with adult onset asthma and I  could not use advair, it made me jumpy and my breathing worse, I was using a rescue inhaler every 3-4 hours.  To make a long story short, I am seeing a Naturopath Doctor and I am not on any medications, no Asthma since May 2007.  See a good Naturopath, it doesn't hurt to try something else other than the usual inhalers, prednisone and other pharmaceuticals.  You're too young not to try something else else.  Don't give up!
Good luck to you.
Jan