This thread is something all asthmatics should see. Those who've never had an episode requiring hospitalization, especially those with adult onset that is "mostly" controlled with meds, still live with an "it can't happen to me" attitude. My wife has asthma, most probably as a result of exposure to "something" during the 1st Gulf War, and she's as guilty as any of them. (Apparently there is an unusually high percentage of 1GW vets with respiratory ailments.) Anyway - given the severity of consequences and the (relative) unpredictability of triggers for asthmatic episodes, I can't believe some of the civilian dive training agencies are training and certifying asthmatics. (One of the reasons I've decided to quit instructing - I'm tired of other people trying to force me to accept liability exposure I'm not willing to risk. Pursuit of profit has blinded most of these people to reality. One of my soapboxes - not the biggest anymore either.
) I take the wife's asthma seriously enough that I've got an 80% O2 deco bottle at the house if she ever has an attack that the meds won't handle. Eventually I'll be getting a mask type regulator for it. It's not as good as a dedicated O2 system, but I don't need a prescription to get it refilled. (Just one of the ridiculous things that require a prescription.) My .02 - Peregrino