Have any of you been diagnosed with asthma later in life? Usually, asthma is diagnosed as a baby or a young kid. I did not know that you can be diagnosed in your late teens or even later in life. I thought it was a health issue that wasn't determined by how many times you get sick, but now they are diagnosing it based on that.
A couple of years ago, went to the doctor for a check-up. They asked me how many times I have had bronchitis or pneumonia in my life... keep in mind I'm 19 years old. My response was, I've had pneumonia once and bronchitis about 3 times. The doctor then told me that I had asthma.
I was beyond confused. I had never had an inhaler in my life, except when I was sick. I am constantly involved in sports, and I never had any issues or shortness of breath. So I told the doctor all of that, and she told me there is a chart that explains if you have had bronchitis more than 3 times in your life, then you have asthma. This was the oddest thing that the doctors ever told me simply because I still do not have an inhaler on the daily basis, and I don't have issues.
Now, when I go to the doctor or I'm asked if I have asthma, I have to say "well, yes, kind of but not really." I get the craziest looks from people when I answer with that. I got to a point when I was done with being confusing, so now I call it "theoretical asthma," meaning I don't really have asthma, but technically I do because of the chart in the doctor's office.
A friend of mine recently told me the exact same thing happened to her, and I said well it's just theoretical asthma because it's based on how many times you have gotten sick in your like with bronchitis. She just laughed and started calling her case theoretical asthma as well. I hope it catches on, so eventually, we will all know that "theoretical asthma" means we were diagnosed with it because of the chart and not actually any severe symptoms.
Symptoms of asthma are serious, and I give it out to those who genuinely have to deal with it because it's tough, but those of you who don't think you actually have asthma, but doctor's say you are, just go with the theoretical approach.
