How do you live with asthma ?
Well, classic asthma doesn't present like what you describe. It is usually triggered by known and specific things, these three being the most common:
1) Allergens (usually known ones, and typically environmental)
2) Breathing irregularities (like extended hard laughing, sudden extreme exertion, or coughing)
3) Radical temperature changes
So those things are usually easily avoided, and if triggered, usually quickly resolved by using albuterol and resting until it passes. There is also usually "notice" that it is starting to happen. I don't know what it is like to NOT have asthma, since I have had it my whole life. And I am glad mine is well-controlled. For those with not-well-controlled, the symptoms can come on more quickly and/or are harder to resolve and/or take longer to resolve. In some cases, the allergen is unknown or can't be avoided, and more aggressive and continuous treatment has to be taken.
I have other health conditions that are far more irritating and problematic that happened later in life. So to me, being asthmatic is not a big deal. It only becomes a major issue if it complicates some type of OTHER respiratory issue- like being sick with pneumonia (had that only once, thank god), or a respiratory flu/cold. In those cases, the infection can trigger an asthma reaction that can't be easily resolved without resorting to more powerful measures (like fluticasone and salmeterol and similar). Fortunately, I very rarely get sick.