Anyone with asthma who cannot get through a simple cold?

[laundry_queen]

I don't know what is up with my asthma. I've had it since I was 14 and as a teen was constantly ill with bronchitis. Then I started having babies at age 22 and was pregnant and/or nursing for 12 years straight and this seemed to agree with my asthma - I only got bronchitis once - when I was due to deliver my 4th via C-section. Yeah, that was fun, all that coughing after the C-section - at least the iv antibiotics in the hospital helped.

Anyhow, since then, I can't seem to get through a simple cold without developing bronchitis and then I go on antibiotics, then I cough my brains out for months afterwards. Every doctor I've seen just puts me on more inhaled steroids, or the new thing for me is symbicort. Nothing really helps. I end up using my ventolin constantly. This lasts for 3-4 months and then gradually dissipates. Then I catch another cold and am right back where I started. Whenever I go to the ER for a breathing treatment because my ventolin isn't giving relief, I'm told everything is fine -heartrate, pulse-ox, but when they listen to my lungs I'm always in 'severe bronchospasm'. Then I have a breathing treatment and I'm fine for awhile. Again, the doctors don't seem to be alarmed. I'm simply told to make sure I stay on my inhaled steroids. I asked for a nebuliser and they told me it was pointless, that studies show inhalers work just fine.

When it does finally go away, I'm totally fine, I hardly ever need my ventolin at all. But then I catch a cold (with 4 kids that happens a lot) and right when I think I'm in the clear, it goes straight to my lungs.

Is this a common asthma thing? I seriously don't know anyone else with asthma so I'm not sure if this is normal or not. My doctors just shrug and act like it's not a big deal, but when I'm dealing with these issues I have a hard time functioning and it's frustrating. I'm considering asking for lung x-rays and a referral to an asthma specialist.