Symptoms of Cystic Fibrosis

Most of the symptoms are directly related to the thickening of the mucus inside your body. People with CF often suffer from frequent coughing, decreased immunity to bronchitis and pneumonia which can lead to permanent scarring and inflammation of the lungs, salty tasting skin, dehydration, infertility (primarily in men), ongoing diarrhea or other digestive problems, extreme appetite but lack of weight gain due to malnutrition and finally stomach and intestinal pain. CF can also lead to chronic diseases such as sinusitis, bronchiectasis, pancreatitus, nasal polyps and the collapsing of lungs. While everyday life with CF is managable, if not treated correctly it can lead to many harmful diseases later in life.