Coughing judgment at the gym (or any public space)

[static]

I understand completely, most people just don't get it.
What I tend to do is go to the gym late at night, like 11:30 pm, and work out then. It really is the most effective way for me to get the damn stuff out, and least painful if you know what I mean.
When I get done swimming and hop in the shower (I now try to swim continuously to prevent coughing near the pool) I have a HUGE coughing fit. Most of the time people just ignore it (minus the staring from the other stall of course, but nobody's going to hop out of their shower to stare at you). I've heard everything from "stop smoking" to "are you sick" and since I've always been discrete about my CF I usually lie. Once I just didn't get a crap and told somebody straight out (WAY out of my character) and that was the last time I saw him at the gym ha.
I guess I don't really have any advice unless you want to do what I do and just try to avoid as many people as possible by going when nobody is up (I got to tell you though, it really messes with your sleep cycle when get to bed at 3 am and have to wake up at 7 for work. I am usually forced to nap after work and sleep most of the day on my off-days). Just letting you know there are those who relate and struggle with the same things.

 

[static]

I understand completely, most people just don't get it.
What I tend to do is go to the gym late at night, like 11:30 pm, and work out then. It really is the most effective way for me to get the damn stuff out, and least painful if you know what I mean.
When I get done swimming and hop in the shower (I now try to swim continuously to prevent coughing near the pool) I have a HUGE coughing fit. Most of the time people just ignore it (minus the staring from the other stall of course, but nobody's going to hop out of their shower to stare at you). I've heard everything from "stop smoking" to "are you sick" and since I've always been discrete about my CF I usually lie. Once I just didn't get a crap and told somebody straight out (WAY out of my character) and that was the last time I saw him at the gym ha.
I guess I don't really have any advice unless you want to do what I do and just try to avoid as many people as possible by going when nobody is up (I got to tell you though, it really messes with your sleep cycle when get to bed at 3 am and have to wake up at 7 for work. I am usually forced to nap after work and sleep most of the day on my off-days). Just letting you know there are those who relate and struggle with the same things.

 

[franzie2984]

Just chiming in: Sometimes I feel badly coughing all over on everyone, but they typically dont seem to notice. Only once or twice in the past year has some asked me "Are you alright?" When I had a coughing fit in public. They actually seemed concerned and were nice about it. At the gym no one has ever given me any "looks." I do feel badly though sometimes and do just want to say to people 'Hey I am not contagious" so I get where you are coming from. Gym guy sounds like an <insert derogatory name here>

 

[franzie2984]

Just chiming in: Sometimes I feel badly coughing all over on everyone, but they typically dont seem to notice. Only once or twice in the past year has some asked me "Are you alright?" When I had a coughing fit in public. They actually seemed concerned and were nice about it. At the gym no one has ever given me any "looks." I do feel badly though sometimes and do just want to say to people 'Hey I am not contagious" so I get where you are coming from. Gym guy sounds like an <insert derogatory name here>

 

[scarecrow]

Over the years I have gotten in the habit of telling people that I don't really care about that I have a bad case of asthma. It generally solves the problem and, as somebody else said, people don't generally have any idea what CF really is. Lately this country is getting more like Japan; I think people will be wearing masks in public before long. Just be glad the the AIDS scare has died down. I have been acused of that many times just because I am so skinny and sort of unhealthy. Life could be so much worse that I try not to let the problems that I have get me down too much.

 

[scarecrow]

Over the years I have gotten in the habit of telling people that I don't really care about that I have a bad case of asthma. It generally solves the problem and, as somebody else said, people don't generally have any idea what CF really is. Lately this country is getting more like Japan; I think people will be wearing masks in public before long. Just be glad the the AIDS scare has died down. I have been acused of that many times just because I am so skinny and sort of unhealthy. Life could be so much worse that I try not to let the problems that I have get me down too much.

 

[welshwitch]

I'm not really into the gym, but I am a total outside runner. On my 3-4 weekly 45 minute runs I use that opportunity to run and cough and spit to my heart's content! If people have an issue with my spitting in the grass or on the sidewalk, screw 'em! Best part is that my cough is much better when I do my run. So coughing and exercise is really a win-win for everyone <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

 

[welshwitch]

I'm not really into the gym, but I am a total outside runner. On my 3-4 weekly 45 minute runs I use that opportunity to run and cough and spit to my heart's content! If people have an issue with my spitting in the grass or on the sidewalk, screw 'em! Best part is that my cough is much better when I do my run. So coughing and exercise is really a win-win for everyone <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

 

[eddieWithMildCF]

Hey guys. I'm a 40 year old male with very mild CF. I wanted to create a new post in the Adult CF forum and introduce myself, but for the life of me I couldn't find a post button, so I came here and just replied. How do you crate a new post? Sorry to post in the wrong thread. (PS hi, everybody :^) )

 

[eddieWithMildCF]

Hey guys. I'm a 40 year old male with very mild CF. I wanted to create a new post in the Adult CF forum and introduce myself, but for the life of me I couldn't find a post button, so I came here and just replied. How do you crate a new post? Sorry to post in the wrong thread. (PS hi, everybody :^) )

 

[artiste]

I have "mild" cf. I teach elementary school art. When I cough, the kids are concerned, but I have explained that I have something they can't catch. So now they are all used to it, just ask if there is anything they can do to help me. My principal knows, of course--I'm not sure if she has had to field any questions. A parent came to me and said the word out on the street was that I was ill--I gave her the explanation, and asked to spread it "on the street." Sorry you have had to deal with rude people--I suggest you keep going to the gym--or anywhere else you want to go!
Karen, age 58, CF diagnosed at 57 (finally an explanation for all those symptoms I've dealt with my whole life!) pancreatic insufficient

 

[artiste]

I have "mild" cf. I teach elementary school art. When I cough, the kids are concerned, but I have explained that I have something they can't catch. So now they are all used to it, just ask if there is anything they can do to help me. My principal knows, of course--I'm not sure if she has had to field any questions. A parent came to me and said the word out on the street was that I was ill--I gave her the explanation, and asked to spread it "on the street." Sorry you have had to deal with rude people--I suggest you keep going to the gym--or anywhere else you want to go!
Karen, age 58, CF diagnosed at 57 (finally an explanation for all those symptoms I've dealt with my whole life!) pancreatic insufficient

 

[artiste]

Eddie, look at the top, center of this page. Look for the words "new topic." Click on that and start a new thread.
Karen

 

[artiste]

Eddie, look at the top, center of this page. Look for the words "new topic." Click on that and start a new thread.
Karen

 

[eddieWithMildCF]

Thanks Karen. BTW I found out about my CF at age 35. I have this strange sound to my cough.. kind of a whooping sound.. or a honking. Growing up, whenever I would cough, my dad would get irritated and say "why do you push so hard, you're doing that on purpose". I'd go to doctors because my lungs didn't feel right. They'd burn when I exerted myself a little. The doctors would listen, a couple times did an xray. Said I was fine. My parents started treating me like I was a hypocondriac. I found out due to absence of the vas deferens (and then sweat test, gene test). As you can imagine I was enraged that no one took me seriously growing up.. Adults and doctors are supposed to have their sh@# together, right?

 

[eddieWithMildCF]

Thanks Karen. BTW I found out about my CF at age 35. I have this strange sound to my cough.. kind of a whooping sound.. or a honking. Growing up, whenever I would cough, my dad would get irritated and say "why do you push so hard, you're doing that on purpose". I'd go to doctors because my lungs didn't feel right. They'd burn when I exerted myself a little. The doctors would listen, a couple times did an xray. Said I was fine. My parents started treating me like I was a hypocondriac. I found out due to absence of the vas deferens (and then sweat test, gene test). As you can imagine I was enraged that no one took me seriously growing up.. Adults and doctors are supposed to have their sh@# together, right?

 

[eddieWithMildCF]

Wow, what a jerk. People can be cruel sometimes. Here you are, with a chronic illness, you explain yourself, and this guy can only think of himself. Terrible.

 

[eddieWithMildCF]

Wow, what a jerk. People can be cruel sometimes. Here you are, with a chronic illness, you explain yourself, and this guy can only think of himself. Terrible.

 

[eddieWithMildCF]

Well, I found out about my CF at age 35. My mom had what doctors referred to as "asthma and emphysema" and was on a nebulizer for years and died of resperatory failure. My dx was prompted because of the discovery of missing vas deferens. In my research, I found that since females don't have the dead give away of vas deferens, they are often misdx'd with asthma, etc. When I asked the doctors if my mom had it, they said there's a good chance she probably did. So, our symptoms must closely resemble those.

 

[eddieWithMildCF]

Well, I found out about my CF at age 35. My mom had what doctors referred to as "asthma and emphysema" and was on a nebulizer for years and died of resperatory failure. My dx was prompted because of the discovery of missing vas deferens. In my research, I found that since females don't have the dead give away of vas deferens, they are often misdx'd with asthma, etc. When I asked the doctors if my mom had it, they said there's a good chance she probably did. So, our symptoms must closely resemble those.