<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; ">Originally posted by: <b style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; ">CFtori</b></i> Thank you guys! Loved all the advice. We are going to go in for PFTs later in the week to see my PFTs again after the antibiotics. I usually go speed skating 2 times a week for around 4 hours which results in lots of coughing. After school for everyday I would go walking or jogging. Same result, much coughing, much sputum. My FEV1 was 71% at it's lowest in the test and 89% at its highest. I talked to my mom about suggesting a tune up if FEV1s haven't improved. She thought it was a good idea but wasn't sure if the insurance would cover it because we suggested it and not the doctor. Thanks guys!!</end quote></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><div><br></div><div>Something that alot of people overlook these days in CF care is making sure that your body is getting everything it needs to meet your life style/health needs. </div><div><br></div><div>Doing things like adding immune boosting vitamins/foods, and nutrients that the body can use to rebuild tissues easier/faster will work wonder in how often you get sick and how well your lungs manage the infections in them.</div><div><br></div><div>It can also seriously cut back on the durations of your flare ups and times that you're sick. </div><div><br></div><div>Something to have your doctors look into would be checking your vitamin levels and iron levels, so that you can tell what your body really needs from you. Especially since it's very common for people with CF to have diminished Vitamin D levels and Diminished Iron levels (CF'ers tend to sit around an 11-12 on the hemoglobin scale). </div><div><br></div><div>Also, keep in mind that it's not just about taking these things in, but it's also about HOW you take them in. </div><div><br></div><div>Alot of us are told that we need to take in 3000+ calories a day to maintain our body mass, but we're never told how to go about doing that! </div><div>Doing something like eating two big meals a day and nothing else generally doesn't have the best results in terms of weight maintenance AND in terms of strain on our CF digestive tracks. </div><div>Eating multiple meals through out the day in smaller portions (something like 5 medium sized meals a day) helps us to absorb what we're taking in, where as we lose alot when we just eat GIANT meals.</div><div><br></div><div>You also have to take into account what you're taking in too btw. The foods your eating have to be like the supplements you take in. They have to be catered to your bodies needs.</div><div>IE, if you have issues with sore muscles or pulled muscles from sever coughing, your body may need more protein added to its diet, which means taking in more meats and breads and protein based supplement shakes as opposed to filling up on stuff like snacks or fast food.</div><div><br></div><div>Another example of this would if say you were REALLY active and worked out alot, or did alotta cardio based activities (such as how you run and such alot), then your body may need not only protein based nutrients, but it'll also want more starchy based foods (pasta!!) so that you won't run yourself down and potentially cause a flare up.</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Now, I realize that's alot of stuff to manage/do, but you have to try and remember something. There's no magical cure pill for CF, and we have to be careful about abusing antibiotics to prolong our lives! So your first (and eventually your last) line of defense in your struggle to live with CF will ALWAYS be your body! So make sure you're giving it the tools it needs to get the job done! </div><div><br></div><div>Because trust me.. it NEEDS it!!!</div><div><br></div><div>P.S. </div><div>btw, I know you're young and all, but seriously.. try not to miss ANY of your treatments if you can help it. </div><div>Maintaining your regiment will help to prevent ALOT of problems from occuring and allow you to feel better during everything you do through out the day.</div><div><br></div><div>Try your best not to think in terms of recovering (eventho we do alot of it with CF), but try to think more in terms of PREVENTING things from ever getting the chance to happen.</div><div><br></div><div>The more you prevent the longer you'll live!!!!</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; ">Originally posted by: <b style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; ">atamplin07</b></i> Hi Tori, It shouldn't matter who suggests it your insurance should still pay cause your doc still admitted you. Good luck!!</end quote></div><div><br></div><div>You'd be surprised at how fast insurance companies will dismiss what a doctor says you need these days, doesn't matter if it's needed or not.</div></div></div>
