Hello all. I am a 20 year old male, and was recently tested via sweat test for CF. I received the call five days ago that I did not have CF due to the results, but I am not fully confident (as online research has led me to discover that in some, albeit very few, cases, the sweat test may produce normal results despite the patient having CF). Here's why I am not fully confident:
1) I was diagnosed with asthma at a young age--however, this asthma is so mild that it has a negligible impact on my life as of now. I need to take two puffs of my albuterol inhaler MAYBE once a week, if not less than that. I do not usually need it when I work out, and it hardly affects me in any way. However, when I was younger, I had a few more issues with it, and had to take breathing treatments once or twice a day. My mother was told that I a certain portion of my lungs was damaged when I was young, and I will never get usage of this part back (I cannot remember what part of my lungs were damaged). My father has asthma, more severely than I do. My mother has mild asthma as well. This is a point of concern because I know that many times in cases of late onset, early signs of CF are mistaken for asthma.
2) As a child, I had problems with intestinal blocking. I should say, rather, I had one major issue. It has turned into a story I tell my friends to be funny, but now I am a bit frightened. When I was about 4, I had a blockage in my intestine for which I had to go to the hospital and be hooked up to an IV. It was discovered that a piece of stool a bit smaller than a football had accumulated, and was responsible for the blockage. I know intestinal blocking is seen as a symptom of CF.
3) I have chronic sinus infections that occur around early April/late March and last until early June. I have always believed these are allergy-induced (I am allergic to everything: grass, trees, ragweed, etc.). My allergies are bad, and I assumed this was the cause. My physician would give me an antibiotic that would do nothing for me, and I would do my best to mitigate the congestion and allergy issues with Sudafed and Zyrtec, respectively. However, these infections were the cause of a surgery for chronic sinusitis I had. The surgery was ordered when I finally took my issue of annual infections to an ENT doctor. The surgery was meant to help the chronic sinusitis and permanent inflammation in my sinuses. It was 6 days after the surgery, during a followup, that the same doctor who performed the surgery told me I needed to be tested for CF. The test was just last week (the surgery was two weeks ago). I know, many times, adults who are diagnosed with late onset have had surgery for chronic sinusitis.
4) This one is a bit more personal and admittedly gross, but I want to express it. I often experience anal leakage while sleeping. While this is possibly attributable to a diet high in fatty, greasy foods (which God knows I have), CF is also a possible culprit according to some research I have done.
5) I have had thick mucus in my throat and nose for as long as I can remember. This has never been awful, and it has never caused huge problems. It doesn't make me cough, and I do not cough it up, but it is thicker than most people's (this was confirmed when the doctor told me I needed to be tested for CF--it was my thick mucus in my nose that made him think I needed to be tested).
6)For years (since middle school) I have had bad acid reflux. Multiple times per week I will have to take Tums to help it, as it is so bad that I cannot sleep. I have since started to take Prilosec, which also helps. My mom has very bad acid reflux as well. I know it is often a symptom of CF. However, I have noticed my acid reflux is not as bad when I eat less fatty foods.
Again, the sweat test results came back normal, and I am meeting with my doctor again on Monday (today is Wednesday) for a followup to the followup. It will be the first time I have seen him since I was told I needed to get tested, and I will certainly bring this all up with him, but I was wondering what thoughts you had. Thank you so much!
1) I was diagnosed with asthma at a young age--however, this asthma is so mild that it has a negligible impact on my life as of now. I need to take two puffs of my albuterol inhaler MAYBE once a week, if not less than that. I do not usually need it when I work out, and it hardly affects me in any way. However, when I was younger, I had a few more issues with it, and had to take breathing treatments once or twice a day. My mother was told that I a certain portion of my lungs was damaged when I was young, and I will never get usage of this part back (I cannot remember what part of my lungs were damaged). My father has asthma, more severely than I do. My mother has mild asthma as well. This is a point of concern because I know that many times in cases of late onset, early signs of CF are mistaken for asthma.
2) As a child, I had problems with intestinal blocking. I should say, rather, I had one major issue. It has turned into a story I tell my friends to be funny, but now I am a bit frightened. When I was about 4, I had a blockage in my intestine for which I had to go to the hospital and be hooked up to an IV. It was discovered that a piece of stool a bit smaller than a football had accumulated, and was responsible for the blockage. I know intestinal blocking is seen as a symptom of CF.
3) I have chronic sinus infections that occur around early April/late March and last until early June. I have always believed these are allergy-induced (I am allergic to everything: grass, trees, ragweed, etc.). My allergies are bad, and I assumed this was the cause. My physician would give me an antibiotic that would do nothing for me, and I would do my best to mitigate the congestion and allergy issues with Sudafed and Zyrtec, respectively. However, these infections were the cause of a surgery for chronic sinusitis I had. The surgery was ordered when I finally took my issue of annual infections to an ENT doctor. The surgery was meant to help the chronic sinusitis and permanent inflammation in my sinuses. It was 6 days after the surgery, during a followup, that the same doctor who performed the surgery told me I needed to be tested for CF. The test was just last week (the surgery was two weeks ago). I know, many times, adults who are diagnosed with late onset have had surgery for chronic sinusitis.
4) This one is a bit more personal and admittedly gross, but I want to express it. I often experience anal leakage while sleeping. While this is possibly attributable to a diet high in fatty, greasy foods (which God knows I have), CF is also a possible culprit according to some research I have done.
5) I have had thick mucus in my throat and nose for as long as I can remember. This has never been awful, and it has never caused huge problems. It doesn't make me cough, and I do not cough it up, but it is thicker than most people's (this was confirmed when the doctor told me I needed to be tested for CF--it was my thick mucus in my nose that made him think I needed to be tested).
6)For years (since middle school) I have had bad acid reflux. Multiple times per week I will have to take Tums to help it, as it is so bad that I cannot sleep. I have since started to take Prilosec, which also helps. My mom has very bad acid reflux as well. I know it is often a symptom of CF. However, I have noticed my acid reflux is not as bad when I eat less fatty foods.
Again, the sweat test results came back normal, and I am meeting with my doctor again on Monday (today is Wednesday) for a followup to the followup. It will be the first time I have seen him since I was told I needed to get tested, and I will certainly bring this all up with him, but I was wondering what thoughts you had. Thank you so much!
