Symptoms of Cystic Fibrosis
The build-up of sticky mucus in the lungs can cause breathing problems and increase lung infection risk. Over time, the lungs may stop working correctly.
The mucus also clogs the pancreas (the organ that helps with digestion), which stops enzymes from reaching food in the gut and helping with digestion.
Most people with cystic fibrosis do not absorb nutrients from food properly. They need to eat more calories to avoid malnutrition.
Symptoms include:
- recurring chest infections
- wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath and damage to the airways (bronchiectasis)
- difficulty putting on weight and growing
- yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes (jaundice)
- diarrhoea, constipation, or large, smelly poo
- a bowel obstruction in newborn babies (meconium ileus) – surgery may be needed
People with the condition can also develop a number of related conditions, including diabetes, thin, weakened bones (osteoporosis), infertility in males, and liver problems.