As copied from Norma Kennedy Ploudes Homepage.......

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Symptoms of CF

Meconium Ileus (approximately 15% of the cases) This is when a baby is born

with a meconium blockage of the bowel. Normally, there is a black, tarry

stool-like substance that comes out soon after birth, within the first few days.

In

CF, sometimes this does not come out, due to the intestinal secretions causing

a blockage. This is very serious and requires surgery to eliminate this

problem within a few hours, or the baby will not survive.

Bright Bowel or Echogenic Bowel: this is when they can see a Meconium Ileus

in development in the uterus. This means that the fetus may be born with CF.

There are other conditions that may present this way.

Large, greasy, bulky, foul-smelling stools that float in water (Steatorrhea),

Flatulence (farting) or foul-smelling flatulence: due to pancreatic

insufficiency, lack of pancreatic enzymes to properly digest food.

" Failure to Thrive " : This is just a term used to describe conditions where a

child doesn't gain weight or grow in height normally, despite normal or big

appetite. It may be caused by other things than CF, but CF is certainly one

thing to consider when this is seen.

Repeated respiratory infections, both of the lungs and nose/sinuses

Sinusitis, Rhinitis

Pneumonia, Bronchitis, Bronchiolitis, Bronchiectasis, COPD (Chronic

Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)

Abundant respiratory secretions, due to the inability to clear them, because

they are thick, and often infected

Frequent, chronic cough, due to frequent respiratory infections, can be a dry

cough, but more often it will be productive

Wheezing, especially if you have an asthmatic component to your CF.

Nasal congestion, due to chronic sinusitis and/or polyps

Infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa or Burkholderia cepacia, among others

Salty sweat, one of the basic defects in CF

Nasal Polyps requiring surgery.

Bad Breath (actually, foul-smelling breath), that no amount of teeth brushing

or breath fresheners can get rid of, usually due to respiratory (lung and/or

sinus) infections with certain bacteria, such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, but

may also be due to improper digestion (Added Apr. 9, 2000)

Dehydrates easily

Lack of weight gain, due to malabsorption, and fighting infection

Stomach aches, abdominal distension: may be due to various reasons

Vitamin or mineral deficiency, due to malabsorption

Vitamin K Deficiency

Zinc Deficiency and skin rash

Acrodermatitis enteropathica-like eruption as the presenting sign of cystic

fibrosis - case report and review of the literature (Added Sept. 24, 2002)

GERD (Gastro-espohageal Reflux Disease)

Hyperacidic stomach, heartburn, stomach pains.

Diabetes

Arthritic pains, often called CF arthritis. The mechanisms of this are not

well understood yet.

Gallstones, sometimes requiring surgery.

Cirrhosis, or PBC: Primary Biliary Cirrhosis, sometimes leading to the need

for a liver transplant.

It is the initial diagnostic finding in 1.5% of patients, suggesting that all

patients with unexplained cirrhosis should have a sweat test as part of their

diagnostic evaluation. (Added Oct. 8, 2002)

Portal Hypertension

Sterility, especially males

Osteoporosis, comes later in life, due to insufficient intake of Calcium,

among other factors that affect bone strength

Clubbing, which is a particular type of swelling of the tips fingers

Rectal prolapse, fairly rare, usually manually reducible, sometimes needs

surgery

Rectal Prolapse and surgery (Added Oct. 22, 2002)

Metabolic alkalosis with hypoelectrolytemia

Metabolic alkalosis with hypoelectrolytemia in infants with cystic fibrosis

(Added June 18, 2002)

DIOS: Distal Intestinal Obstruction Syndrome happens sometimes in CF (Added

Apr. 2, 2003)

Pneumothorax: Collapse of the lung, usually seen in later stages of the

disease (Added Apr. 2, 2003)

Hemoptysis: Coughing up of blood, that comes from the lungs, usually seen in

later stages of the disease (Added Apr. 2, 2003)

Barrel Chest: Increased front to back diameter of chest, due to breathing

difficulty (Added Apr. 2, 2003)

Pancreatitis: Does not happen very often in people with CF (Added Apr. 2,

2003)