Symptoms

Symptoms of Cystic Fibrosis

Most cases of cystic fibrosis are identified during newborn screening, but a small percentage are not diagnosed until the patients exhibit symptoms later in life.

Symptoms can include:

• Chronic wheezing or coughing that produces thick, sometimes bloody, mucus
• Lung collapse
• Recurrent respiratory infections
• Clubbed (rounded) fingers and toes
• Inability to gain weight
• Pancreatitis
  
• Gallstones
• Infertility
• Arthritis
• Liver disease
• Excess gas
• Rectal prolapse (part of the rectum protrudes through the anus)
• Bulky, greasy stools
• Chronic diarrhea
• Salty-tasting skin