Living With Cystic Fibrosis
If you have cystic fibrosis (CF), you should learn
as much as you can about the disease and work closely with your doctors to
learn how to manage it.
Ongoing medical care is important. You should seek
treatment from a team of doctors, nurses, and respiratory therapists who
specialize in CF. These specialists are often located at
CF Foundation Centers in major medical centers.
Good self-care includes:
- Eating a healthy diet
- Avoiding tobacco smoke
- Washing your hands often to reduce your chances
of infection
- Exercising frequently
- Drinking lots of fluids
- Doing chest physical therapy every day
- Having annual flu and other appropriate
vaccinations
- Taking your medicines as prescribed
You can expect to have a normal sex life.
- Most men with CF are infertile, but they may be
helped with modern reproductive techniques.
- Although most women with CF may be less fertile
than women who don’t have CF, they usually can have children. Talk to
your doctor before becoming pregnant.
Having a positive attitude is also helpful.
If you are a parent of someone with CF, do not feel
guilty about passing it on to your child. And do not be overprotective;
encourage your child to be active and self-reliant.
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