What is causing my mucous to be thick?

benway · Newbie Joined: 21 Jun 2005 Posts: 18

Recently I have started to notice that I sometimes very hardly breathe.
I don’t know what could be the cause. I thought it was some heart failure but I think that I’m maybe too young for that. I am only 18 years old and I have never had any problems associated with my heart.
I quit thinking about my heart when I recently got some kind of bacterial lung infection with frequent coughing.
I contacted immediately my GP and he send me to some pulmologist.
I did some blood and breathing testing and after a day-I was diagnosed with some disease called Cystic Fibrosis!
I don’t know anything about this disease accept of the fact that it is making my normal lung mucous more thick. Every informations about this condition are more than welcome.

mcquillen · Newbie Joined: 21 Jun 2005 Posts: 17

I’m a medical student and I had an opportunity to find out something more about this disease called Cystic Fibrosis.
Cystic Fibrosis is genetically inherited and is most notable for affecting the lungs, digestion and reproduction of its sufferer.
I must mention that it is a very serious condition.
Your respiratory system has glands that are producing abnormally thick mucous. This affect your breathing because it can block the bronchi (airways) of the lungs and cause chronic lung infections and shortness of breath, like it was in your case.
All your airways are covered with cilia-little hair-like strands which function is to keep your lungs clean.
Thickness also makes near impossible for the cilia move mucous from the inside of the lungs up through to the bronchus and trachea where it can be coughed up or swallowed. You are “lucky” because you could be also suffering from digestion problems. Thick digestive mucous obstructs the pancreatic duct of the pancreas, blocking the digestive enzyme exit into the duodenum and causing the inability to digest food and absorb its nutrients.
You must take this very seriously and obey your doctor’s advices and medicaments dosage.

What is causing my mucous to be thick?

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