Changes in appetite, weight, or digestion are worth bringing up sooner rather than later. Your CF nutrition specialist — like your CF dietician — can help you troubleshoot day-to-day issues and know when to seek medical help, including for constipation and other concerning symptoms. When you have questions about your calorie needs, or experience symptoms related to your digestion, don't wait until your next care center appointment. Your CF care team is a valuable resource you can contact between your visits.
Know your “normal,” so that if your lifestyle, eating habits, or symptoms have changed, you can talk to your care team about the best nutrition plan and how to prevent uncomfortable issues, such as constipation.
If you are on antibiotics, especially IV (intravenous) antibiotics, ask your care team about eating yogurt or foods with fiber. These may help your body balance the “good” and “bad” bacteria.
If you strain to pass stools, you may be constipated. Share your symptoms with your care team right away so you can make a plan to manage them.
Contact your care team anytime if:
- You have not had a bowel movement in more than a day or two
- You feel less hungry than normal or have no appetite
- You have severe stomachaches or cramps
- You are losing weight without trying to
- You see any blood in your stool
- You are vomiting
During every care center visit, your care team wants you to tell them about:
- Your bowel movements, including how many you have per day, the consistency, and whether it ever hurts to pass stools
- Any change in your pattern of digestion or bowel habits, such as recent bloating after eating
- Any changes to your food intake, such as avoiding gluten or dairy
Any information that helps support healthy digestion and prevent issues like constipation
At least once a year, during a visit to your care center, you should:
- Review your typical daily food intake, discuss any nutrition-related symptoms, and review the use of enzymes, if appropriate
- Discuss nutrition-related goals, such as maintaining a healthy body composition
- Review blood levels of the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K and discuss your current vitamin and supplement intake
- Complete an oral glucose tolerance test to check for CF-related diabetes if you are age 10 or older and discuss the results
- Discuss dietary-related strategies to help you manage CF-related diabetes if you have it
