CF Happens

Sometimes in life CF (Cystic Fibrosis) happens…pun intended

recent posts

  • IVs for the new year

    February 2020 was the last time I was on IVs. I would like to think it is Trikafta making the difference. I usually do IVs every 3-5 months so that’s a plus of Trikafta. It makes me attempt to take the bad (weight gain) with the good. Oh I did my lung functions with my home spirometer. My best fev1 was 35%. So basically holding steady which is good. They had dropped a little over the last few weeks but managed to be back to my baseline today of course. Haha

    With that said I have been fighting something for a few weeks. I’ve had an increased cough, coughing more stuff up (which is less since Trikafta), more short of breath, been using my oxygen at night to help, wheezy and fatigue. I made the call for IVs. I have a telemed appointment on Thursday with my CF clinic. So I called to see if they wanted to see me or would prescribe IVs without. Thanks to Covid I was about to get things going without being seen but still have me appointment on Thursday to check in. My port is accessed, labs are drawn and a chest X-ray is done. Busy day at the hospital. Now I wait for the home health to deliver my IV supplies. I will be on Zosyn every 6 hours for 2 weeks. Here’s to no sleep!

    Mentally I’ve been in a funk. We are coming up on the anniversary of my moms passing, Jan 19. It’s always a tough time reliving it. We are coming up on 5 years. So my depression has been creeping up. I’m trying my best. Yes I’m still seeing a counselor and taking my antidepressants but that’s not a cure all. There are still bad days. I take what I get.

    Until next time…

  • One year on Trikafta

    I have been on Trikafta for one year as of today. The major things I have noticed is that I am coughing less, less coughing attacks and weight gain. I have not gained any lung function like others have reported. I have been stable though as far as lung functions are concerned. I have been lingering around 35% FEV1 (give or take a few percentage points). I still however get very short of breath with exertion like walking in a store or. any long distances, moving things around the house, making a bed, carrying things, etc. I wish I could breath better because that is the most frustrating thing right now, but that’s life with CF (getting closer to end stage CF).

    As far as transplant is concerned, I’m still too healthy to be transplanted. I am ok with that because I’m not mentally ready for it at this time anyway. According to one of my transplant doctors most CFers get listed around 20-25% lung function or less. So I still have a little ways to go. Mind you one bad exacerbation (illness) and I could drop lung function pretty quick. That’s about it as far as an update on Trikafta. I have a virtual CF clinic appointment on December 17th, just a check in/check up.

    Until next time…