Dear Kristen,

NO...it is never too late to be tested! I am a perfect example, as
I was diagnosed with CF at the age of 31. (I will be 33 in May) I
also have 4 natural children, so anything goes. My sweat chloride
test was in the high/normal range so for an adult it could have very
easily been read as "normal" I also had a genetic screening and was
found to have one copy of DeltaF508, but the other mutation has not
yet been identified. We are going to send in my blood sample to
Ambry Genetics where they do they most thorough CF mutation testing
in the country.

I have many clinical symptoms including bronchiectasis, pancreatic
insufficiency along with other intestinal/stomach issues, mucus
clearance problems, trouble gaining/sustaining weight, and GERD. My
CF is a milder form, but had finally reached a point where the
clinical symptoms really started rearing their ugly head. My last 2
pregnancies were extremely hard on my body, and it was about a year
after my 4th baby was born was when I received my diagnosis. I grew
up with what I and my parents thought was "just" asthma and went
through many, many lung infections that went untreated. (perceived
as only a chest cold) My dad is a lifelong chronic asthma sufferer
and we have wondered whether he too may have CF, but a mild form.

I hope that helps answer your question about getting tested...again,
as I have learned, it is never too late to get tested and start
getting treatment.

Good Luck...keep us posted. And there is a lot of very good info on
the interent about adult diagnosed cystic fibrosis. Google.com is
an excellent search engine.

Best Wishes,
Jennifer



--- In cysticfibrosissupport@yahoogroups.com, "idbugm" <idbugm@y...>
wrote:
> I don't think anyone is too old to be diagnosed. I think this is
one
> of the major misconceptions among doctors. There are varying
degrees
> of CF that people have. Doctors who just treat symptoms often
fail
> to diagnose CF for year. Although rare, I do hear of new
diagnosis
> on older patients every year.
>
> Get tested, it's painless.
>
> D. Klingler
>
> --- In cysticfibrosissupport@yahoogroups.com, "Kristen A.
Santamaria"
> <kas5@l...> wrote:
> > Hi Everyone,
> > I just wanted to say that I saw my doctor yesterday and when I
> explained
> > that my aunt who is at least 10 years older than I am was just
> diagnosed
> > a year ago and they plan to remove her pancreas and then she
will
> only
> > have a few months to live. My mom wants me tested because the
gene
> seems
> > to come from my grandmother. I asked him to do the test, which
he
> said
> > was some kind of sweat thing, he said I was way too old.
> >
> > His office called me today and said that the hospital would do
the
> test
> > on me. Am I too old? I am 30. I have been diagnosed with several
> other
> > illnesses. He asked if I had a pulmonary doctor and I said that
all
> I
> > had was my asthma doctor. He told me to make an appointment for
as
> soon
> > as possible because he would probably be better at diagnosing it
> than he
> > was.
> >
> > What do you all think?
> > Kristen
> >
> > --
> > Creed ONE
> > I feel angry, I feel helpless,
> > Want to change the world.
> > I feel violent, I feel alone,
> > Don't try to change my mind.