Coughing Up Blood

[LilStrawberyShortness]

wow..is it mostly common in girls? or both sexes? sorry i just noticed there was only maybe 2 posts from guys..and more from girls..

 

[anonymous]

I was told by my doctors that cf in general is harder on girls than it is on guys especially around their twenties, and they don't really know why


Ashley 20w/cf

 

[Diane]

In response to whether coughing up blood is more common in girls, i think our menstral cycle can sometimes have something to do with it. I know that when i have hemoptysis problems it is right between the time of ovulation and the period itself. In fact after my first embolization i corresponded with 2 women with cf who had hemoptysis problems and were using oral birth control to stop it. I decided to give that a try and it did make somewhat of a difference. They say that the estrogen in the pill helps to make the blood vessels more pliable and less likely to break. It is so odd, but after giving it a lot of thought, i started to notice that just about every time i coughed up blood, seemed to be the same times each month .
~Diane 40 / cf / diabetes / b.cepacia

 

[anonymous]

I can relate to the whole bleeding thing. I too get the gurgle. I have had 2 embolizations w/in a week of eachother and i still bleed sometimes just a tablespoon or so here and there. The only thing that is different that happens to me is sometimes When i get the gurgle I get this weird numbing feelign over my body. My whle right upper side goes almost completely numb and my left leg and its hard to breath. They told me im not getting enough blood to my brain, so i have to get my head as far down to the ground as i can as soon as i can feel the "numbness" starting. I actually woke up in the middle of the night almost paralyzed coughing up a lot of blood and was rushed to the hospital and had my first embolization. But they don't know why I get that numbness. Does it happen to anyone else?? or does anyone know anyone who it has happened too? its just annoying. But I at least know what to do if it starts, unfortunately I have anxiety from it now.


Alanna 21/cf/diabetes

 

[terber]

I have coughed up blood in massive amounts quite a few times. One of the first times it happened was during a "clean out" actually...I was very worried and immediately called in the nurse. They didn't know why it was happening...So, the next day I asked the doc and he explained that maybe during a coughing jag, I could have broken a few blood vessels...It doesnt happen too often but, when it does, it can be frightening, I know. I guess it just can be a normal thing at times to cough up blood. Hopefully, it wont happen again for you, me or anyone else for that matter, very soon!

 

[lovingBenandCambree]

I have coughed up blood many times and have had to have an embolization 3 times and a scope once. In 2002 I was coughing up serious amounts of blood. They figured it was between 4-6 cups. Can't really measure when its in the toilet<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif" border="0"> I nearly had to have a blood transfusion. Anyway, I had been doing fine and had only a few episodes of blood until last year while I was pregnant. I coughed quite a bit again and they went in for another embolization. The only difference was this time I was put on a vent which scared the crap out of me. They sedated me for 24 hours while vented and went in two different times to stop the bleeding. A few days later my OBGYN said it was time to indue labor and have the baby because of all that was going on. IT was 6 weeks too early, but while I was on the pit, those of you who have had children probably know what this is, anyway I began couging up blood again. I was rushed up to ICU and they wanted to stop delivery, but my girl was on her way. so they put me out got her out of me put me on the vent again and scoped me to see where the bleeding was coming from. They thought it would heal on its own so no embolization was done but then a few days later after coughing up more blood they were able to go in without me on the vent and I was basically awake during the procedure. If you have any questions please feel free to email me. tigger_babe32@hotmail.com. please put CF in the topic so I don't erase it<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0"> I am doing much better now and have not had any severe bleeding episodes.