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Living with IPF

The two main symptoms of IPF are:

  • Breathlessness (also known as shortness of breath or dyspnea): Usually the breathlessness of IPF first appears during exercise. Breathlessness can affect day-to-day activities such as showering, climbing stairs, getting dressed and eating. As scarring in the lungs gets worse, breathlessness may prevent all activities.
  • Chronic cough: About 85% of people with IPF have a chronic cough that has lasts longer than 8 weeks. This is often a dry cough, but some people may also cough up sputum or phlegm.

Other symptoms may include:

  • chest pain or tightness
  • unexplained weight loss
  • loss of appetite
  • tiredness and loss of energy
  • change of finger shape called "clubbing"