Ireland has the highest rate of CF in the world. I have some questions about carrying the gene

I'm 30, and for as long as I can remember I've had chronic sinus issues and sputum production--I cannot go half an hour of socialising or talking without having to spit out phlegm. It has massively interfered with my work and personal life. I've ruled out food and other allergies, so it must be a genetic predisposition?

Apparently there is mounting evidence that people who carry *one* gene for CF (as you'll know, you need two mutated genes to express full CF) can be plagued with sinus and mucus problems that fall short of CF but can still be debilitating.

Most doctors, I've heard, tend to be dismissive of this, but based on my exploration of this topic it seems plausible that being a CF carrier can predispose you to sputum and cough issues. I want to get tested for it.

So can you be tested for the CF gene, even if you don't know of anyone in your family who has CF or has the gene?

I'm not particularly close to much of my family and I don't want to be digging into personal questions like this. But I do want to know if I am a carrier for CF, and whether this may be plaguing me with congestion and post-nasal drip all my life.

Go to your GP, and get a referral for a Medical Geneticist. There are two types of tests that are done. The first (and cheapest) usually only looks for the most common mutations, the more expensive test pans through both copies of the gene on the 7th chromosome to pick up any of the other 1800 odd mutations.