What to do for Porphyria ?
- Porphyrias are rare disorders that affect mainly the skin or nervous system and may cause abdominal pain.  - Each of the eight types of porphyria corresponds to low levels of a specific enzyme in the heme biosynthetic pathway.  - The exact rates of porphyria are unknown and vary around the world. For example, porphyria cutanea tarda is most common in the United States, and variegate porphyria is most common in South America.  - Most porphyrias result from inheriting an abnormal gene, also called a gene mutation, from one parent.  - Porphyria cutanea tarda is usually an acquired disorder, meaning factors other than genes cause the enzyme deficiency.  - Symptoms of cutaneous porphyrias include      - oversensitivity to sunlight    - blisters on exposed areas of the skin    - itching and swelling on exposed areas of the skin    - Symptoms of acute porphyrias include      - pain in the abdomen    - pain in the chest, limbs, or back    - nausea and vomiting    - constipation    - urinary retention    - confusion    - hallucinations    - seizures and muscle weakness    - A health care provider diagnoses porphyria with blood, urine, and stool tests.  - Treatment for porphyria depends on the type of porphyria the person has and the severity of the symptoms.