After reading over 50 clinical case histories, one can begin to understand why no two patients are alike, and why there is so much confusion among the doctors trying to make a dx because nothing is really concrete, and there are so many different signs and symptoms. In addition they manifest themselves differently. I do not always present in the same way for every attack. If it is this hard and complex in identifying the simple and plain AIP, think how much harder it is to add the cutaneous elements, and then to define the hepatic from the other.
Porphyria is a mystery to many clinicians.
Most have heard of porphyria briefly in medical school, but the majority have not ever had a porphyria patient. Porphyrics need to remember that you may be the first and only porphyric your physician has treated. This disease does not come in a neat little prescription with set answers and diagnosis and treatment. We have to remember that there is only one of us and the clinician has a whole medical community to attend. Kindness consists of loving people more than they deserve.