I think I may have porphyria. Should I get it checked?

This is a list of symptoms I have noticed I have:





Abdominal pain - sometimes, but not always.


Hallucinations - very minor ones, out of the corner of my eye.


Depression


Anxiety


Paranoia


Skin itching


Skin swelling - Sometimes, not too often.


Sun sensitivity - minor, but still there.


Photosensitivity


Hair growth abnormalities - The hair on my head grows an inch a week.


Skin pigment changes - my skin pigment changes multiple times a day.


Back pain - sometimes.


Tingling





I've always wondered about some of these things, and never heard of a disease that cause any of them. Especially the tingling and pins and needles that are very common every day. Should I get it checked? Will something bad happen if I don't?

I think I may have porphyria. Should I get it checked?
Porphyria is rare, but that's an interesting set of symptoms and I think it is worthwhile for you to get checked out. It's important to be diagnosed since there are treatments and also just as important, there are many common drugs that worsen the symptoms of porphyria so it would be important to have that medical history for your doctor in case you need to be treated for other conditions later in life.
Reply:i would say go now while it is early
Reply:Porphyrias are a group of genetic disorders caused by problems with how your body makes a substance called heme. Heme is found throughout the body, especially in your blood and bone marrow, where it carries oxygen.





Porphyrias affect the skin or the nervous system. People with the skin type develop blisters, itching, and swelling of their skin when it is exposed to sunlight. The nervous system type is called acute porphyria. Symptoms include pain in the chest or abdomen, vomiting, and diarrhea or constipation. During an attack, symptoms can include muscle numbness, tingling, paralysis, cramping, and personality or mental changes. Certain triggers can cause an attack, including some medicines, smoking, drinking alcohol, infections, stress and sun exposure. Attacks develop over hours or days. They can last for days or weeks.





Porphyria can be hard to diagnose. It requires blood, urine and stool tests. Each type has a different treatment. It usually involves medicine, treatment with heme or drawing blood.