GASTROINTESTINAL (GI) SYMPTOMS
- Abdominal pain
- Vomiting
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
AIP is a rare inherited disease that can cause serious symptoms that affect your body, such as your brain and nervous system. The most common symptom is severe abdominal pain. There is no cure for AIP, but it can be managed.
AIP is caused by a partial lack of activity of an enzyme known as porphobilinogen deaminase (PBGD). The PBGD enzyme is used in the production of heme, a molecule that carries oxygen throughout your body.
If you have AIP, you have about half of the normal amount of PBGD enzyme activity in your body. This is usually enough for your body to do what it is supposed to do. But certain situations can upset your body's chemical balance and disrupt the heme production process, resulting in an AIP attack.
The graphic below illustrates what happens during an AIP attack. Roll over each area of the graphic for more information.
IF AN AIP ATTACK IS NOT TREATED PROMPTLY, IT CAN PROGRESS TO A POINT TO WHERE LASTING DAMAGE MAY OCCUR TO YOUR NERVOUS SYSTEM.
Severe abdominal pain: the most common AIP symptom
The most common symptom of AIP is severe abdominal pain that usually cannot be relieved with pain medicine such as Advil® (ibuprofen) or Tylenol® (acetaminophen). More than 85% of people who develop AIP symptoms have abdominal pain.
Experiencing symptoms is known as having an "AIP attack." Symptoms may occur for a set period of time, then go away - only to come back later.
People living with AIP have described the pain caused by AIP attacks as being the worst imaginable:
"My insides feel like they're on fire!" - N.T.M.
If you have attacks of severe abdominal pain or other symptoms that seem to be triggered by any of the factors above, talk to your doctor right away.
If you have attacks of severe abdominal pain or other symptoms that seem to be triggered by any of the factors above, talk to your doctor right away.
AIP attacks can be very serious. And symptoms may get worse over time. Untreated attacks can cause serious damage to your nervous system —including paralysis, and even death. That's why early diagnosis and treatment of AIP is so important.
AIP is rare and symptoms are nonspecific. Unfortunately, it's common for people with AIP to be misdiagnosed and to have symptoms for more than 10 years before getting an accurate diagnosis of AIP.
If you have any of the symptoms listed above, download and complete a symptoms checklist download and complete a symptoms checklist and take it to your doctor right away.
The American Porphyria Foundation (APF) keeps a list of porphyria experts. You can contact the APF to find an expert in your area.
Contact APFPANHEMATIN® is a hemin for injection prescription medication used to relieve repeated attacks of acute intermittent porphyria related to the menstrual cycle in affected women, after initial carbohydrate therapy is known or suspected to be inadequate.
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