DW: As opposed to gamers who have that vampire look. GO OUTSIDE!
Phoenix Nightingale, suffers from a rare condition called acute intermittent porphyria, often referred to as the "vampire disease." Her disorder is triggered by an allergy to sulfur, which is found in garlic, leading to symptoms like severe pain, passing out, migraines, and vomiting that can last for days. The real-life Count Dracula, Vlad III, is suspected to have had the disorder, which inspired the tale of vampires who hate garlic.
Nightingale, has endured over 480 attacks in her life, saying the pain is worse than when she gave birth. Dining out is especially challenging for her, as she must avoid sulfur-containing foods like garlic, red grapes, coffee, alcohol and soy.
After years of searching for answers, Nightingale was finally diagnosed last year and is now sharing her story to raise awareness for others who may be suffering from similar symptoms. “It took 31 years to get diagnosed,” she said, adding that most doctors had to Google her condition. She hopes her story will inspire changes in the medical system to help patients with rare or mystery diagnoses.
Source: NY Post