Rafael de la Torre

Type of Porphyria

Porphyria Cutanea Tarda (PCT)

Porphyria friends in Argentina have a center for diagnosis and treatment headed by Dr. Alcira Batlle. For more information , please see: http://www.qb.fcen.uba.ar/cipyp/

Our member, Rafael de la Torre from Buenos Aires shares his experience with PCT . To contact him, email: rdelatorreu@hotmail.com

In 2001 I went to consult the dermatologist about some blisters that appeared in one of my fingers. After asking me about others symptoms, he asked me to have an analysis performed by Dr. Alcira Batlle at the hospital in Buenos Aires. The result was Porphiria Cutanea Tarda.

The treatment was S-Adenosyl-L-Methione, 800 mg/ day, during 20 days, and simultaneously I received 100 mg Chloroquine, twice a week, until the levels of urinary porphyrins reached the controls. And I also had one Phlebotony of 500 ml of blood. The concentration of urinary porphyrins and plasma porphyrins was measured at the beginning of the treatment and then every week, during therapy. When normal levels were reached, chloroquine intake was suspended. Clinical recovery was paralleled with biochemical recovery. I have regular controls performed every year, and since then I have been fine, without any relapse.

With the porphiria diagnosis I went back to the dermatologist, and he told me that I have to consult one hepatologist, because I could have some liver damage. I did have, I had hepatitis C. I followed the treatment for about nine months with a combination of pills and Interpheron injections. At the end of this treatment, thanks God, I was healed.

Nowadays, I have controls performed every year for this disease, too.