He is literally the real life Count Dracula. A 32-year-old woman from Minnesota in the US is suffering from a rare metabolic disorder – known as vampire diseaseDue to which, after eating garlic, he experiences life-threatening pain, migraine, constipation and vomiting for several days.

According to doctors, Phoenix Nightingale suffers from acute intermittent porphyria – a very rare disorder that results in debilitating symptoms caused by an allergy to sulfur – found in abundance in garlic and can lead to a “fatal attack” if she eats too much. “It’s also possible.

Mythological stories suggest that the real-life Count Dracula – Vlad III – had the same disorder, which inspired the story of vampires who hate garlic and shun sunlight. “It comes from the legend that he needed to avoid garlic, stay out of the sun, look pale and lose teeth,” Nightingale told the New York Post. “Neurological side effects can lead people to think that people with the condition may be possessed by demons or ghosts.”

Nightingale says that she completely avoids any food containing sulfur, as it can be fatal for her. Symptoms can appear “out of nowhere” or begin weeks before the attack, he added. “I’m very careful about what I put into my body. I avoid eating a lot of food. I only eat food that I know is safe. I can’t even take most medications,” she said.

“I have not eaten garlic since I was diagnosed. I could never eat garlic bread. It could attack me,” she added, describing her “life-threatening” attacks as two days of vomiting, sometimes up to 60 times during one attack, and the possibility of difficulty breathing.

The diagnosis came last year

Nightingale said she has experienced about 500 attacks in her life while searching for answers, since she was diagnosed just last year. “I once had such a stroke that I didn’t go to the hospital and it went on for 40 hours. She was continuously vomiting, fainting, screaming and crying,” she said.

For Nightingale, it is very difficult to eat food in restaurants because garlic is used in most of all dishes. She also avoids grapes, soy, alcohol and coffee.

She explained, “When I go out to dinner unless it’s a place I know, I look at the menu and cry because I don’t know what I can eat and I don’t know my safe foods. I prefer to depend on substances only.”

What does a garlic allergy do?,

According to experts, people who suffer from garlic allergies can have a variety of symptoms ranging from mild to severe, including:

• Red raised rashes or hives that cause itching or skin discoloration
• Swelling of the lips, tongue or throat along with a tingling or itching sensation in the mouth
• shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• severe stomach pain, diarrhea, and or nausea
• fast pulse, dizziness and fainting

A life-threatening allergic reaction can also cause anaphylaxis, which causes constriction of the airways, swelling of the throat, rapid or weak pulse, dizziness, lightheadedness, and loss of consciousness.

What is acute intermittent porphyria?

Mayo Clinic Porphyria is a group of rare disorders that result from a buildup of natural chemicals called porphyrins in your body, which help make hemoglobin. Eight enzymes are required to convert porphyrin to heme. Without sufficient amounts of any of these enzymes, porphyrins build up in the body. High levels of porphyrin can cause major problems, primarily in the nervous system and skin.

There are two common types of porphyria – acute porphyria, which starts rapidly and mainly affects your nervous system, and cutaneous porphyria – which affects your skin. Doctors say that even though porphyria can’t be cured, medications and some lifestyle changes can help you manage it. Treatment of symptoms depends on the type of porphyria you have.

Symptoms of Porphyria Symptoms

Some signs and symptoms of porphyria include:

• Severe pain in the stomach, chest, legs or back.
• digestive problems, such as constipation, nausea, and vomiting
• muscle pain, tingling, numbness, weakness, or paralysis
• red or brown urine
• mental changes, such as anxiety, hallucinations, or mental confusion
• Fast or irregular heartbeats you may feel – known as palpitations
• respiratory problems, including shortness of breath
• high blood pressure
• recovery

Get the latest news live on Times Now with breaking news and top headlines from around the world.