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A woman was admitted into hospital with stomach pains and spent the next two weeks fighting for her life adter a reacion to a hormone pill. Emily Butler had been out with friends and had a good night but the next day she rushed to hospital.
The 26-year-old, from London, felt a sudden onset of "extreme" stomach pain, coupled with nausea and body aches. As the pain became unbearable she phoned 111 and was told to go to A&E.
Emily spent the next two weeks in hospital as doctors scrambled to find the cause - and it turned out to be a reaction to hormone tablets. "I was in severe pain and somewhat out of it, feeling worried and scared," she said. "My first night in intensive care was surreal; I couldn't sleep and kept waking up for tests. It felt like I was in a video game."
Emily's period randomly stopping in 2023 then came back 10 months later. A year on, it stopped again, and she was prescribed progesterone tablets to reinstate her periods; but three days later, her worrying symptoms began.
She said: "When I messaged my mum about it, she suggested it might be something like appendicitis. I started researching possible causes, but it quickly became clear that it wasn't anything common. I also wondered if it could be related to the creatine or protein powder I had taken - or the hormone tablets - but I couldn't be sure."
Emily had tests, including a CT scan, which discovered fluid buildup in her abdomen. It was thought she had a burst ovarian cyst, but a scan revealed this wasn't the case.
After blood tests showed extremely low sodium levels, she was urgently transferred to intensive care for hourly monitoring, in case of a seizure. Emily was then "horrified" when her urine turned a reddish colour.
She was given artificial heme arginate to help stabilise her sodium levels, relieve pain and restore her normal functions. Doctors thought it could be porphyria, a rare blood condition.
Emily said: "I was terrified. Without the medication, my sodium levels could have continued to fall, potentially causing seizures, oxygen dependency and life support - even a coma."
Doctors then confirmed her diagnosis: acute intermittent porphyria, an inherited blood condition that leads to a deficiency in heme, an iron-containing molecule that's crucial for oxygen transportation to the blood and muscles. She was discharged on August 29.
While she's now in a stable condition, and it's believed she will never have another attack again, she says medical reports show that the progesterone tablets likely triggered the episode. She's since stopped the tablets, even though her periods have not yet returned, and is now managing stress levels, not over-exercising and has cut out alcohol completely.
Emily also eats a high-carbohydrate diet, doesn't smoke and now works less to avoid over-straining herself. She added: "It goes to show how suddenly a healthy life can be disrupted. I can live a largely normal life while avoiding triggers.
"My only potential risk is pregnancy. The doctor who recognised it as porphyria saved my life.
"He's now writing a scientific journal to educate others. I feel immense relief, positivity and gratitude for him. And for my family and friends for their ongoing support.
"I'm focusing now on gratitude, careful management of triggers and connecting with others to raise awareness. This is your reminder to prioritise health and trust your body, because you never know what the next day has to bring."