News Tagged ‘antibiotics

SJS survivor hopes more doctors will learn about rare allergic reaction

sjs baby 100x100Kisandra said she felt like a lab rat the day a team of doctors studied the blisters that had sprung up all over her body and pored through thick medical books trying to find what had made her sick. She had just been given Biaxin, an antibiotic, to treat a stomach ulcer. Shortly after starting the medication she developed a fever and blisters on her face, arms, torso and hands.

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MMRV vaccine linked to serious skin reaction known as SJS

MMRV vaccine 100x100The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has issued a warning about the childhood MMRV vaccine for measles-mumps-rubella-chickenpox, saying it may cause the painful and life-threatening allergic reaction known as Stevens Johnson Syndrome () as well as other serious reactions.

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Pepcid linked to serious skin reaction

th 50174 45470 famotidine 100x100Famotidine, the heartburn drug most known by the brand name Pepcid, is yet another drug that has been linked to a deadly skin reaction known as toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), the most serious version of Stevens Johnson Syndrome (). Famotidine is available by both prescription and over-the-counter in either a tablet or suspension (liquid) that is taken by mouth. It is in a class of medications called H2 blockers and works by decreasing the amount of acid made in the stomach. Famotidine is used to treat ulcers, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and conditions where the stomach produces too much acid.

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What is Stevens Johnson Syndrome?

02 manute bol 100x100The passing of former NBA star Manute Bol from an allergic reaction to medication has promoted many people to ask, What is Stevens Johnson Syndrome () and who is at risk? The answers, unfortunately, are not always clear. is a serious skin and mucous membrane condition that has been associated with thousands of medications, both over-the-counter and prescriptions. The most common ones linked to include some of the most widely used medications – and . Others on the list are anti-viral and anti-seizure drugs.

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Seizure medication triggers severe allergic reaction in inmate

tippecanoe county indianaTippecanoe County, Ind., inmate Charity-Lekiea Brown says she felt ill almost immediately after being given medication to treat her seizure disorder. “I was having hot flashes, I was getting up every 10-15 minutes to go (to the bathroom). I was getting very dehydrated and my migraines were coming back,” she told Fox 59 News. And then she developed a rash all over her body. The rash turned to blisters that spread over her skin, into her mouth and genitals, and made her eyes swell shut. She was rushed to the hospital, where she was diagnosed with Stevens Johnson Syndrome (), a severe allergic reaction to medication that affects the skin and mucous membranes.

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High school graduate inspired to be doctor after bout with SJS

doctor cartoon 100x100Jordan Lewis was just six years old when the medication he took for an ear infection nearly cost him his life. Jordan, now a recent high school graduate, had developed an allergic reaction to the medication, called Stevens Johnson Syndrome, or . The little boy broke out in a rash that turned to blisters. The painful sores covered his skin, mouth and eyes. “I remember my mom crying a lot, actually,” Jordan told CBS 2. “There was a lot of that going on.”

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Understanding causes of SJS can help reduce number of reactions

pills 100x100More than 2,000 drugs, including penicillin, , some epilepsy drugs and anti-inflammatory drugs including popular OTC brands Advil, Aleve and Motrin, have been linked to a rare but life threatening allergic reaction to medicine known as Stevens Johnson Syndrome (). When people first present symptoms of the condition, they are most often misdiagnosed until the patient’s health worsens. Though rare, some cases can be fatal. Which is why it is important to understand and recognize its symptoms so that medical attention can be sought early.

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Retired NBA player Manute Bol suffering serious medication reaction

manute bol 3Retired NBA player Manute Bol is in the hospital with kidney failure and Stevens Johnson Syndrome (), a life-threatening skin condition. The former Washington Bullets center was hospitalized in Northern Virginia after spending several months in his hometown of Sudan. Bol was building a school there through the group Sudan Sunrise. According to Bol’s facebook page, the former NBA player developed after taking medication.

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SpunkyRachel: ‘I have finally begun to flourish’

It’s been almost a year since we last checked in on Rachel Corley-Gutierrez, better known by her YouTube moniker, SpunkyRachel. The young woman was diagnosed with the rare but life threatening allergic reaction to medication known as Stevens Johnson Syndrome () just two weeks after taking for a headache. Her YouTube video diaries track her long and painful road to recovery. Her latest update is encouraging.

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Mother says SJS awareness is a must: ‘Ignorance is not bliss’

sjs baby 100x100My son was 2.5 years old when he was admitted to the Children’s Hospital on Nov 7th, 2009, in Winnipeg, MB Canada. I also had never heard of . Today, it is all I think about.

The mother of young Liam refers to herself simply as Melanie. But she so identified with Avi Selk’s recent Dallas Morning News story about a rare skin condition known as Stevens Johnson Syndrome, or , that she felt compelled to comment on the story.

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