But last March, things went terribly wrong for Hannah. She noticed rashes developing all over her body. Those rashes began to blister and become painful. They also formed in her mouth and were so debilitating she couldn’t even speak. She had to write on a pad just to communicate. The rashes were accompanied by flu-like symptoms, and had become so severe in such a short time, she was taken to the emergency room. The doctors were baffled.

Hannah was admitted to the hospital while doctors monitored her worsening condition, giving her morphine for the pain. An eye doctor was called in to examine her eyes, which by now had begun to blister as well. That’s when Hannah first learned the name of her condition – Stevens Johnson Syndrome, or SJS.

SJS is a rare but life-threatening reaction to common medication in which the skin blisters over and begins peeling off in sheets. The eyes, mouth and other mucus membranes can blister over as well causing serious problems such as dehydration, infection and even death. Trileptal, which is also used to treat seizures, is one of several medications that can cause the serious reaction known as SJS. Other common medications linked to the condition include antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen.

Hannah spent three weeks in the hospital and gradually recovered. She attends high school, rides horses and enjoys the life of any 16-year-old. While she has overcome her battle with SJS, she still has lingering conditions to deal with. SJS has made focusing with her eyes difficult and painful. She recently got glasses to help with the condition. She also has to be careful what medications she takes because some medications may trigger SJS again. But she isn’t letting the problems keep her from doing “you know, normal high school teenager stuff.”

SOURCE: Stevens Johnson Syndrome › Hannah doing much better a year after battling SJS

I thought that comment was odd. But a week later, my sinus infection had not improved. I took the prescription to my pharmacist. I told him that my doctor had told me to only fill the prescription if I felt I really needed it. I asked if there was any reason I should not take the med, given that I simply was not getting over my ailment. The pharmacist nodded and said Ketek was a powerful antibiotic and had some strong side effects. But if a week had passed since seeing my doctor and I was not on the mend, perhaps I should fill it.

I’m not one to react adversely to medicine. And I can usually ride out minor side effects, believing that if it has been prescribed for me, it’s working some sort of miracle. I started the drug and almost immediately after taking the medication I felt even sicker than before, with dizziness, headaches and an overall feverish feeling. I took a second dose the next day and the miserable symptoms returned. I realized then that it must be the Ketek and stopped taking it.

You may remember me telling you about Kim Oakes. She’s the remarkable woman who survived a painful battle with toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), the most severe form of Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS). SJS/TEN is a severe adverse reaction to medication in which the skin blisters and peels away. The eyes, mouth and other mucus membranes can also blister over causing serious complications and even death.

More than 200 drugs have been linked to SJS/TEN. Kim’s reaction was caused by a common antibiotic called Clavulin. She said she knew immediately after taking the first dose of Clavulin that something was wrong. The medication made her feel worse, not better.

The same happened with Hannah, the 14-year-old who had a serious bout with SJS that was linked to her bipolar medication trileptal. Hannah said the medication had made her physically ill for weeks before she broke out in painful rashes and blisters. She just didn’t realize it was the trileptal that was making her so ill.

Since writing about SJS, I have learned about the many medications that can cause SJS/TEN. And yes, Ketek is on the list. There have been publicized reports of SJS/TEN related to the antibiotic. Since my trial with Ketek, I have told my doctors not to prescribe it to me.

So, just a word of warning during these days when colds and flu are on the rise. Be aware of the medicines you are prescribed. Read up on the side effects and adverse reactions. And stay safe.

SOURCE: Stevens Johnson Syndrome › Beware of side effects from meds this season

“I was scared because first I couldn’t talk (because of the blisters in her mouth) and now I was in the hospital not even knowing what was going on,” she said. Among the physicians who examined her was an eye doctor, who knew immediately what she had. He said one of his employees had had the same thing a month earlier. He said, “She has Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS),” he said. Hannah quickly wrote down, “What the heck is that?”

“No one could really explain it to me,” she said. “They were taking blood and giving me morphine and drugging me up and they didn’t even know what had made me so sick.”

By the time Hannah was able to go home three weeks later, she learned what caused her SJS – it was a severe adverse reaction to her bipolar medication, trileptal.

Trileptal, also approved for the treatment of epilepsy, recently amended its safety labeling to include a warning of the risk of SJS and its more severe form, toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN). SJS and TEN are hypersensitivity disorders that begin as a rash that blisters over and causes the skin to peel away. Mucus membranes also can be affected with blisters causing dehydration, infection, blindness and even death.

It has been almost a year since Hannah became ill. She has recovered but the memory of SJS still lingers in her mind. Her skin is almost completely healed, but now she must avoid the many medications that have been associated with SJS and TEN for fear of a relapse. “I can’t take Midol or Advil anymore,” she said. “Now, my mom tells me what to take.”

SOURCE: Stevens Johnson Syndrome › Teenager shares story of serious reaction to medication