SJS usually begins with a fever, sore throat and fatigue. As the condition progresses, purple spots begin to cover the face and trunk. Those spots fuse together into patches that eventually form blisters. The blistered area sheds off leaving the body exposed and causing extreme pain for sufferers. Ulcers and other lesions appear in the mucous membranes, usually the mouth and lips but also in the genital and anal regions. Lesions in the mouth can be extremely painful, which causes the patient to refuse food or water. Conjunctivitis in the eyes occurs in about a third of the population who suffer from SJS. The liver, kidneys and lungs can also be affected.

Mild cases of SJS – with less than 10 percent of body surface involved – have a mortality rate of about 5 percent. The more skin involved, the more life threatening it is. Those who survive often experience organ damage or failure, cornea scratching and blindness.

People who have suffered from SJS should wear a medical alert bracelet notifying others that they should avoid taking any drugs that carry a risk for the condition. Drugs that have been linked to SJS are required to include a warning of the risk of SJS on the medication’s safety packaging. Unfortunately, some people who have fallen ill with SJS believe they were not adequately warned of the potential side effects of the drugs.

SOURCE: Stevens Johnson Syndrome › Understanding causes of SJS can help reduce number of reactions

SJS is a serious condition. It is most identified by a rash on the skin. The rash can blister and peel away, giving victims the appearance of having fourth degree burns. Many are treated in burn units. Blisters can form on mucus membranes such as the eyes and throat making it difficult and painful for patients to eat, drink or void. Eye conditions and even blindness can occur. In more severe cases, SJS can cause seizures, coma and even death. In some cases, rashes and lesions may never appear, and often the condition goes undiagnosed until it is too late.

Several common prescription and over-the-counter medications have been linked to SJS, including ibuprofen, anti-seizure medicines and antibiotics. Not all drug labels provide current warnings about medical risks. For example, Motrin provided a warning of SJS on its label when the medication was only available by prescription. The over-the-counter Motrin product does not provide a warning on its label.

If you experience any symptoms of SJS, contact your doctor and ask to be taken off the medication. You may also want to consult with a product liability lawyer, as many are accepting legal cases to submit lawsuits against the makers of the drug companies for failing to adequately warn consumers of the risk for this serious adverse reactions to their medications.

SOURCE: Stevens Johnson Syndrome › Beasley Allen attorney warns public of serious adverse drug reactions

The Stevens Johnson Syndrome Foundation was founded as a community for adults and children affected by the condition. It is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting public awareness to adverse drug reactions. Tax-deductible donations help power the organizations Web site and enable its members to raise awareness of the condition and provide much needed support to others suffering from SJS and TEN.

One of the organization’s outreach projects aims to provide comfort to the tiniest sufferers of SJS and TEN. For a tax-deductible donation of $30, the organization provides a plush bear and blanket to a child with SJS and TEN.

For more information about this important cause visit the SJS Foundation’s Donation Center. To participate in the bear & blanket program, send your $30 check payable to the Stevens Johnson Syndrome Foundation, P.O. Box 350333
 Westminster, CO 80035-0333,
 USA. Please include “SJS Kids Comfort” in the memo section. Other donation opportunities also are detailed on the Web site.

SOURCE: Stevens Johnson Syndrome › Bear and blanket program gives comfort to kids with SJS

“It is absolutely amazing that within three weeks of being admitted to ICU, she will be able to walk out of the hospital (with the help of a walker),” Lisa writes in a Dec. 17 update. Doctors say that Kim’s fast recovery has been staggering. One doctor told the family that when he first saw Kim when she admitted to the hospital weeks ago, he believed her chances of survival were only 30 percent.

Many who contract TEN, a more serious version of Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS), do not survive. SJS and TEN are rare but serious and potentially life-threatening hypersensitivity disorders that affect the skin and mucous membranes, causing the top layers of skin to peel away and the eyes and mouth to become blistered. SJS and TEN can be caused by an adverse reaction to common antibiotics and over-the-counter medications such as ibuprofen and Children’s Motrin.

Last month just before Kim was diagnosed, Elizabeth Patton, a 17-year-old girl from Brentwood, Tenn., was hospitalized with TEN. Her story ended differently. Just days after Thanksgiving, Elizabeth lost her battle to the disorder, leaving behind a family that vows to warn others about the seriousness of SJS and TEN.

According to Lisa’s updates, Kim was taken out of her drug-induced coma last week, though she remained in the hospital’s burn unit., unable to see guests. She began getting around with the help of a walker and was finally able to visit with her children. In a sense, she willed herself well, turning down morphine and working hard to recuperate, so that she could be home with her family for Christmas.

Call it a Christmas miracle, but it appears Kim’s Christmas wish is coming true.

SOURCE: Stevens Johnson Syndrome › Canadian TEN victim leaves hospital in time for Christmas

TOUCH IS THE SENSE OF LOVE
I’m scared,
 You hold me.
I cry,
 You hold me close.
I’m hurt,
 You hold me closer.
Touch is the sense of love.

It’s hard to imagine such a beautiful and beaming girl healthy one minute and hanging in the balance of life the next. Her struggle is laid out in a Web site her parents set up to follow her progress as she recovered from the severe reaction to medication. Photographs and poems written by Kaitlyn offer an insight into the battles she fought and the appreciation she had for those who stood by her:

FAITHFUL FATHER
Faithful father,
Tall, brave and strong.
Faithful father
To him I belong.
It was then he cried,
when I almost died.
Faithful father
My life I depend on you.

Kaitlyn’s family’s nightmare began April 5, 2002, when Kaitlyn began showing signs of the flu. She was treated at an urgent care center the next morning and by Sunday she had a severe rash and high fever. She was admitted to the hospital and her parents watched as their daughter’s health deteriorated.

The diagnosis – toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), a severe form of SJS, a rare but life threatening hypersensitivity disorder affecting skin and mucous membranes. The disorder affects all ages and genders, including the pediatric population. It is most often caused by a reaction to medications such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents like ibuprofen and some antibiotics. Kaitlyn’s condition was caused by a common over-the-counter medication, Children’s Motrin.

Kaitlyn passed away on December 17, 2003, due to complications from SJS/TEN, but the Web site has helped those of us who have never met her understand just how extraordinary she was. With hope, maybe her story will prevent another precious child from suffering.

SOURCE: Stevens Johnson Syndrome › Young girl’s struggle with SJS laid out on Web site

The Johnson family claimed that Children’s Motrin caused their daughter’s skin to break out in excruciatingly painful rashes and blisters after giving her three doses of the over-the-counter medication. Her eyes blistered over and she was blinded. Sabrina, who was 6 at the time, was diagnosed with Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS), which is an extreme adverse reaction to some drugs, including ibuprofen. The active ingredient in Children’s Motrin is ibuprofen.

The family claims that the drug maker did not provide adequate warning of the possible reaction on its medication label. A jury found that the medication’s labeling, which advises consumers to notify a doctor if the child’s symptoms change, was adequate.

“The FDA is not doing anything for us. They are taking care of the prescription drug people. They’re taking care of their billions of dollars. And the few children that die … Oh well,” Joan said in the news report.

The Johnson family is appealing the case. At least nine other lawsuits have been filed by others who have suffered from SJS after taking the medication.

SOURCE: Stevens Johnson Syndrome › Family appeals case against makers of Children’s Motrin

According to mediafact.com, other medications have been linked to Stevens Johnson syndrome including Bextra, Celebrex and Daypro, as well as over-the-counter pain relievers such as Motion, Ibuprofen, Children’s Motrin and Advil.

One of the main issues with Stevens Johnson syndrome is the lack of awareness from the patients that are at risk and the doctors that prescribe the medication. In a 2007 press release from SmartBrief.com, Governor Bill Ritter, Jr., of Colorado, along with the Stevens Johnson Syndrome Foundation, recognized August 2007 as the designated SJS Awareness month. Joining Colorado in recognizing this month were Arizona, Alabama, Connecticut and Tennessee.

According to the article, Stevens Johnson Syndrome affects more than two million Americans each year and has resulted in more than 140,000 deaths.

When prescribed a new medication, or even taking over-the-counter medication, educate yourself on Stevens Johnson Syndrome so you can identify the symptoms at the earliest possible stage.

SOURCE: Stevens Johnson Syndrome › Drug reactions bring awareness to Stevens Johnson Syndrome