SJS and its more severe form, toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), have been associated with thousands of medications, most notably ibuprofen and anti-seizure drugs. The condition often begins with a fever, sore throat and burning eyes and is followed by a rash. The rash spreads and begins to blister, which causes the skin to peel off. This extremely painful condition requires immediate medical attention. Patients are often admitted to the hospital and because their peeling skin makes them prone to life-threatening infection, they are often treated in burn units. Blisters can also form on the eyes, mouth, and internal organs, causing permanent damage and vision problems.

Lamictal has also been linked to other dangerous conditions. Last week, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that the drug’s safety label would be updated to include a warning for aseptic meningitis, an inflammation of the protective membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord. The drug was also named among other anticonvulsant medications that studies showed put users taking them for the first time at an increased risk of suicide, attempted suicide and violent deaths.

Anyone who experiences any severe side effects while taking Lamictal should contact their health care provider immediately. Any adverse events with this or any medication should be reported to the FDA MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting Program at www.FDA.gov/MedWatch.

SOURCE: Stevens Johnson Syndrome › Dilantin, Lamictal carry risk of serious skin condition called SJS

Because Neptazane is related to sulfa drugs, it can cause allergic reactions including fever, rash, redness and peeling of the skin, hives, difficulty breathing, serious skin and blood disorders, and even death. It also carries a warning specifically for SJS.

SJS is rare, but has been associated with thousands of drugs, especially sulfa drugs. The first signs of SJS are a rash or redness on the skin. The rash can blister over and cause the skin to peel. A large percentage of the body can become covered in these rashes, including the eyes, mouth and genitals. The condition can be fatal. Many who do survive can suffer lifelong consequences such as ocular and vision problems and gastrointestinal complications.

Other serious reactions to Neptazane include fulminant hepatic necrosis, aplastic anemia and other blood dyscrasias. Anyone taking this or any other medication who develops a rash should contact their health care professional immediately.

SOURCE: Stevens Johnson Syndrome › Glaucoma medication linked to SJS

SJS is rare but life threatening, and it can happen to anyone regardless of age. The average person has about a one in a million chance of developing the condition, which is most often described as an allergic reaction to medication. Drugs most often associated with SJS include anti-seizure and anti-viral medications, ibuprofen, antibiotics and sulfur drugs. Often, doctors cannot pinpoint a specific drug that causes a reaction.

“It’s still terrifying not knowing the cause,” Kelly told ABC 13. The memories are enough to give any mother nightmares. “She swelled up … She was unrecognizable,” she said. SJS begins with a painful rash that can cause the skin to peel off in sheets. Sufferers are at risk for serious infection and even death.

Doctors advise consumers and parents in particular to be aware of any reactions experienced after taking medication. Signs of allergic reaction to medication may include a rash, and sores on the lips, tongue, mouth, nose or vaginal area. If reactions like these are noticed, the offending medication should be stopped and medical attention sought immediately.

Kelly hopes other parents don’t confuse the serious symptoms of SJS with chickenpox. “It could be a fatal mistake,” she said. Kelly is hoping to have August designated as SJS Awareness Month.

SOURCE: Stevens Johnson Syndrome › Mother hopes to designate August as SJS Awareness Month

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

My 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 SJS. 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 SJS, that she felt compelled to comment on the story.

My son was very ill. He was the first child they had ever had in that hospital that had needed to be incubated to save his airway, to keep him breathing,.. the first child that hospital had ever had in PICU (pediatric intensive care unit) fighting for his life.

SJS is a life-threatening condition that begins with a rash on the skin. The rash blisters over and the skin begins to peel off in sheets, exposing the body to infections. Blisters can form on the eyes and internal organs, leading to complications with the eyes, bowels and digestive system. In severe cases, the condition can be fatal.

While the cause of SJS is still baffling, most believe that it is caused by an allergic reaction to medication. As many as 2,000 drugs have been linked to SJS, most often antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, and anti-seizure medications. The only drug found in Liam’s system at the time of his diagnosis was Children’s Motrin, a common over-the-counter medication that Liam had taken numerous times before.

My son was the picture of health. SJS stormed in our lives, it is forever in my mind and I am forever haunted, waiting for its return. Without knowing the ACTUAL trigger,.. I live in constant fear.

People need to know about SJS, doctors needs to know about SJS… ignorance is not bliss.

SOURCE: Stevens Johnson Syndrome › Mother says SJS awareness is a must: ‘Ignorance is not bliss’

Relenza is a medicine used to treat and/or prevent both influenza A and B. It belongs to a group of medicines called neuraminidase inhibitors and works by targeting the influenza virus and preventing it from spreading inside the body. Rashes and allergic reactions were listed as rare side effects of the medication, but the new label specifically identifies more severe types of rashes, SJS and TEN.

SJS is a severe allergic reaction to medication. It has been linked to thousands of over-the-counter and prescription drugs including anti-inflammatory medications, antibiotics and antiviral drugs. SJS presents with a rash on the skin that blisters over, causing the skin to peel away. Blisters can also form on the eyes and internal organs leading to blindness and vision problems and even death. The most serious form of SJS is TEN.

SOURCE: Stevens Johnson Syndrome › Flu treatment and prevention drug linked to serious allergic reaction