Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS) usually begins as a rash, following flu-like symptoms, and seems harmless enough at first. Not all cases of SJS are deadly, or even harmful – but it can be. And not everyone lives to tell his or her story, but Dan W. did.

In November 2008, U.S.N. Hospital Corpsman Dan W. had the severe SJS reaction to a sulfa antibiotic, which is a class of synthetic antibiotics such as Trimel, Trisul and Deprim. He was prescribed the antibiotic and found himself with a full blown case of Stevens Johnson Syndrome.

With his initial submission into the hospital, Dan was treated in the emergency room. He was so dehydrated that the nurses had a hard time getting blood from him to send to the lab. Over 75 percent of his body was covered in blisters, including the inside of his mouth and throat.

SJS attacks the mucous membranes, so the skin, mouth, throat and eyes are affected. Treatment in a burn unit is stabilization and keeping the raw skin clean from infection.

Dan was treated at the Veterans’ Administration Hospital in Phoenix.

“The doctors wanted me to get stabilized enough so I could get out of the hospital as quick as possible and avoid any nosocomial infections (infections picked up inside a hospital),” Dan said.

More than two years later, with 28 months of recovery under his belt, Dan detailed his saga.

“For about six months I could do nothing but live. Just breathe, eat, drink, etc. Open, bleeding blisters were most prevalent on my upper torso,” he explained.

He spent the next six months learning to walk again, and could finally return to sleeping in a bed after eight months sleeping sitting up in a chair. For over a year, going to the bathroom was excruciating, eating was a challenge, and almost all of his finger and toenails fell off.

According to Dan, “everything hurt … like chemical burns coming from the inside out.”

Stevens Johnson Syndrome

A variety of drugs can trigger the extreme allergic reaction that is Stevens Johnson Syndrome. SJS is an extremely rare situation wherein the body attacks its own skin. It’s so rare, in fact, that many medications lack warnings of the risk.

SJS lawsuits around the country filed by victims of SJS and TEN allege that many of the pharmaceutical companies knew the risks associated with their medication, but neglected to warn consumers due to the unlikeliness of developing the condition.

Initially causing a painful rash, SJS escalates to blisters, then sores, and finally ulcers over the skin. The damage can spread to mucous membranes and the eyes. Victims can suffer permanent scarring, blindness, and internal organ damage.

In some cases, SJS can morph into toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) — in which up to 100 percent of the body can be affected. SJS only affects up to 30 percent of the body’s surface.

Any time medication is being taken and a rash develops, it’s important to seek medical attention right away and ask about SJS. SJS and TEN, if misdiagnosed or left untreated, can prove fatal.