The popular anti-seizure medication Dilantin is under investigation for causing dangerous Dilantin skin side effects. Some users have developed Stevens Johnson Syndrome or Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis, painful and potentially deadly skin conditions that are caused by an allergic reaction to drugs like Dilantin.

Dilantin (phenytoin) was approved in 2001 to treat seizures. Though it has been effective in many patients, several complaints about unknown Dilantin SJS side effects have been filed against Pfizer Inc., Mylan Pharmaceuticals, and Baxter Healthcare. The latter two drug companies developed the generic form of Dilantin, which can also allegedly cause Dilantin SJS. Plaintiffs in Dilantin SJS lawsuits have claimed that the manufacturer failed to warn against SJS side effects and have experienced extreme suffering as a result.

Stevens Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis

SJS is an extremely painful and dangerous autoimmune disease. Following common flu-like symptoms, a serious rash and a series of blisters follow that can cause the skin to burn off from the inside out. Many patients lose parts of the epidermal layer of skin (the top layer) from SJS side effects.

SJS can affect up to 30% of the skin and mucous membranes (eyes, nose, mouth, etc).

Stevens Johnson Syndrome is treatable when the patient is immediately hospitalized. Treatment may take anywhere from two weeks, for the milder cases, to two months. SJS victims are commonly left with scars and sometimes with organ damage, limited movement (from the skin loss), and blindness if the disease attacks the eyes or area surrounding the eyes.

If the blisters and sores cover more than 30% of the body, the diagnosis changes to Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN). TEN is considerably more painful and dangerous than SJS. While SJS patients can develop secondary infections and sepsis, TEN patients have a higher chance due to the large amount of skin loss patients encounter. TEN causes skin to shed itself in large sheets.

Roughly 30-40% of TEN patients die from the disease due to serious complications, most commonly sepsis (blood infection); 5-15% of SJS cases are fatal.

Symptoms of SJS and TEN may include:

• Flu-like symptoms, such as fever, sore throat, cough, burning eyes
• Red or purple skin rash
• Hives
  
• Blisters on the skin and mucous membranes, especially in the mouth, nose, and eyes
  
• Facial swelling
  
• Tongue swelling
  
• Skin pain
  
• Skin shedding (sloughing)

Both SJS and TEN are severe allergic reactions to drugs, such as Dilantin. Though the conditions are rare, they are life-altering and horrifying. Many Dilantin SJS lawsuits and other SJS lawsuits have been filed against multiple drug manufacturers for failing to adequately warn about SJS side effects. Wrongful death SJS lawsuits have also been filed by family members who lost a loved one due to painful SJS side effects.

Over 100 Dilantin SJS lawsuits have been filed by SJS side effect victims. Already, Pfizer has had to pay millions of dollars to plaintiffs who allegedly developed SJS after taking Dilantin or other Pfizer-made drugs.