In 2009, a high school cheerleader from California was rushed to a Los Angeles burn unit after contracting Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS), a rare yet painful and sometimes deadly skin condition, after allegedly taking the epilepsy drug Lamictal.

According to news reports, 17-year-old Gabrielle C. was hospitalized in November 2009 when she developed painful rashes on her lips, ears, and on the inside of her mouth, an alleged SJS side effect of Lamictal. Attending physicians diagnosed Gabrielle with SJS soon after admission and subsequent burn treatments.

Lamictal is an epilepsy drug manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline and is similar to the popular Lundbeck anti-seizure medication Onfi. Both Lamictal and Onfi are medications that have been reported to cause SJS, but are two of a handful of drugs that are specifically U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved to treat Lennox-Gastaut, a severe epileptic condition that affects young children and adolescents.

The doctors’ reports state that Gabrielle’s Lamictal SJS reaction left the high school student in significant pain, and limited her ability to see, speak, or swallow. After a series of life-saving surgeries and skin grafts to replace the skin and membrane burned inside and outside her body because of the SJS side effects, Gabrielle was eventually released from the hospital and after some time allowed to return to school.

During her stay in the intensive care unit (ICU) and the burn unit, Gabrielle required multiple skin grafts which continued the healing process after she was released. Additionally, she lost 24 pounds during her Lamictal SJS ordeal and was still required to test foods before and after her release to see which she could tolerate during her recuperation.

Despite the painful Stevens Johnson Syndrome side effects allegedly brought on by her consumption of Lamictal, Gabrielle was eventually able to return to her cheer squad. Gabrielle is a fortunate SJS victim, in that many individuals have died from SJS or have remained permanently blind or scarred from SJS side effects.

Additionally, Gabrielle is not the only child to contract SJS after taking an anti-seizure medication like Lamictal or Onfi. In fact, there have been several documented medical reports over the last five years that demonstrate the alleged dangers Onfi and other anti-seizure drugs pose, especially in terms of SJS risks.

Lamictal Stevens Johnson Syndrome Side Effects

Lamictal (also known as Lamotrigine) is an anti-seizure medication manufactured by the pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline LLC. Lamictal is commonly used and prescribed as a treatment for epileptic seizures in adults and children. While Lamictal and Lamotrigine have been very successful in managing epileptic seizures, there have also been several reports of consumers developing a skin rash known as Stevens Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis, painful and sometimes life-threatening allergic skin reactions.

When an individual develops Lamictal SJS or TEN, the individual’s topmost layer of skin dies and sloughs off. This leaves the deeper layers of skin and the delicate mucous membrane exposed and prone to infections and blistering.

Because of the extreme pain experienced by SJS victims and subsequent care needed to recover, Onfi SJS and TEN victims require weeks and sometimes even months of hospitalization. Some SJS patients may even die, as mortality rates increase when the burn-like skin reaction spreads to over 30 percent of their body.

As a result of the pain and suffering experienced by Lamictal SJS victims, many individuals and families have filed Lamictal SJS lawsuits or joined Lamictal SJS class action lawsuits, seeking personal damages and injunctive relief from GlaxoSmithKline.