Lamictal (lamotrigine) is a popular anti-seizure drug recently associated with the dangerous skin reaction Stevens Johnson Syndrome, or SJS.

Those who have suffered the side effect are filing Lamictal SJS lawsuits following  reports of a connection between the drug and the potentially fatal reaction.

Lamictal was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of epilepsy in 1994. The drug is sold by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK).

Since its approval, Lamictal has included several warnings in its labeling. The Lamictal Warnings & Precautions label includes a prominent warning about the risk of Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS), as well as Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN), a more advanced, severe, and dangerous form of SJS.

Lamictal SJS

One in 1,000 adults who take Lamictal are reportedly affected by Stevens Johnson Syndrome and/or Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis. Lamictal SJS and Lamictal TEN is considerably more common in children, affecting approximately one in 50 children who take the drug.

If symptoms of SJS appear, use of Lamictal must be stopped right away.

Stevens Johnson Syndrome

SJS causes the epidermis, or the top layer of skin, to blister and peel severely and painfully.

SJS rashes can lead to intense pain, eye problems, secondary skin infection (cellulitis), damage to internal organs, and significant and disfiguring scarring. SJS is commonly treated in the hospital burn unit, because the symptoms are similar to those of burn victims. SJS side effects can lead to life-threatening infections and other dangerous complications.

SJS symptoms include:

• facial swelling
• tongue swelling
• hives
• skin pain
• a red or purple skin rash, spreading within hours to days
• blisters on skin, mouth, nose, and/or eyes
• shedding of skin

Clinical trials reveal that about 10 percent of patients on Lamictal experience some form of rash shortly after using Lamictal. Not all of these rashes are necessarily associated with SJS, and most are not severe enough to require hospitalization, but wariness of these symptoms is highly encouraged.

The difference between SJS and TEN comes down to the severity of the symptoms experienced by the patient. A patient is diagnosed with SJS when these rashes cover 30 percent or less of the skin.

When any more than 30 percent of the skin is covered with these intense rashes, the diagnosis is considered its more severe form, Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN). TEN has an increased mortality rate of over 40 percent, and should be treated immediately.

The onset of Stevens Johnson Syndrome from Lamictal usually occurs within two to eight weeks of use.

Many people who have been affected by Lamictal SJS or Lamitcal TEN have chosen to file Lamictal SJS lawsuits. Patients file these lawsuits alleging that Lamictal’s manufacturers failed to adequately warn consumers about the risks of SJS or TEN prior to taking the medication.