Stevens Johnson syndrome, a rare and dangerous skin reaction, has been linked with several medications and is considered a possible Lamictal injury.

What is Stevens Johnson Syndrome?

Stevens Johnson syndrome, or SJS, is a dangerous and potentially fatal condition that causes the epidermis, or top layer of skin, to blister and peel, often in a severely painful manner.

Skin rashes are a common side effect of many medications, but they generally go away on their own without further treatment. Very rarely do such complications progress to SJS.

However, reports indicate that a mild Lamictal rash may be a warning sign of Stevens Johnson syndrome, and it may quickly become quite severe and painful within a short period of time.

Stevens Johnson syndrome develops into its more severe form, toxic epidermal necrolysis, once it affects more than 30 percent of a patient’s skin. TEN is more dangerous, and its mortality rate is over 40 percent. Both SJS and TEN should be treated immediately.

Even patients who survive Stevens Johnson syndrome may be affected by the disease permanently. Indeed, SJS can lead to serious Lamictal injury, including chronic pain, eye problems, secondary skin infection, and internal organ damage. In many cases, patients are left with permanent scarring across a large expanse of skin.

When you or someone you love takes Lamictal, it is important to know the symptoms of Stevens Johnson syndrome and be aware if a mild side effect turns into a more severe Lamictal injury.

Steven Johnson syndrome 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

Lamictal Background

Lamictal (generic name lamotrigine) is developed and sold by GlaxoSmithKline. Since it was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and entered the market in 1994, it has become a widely-used treatment for epilepsy in both adults and children.

Lamictal rash is one of the more common side effects for patients taking Lamictal. According to clinical trials, around 10 percent of people who use Lamictal experience some kind of Lamictal rash symptoms.

In the vast majority of these cases, Lamictal rash problems go away on their own and offer no serious or permanent symptoms. In other cases, these rashes may indicate something more serious and permanent in nature.

Lamictal has included warnings of Lamictal rash complications on its labels since it was added to the market. These warnings included the risk of both Stevens Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis.

A number of plaintiffs are alleging in Lamictal lawsuits that these label warnings were inadequate to warn about the severity of possible Lamictal injury.

Lamictal Injury Lawsuits

If you or someone you love has suffered from an injury such as SJS or TEN after using Lamictal, you may be able to file a Lamictal lawsuit. Legal action cannot take away a person’s pain and suffering, but it can help to compensate for financial expenses incurred by medical bills and lost wages.