Advil is one of the most common over-the-counter medications used across the country.

Given its widespread usage, most people generally consider Advil to be extremely safe, and don’t give much thought to the possible side effects associated with the drug. However, people who take Advil to treat a simple condition like a headache, fever, or menstrual cramping may face something much more serious indeed: that is, a condition known as Advil Stevens Johnson Syndrome.

Advil Stevens Johnson Syndrome is a life-threatening skin condition, and its more dangerous form is Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN). People who have developed Advil Stevens Johnson syndrome after taking the medication may be able to file a lawsuit against pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, Inc., the drug’s manufacturer.

Advil Basics

Advil is one of several brand names that the common over-the-counter medication ibuprofen is marketed under.

Ibuprofen was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) back in 1974. Ibuprofen drugs, including Advil, belong to a group of drugs known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, or NSAIDs. People use Advil and other ibuprofen drugs to reduce the pain and inflammation often caused by headaches, joint pain, menstrual cramps, and injuries.

Of course, any medication will come with certain minor side effects, and Advil is no exception. Mild side effects of ibuprofen that consumers are warned about include nausea, mild itching or rash, and dizziness. However, what many Advil users don’t know is that the common household medication has a much more serious risk.

Advil side effects include a dangerous condition known as Stevens Johnson Syndrome, or SJS. The most extreme cases may move to the more advanced form of this condition, Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis, or TEN.

Though the more serious SJS and TEN are rare in patients taking the widely used drug, the effects of these conditions can be irreversible and, in some cases, life-threatening.

Early signs of Advil-induced Stevens Johnson Syndrome can resemble symptoms of the flu, including fever, cough, fatigue, or a sore throat. These problems may be quickly dismissed, as they seem fairly mild. But soon, the more recognizable Stevens Johnson Syndrome symptom breaks out in the form of a red or purple rash, quickly spreading across a patient’s skin, potentially causing large portions of skin to blister and peel off.

Once Advil Stevens Johnson Syndrome covers over 30 percent of a patient’s body, it is reclassified as Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis, or TEN. The difference in severity is an important distinction, and helps to separate the relative risk of these conditions. The mortality rate linked with SJS is 15 percent, while the mortality rate of TEN is closer to 40 percent.

Many patients who recover from Advil Stevens Johnson Syndrome are left with permanent scarring or discoloration, eye complications, blindness, and more.

Filing a Lawsuit over Advil Stevens Johnson Syndrome

If you or someone you love has suffered from Stevens Johnson syndrome after taking Advil, you may be able to file an Advil Stevens Johnson syndrome lawsuit. While filing a lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering of a condition like Stevens Johnson syndrome, it can help to alleviate the financial burden caused by medical costs and lost wages.