Lamictal Stevens-Johnson syndrome is a potentially life-threatening reaction to the anti-seizure medication. Users of Lamictal should take any rash seriously, because determining which rash will develop into Lamictal Stevens-Johnson syndrome is impossible by just looking at it.

What is Lamictal Stevens-Johnson Syndrome?

Stevens-Johnson syndrome is an intense, serious allergic reaction, often to a medication. In the beginning stages, the reaction is often misdiagnosed as the flu because it begins with a fever and rash.

However, Stevens-Johnson syndrome quickly progresses to become a blistering rash with open sores and peeling skin. Patients who have experienced Lamictal Stevens-Johnson syndrome liken the debilitating pain to that of a chemical burn occurring from the inside out.

Affected areas can include the skin and the mucous membranes of the oral, nasal, eye, genital, urethral, GI and lower respiratory tracts, according to the National Institutes of Health. Groups of sores can develop for two or three weeks. Lesions that break open can become infected. Patients who have recovered from Lamictal Stevens-Johnson syndrome might be at an increased risk of skin cancer.

Risks of Lamictal Stevens-Johnson Syndrome

Lamictal is often prescribed to control certain types of seizures, but also can be prescribed as an adjunct treatment for depression.

In one case study, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) profiled a 56-year-old woman who began taking Lamictal to help treat depression. She started with 25 milligrams of Lamictal a day, which was increased to 50 milligrams twice a day over the course of two weeks. Even though she showed improvement from her anxiety and depression symptoms, she developed conjunctivitis and a swollen face two weeks later.

She also developed sores inside her mouth and over her body, particularly severe on her hands and the soles of her feet. Her skin actually sloughed away, exposing raw patches of flesh.

By the fourth day, she was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of a local hospital where her symptoms worsened over the next few days. A medical specialist, ophthalmologist and dermatologist all determined that the woman was suffering from Lamictal Stevens-Johnson syndrome. The doctors stopped giving her Lamictal and other antidepressants, which resulted in her feeling better in a few days.

The woman ultimately recovered and was able to be released from the hospital after two weeks. Her eyes took a few weeks longer upon release to completely heal.

While doctors are not sure why the woman developed Lamictal Stevens-Johnson syndrome, the NIH reports that a rapid dose escalation of the drug has been linked to the risk of such a serious skin reaction.

The woman in the NIH study was given 25 mg once a day for one week, followed by 50 mg once a day for one week. At the end of that week, her dose was increased to 50 mg twice a day. The NIH reports that the Lamictal Stevens-Johnson syndrome symptoms began approximately two weeks after beginning that 50 mg twice daily dosing.