Lamictal users who experienced a DRESS syndrome rash may be eligible for compensation pursued through a Lamictal lawsuit.

Lamictal (lamotrigine) is an anticonvulsant drug used to treat seizures. The drug is also used as a maintenance treatment for bipolar disorder and to manage mood disorders such as depression, mania, or hypomania.

Although the wide range of uses may make Lamictal an attractive treatment option, new reports suggest that the drug can cause numerous skin reactions including a DRESS syndrome rash.

Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DRESS), also known as Drug-Induced Hypersensitivity Syndrome (DIHS), is a rare but life threatening condition which has been linked to Lamictal use. The condition occurs as part of the body’s response to certain medications, often anti-epileptic drugs, although the exact reason why Lamictal may lead to a DRESS syndrome rash is not fully understood.

A DRESS syndrome rash will start two to eight weeks after starting a drug like Lamictal, and common symptoms of the condition include fever, a measles-like rash, facial swelling, swollen lymph nodes, and abnormal blood counts.

DRESS Syndrome Symptoms

In addition to a DRESS syndrome rash, the condition commonly involves the liver. While liver involvement typically presents itself, scientists have reported that the degree to which the liver is involved is related to how long a patient remains on Lamictal following the onset of the DRESS syndrome rash. The same study emphasizes the importance of early detection, which could reportedly save lives.

With prompt medical attention, the condition is treated with systemic steroids and usually resolved. Should the condition be allowed to progress, multiple organs can be affected by inflammation including the kidneys, lungs, heart, and brain. If a DRESS syndrome rash should progress and affect the brain, symptoms such as seizure, coma, and encephalitis are possible.

Less common manifestations have been reported in inflammation of the pancreas, stomach, intestines, and spleen. DRESS syndrome rash reactions have an estimated mortality rate of 10 percent, with death often occurring when treatment is not sought out and multi-organ failure ensues.

For example, one 12 year old boy developed a DRESS syndrome rash after being on Lamictal for two to three weeks. He was treated with steroids and antihistamines once he started showing symptoms, so he recovered quickly and with minimal side effects.

Consumers who suspect that they have developed a DRESS syndrome rash or other serious skin reactions should seek immediate medical attention. These Lamictal skin reactions can be life threatening. and prompt medical attention could mean the difference between life and death.

Many consumers argue that a DRESS syndrome rash and its resulting complications were not sufficiently warned of by manufacturers. Other consumers claim that manufactures knew or should have known about the possibility of a DRESS syndrome rash, but chose not to warn patients and physicians.

What is Stevens Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis?

Other reactions connected to Lamictal use include Stevens Johnson Syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, and hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis.

Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS) and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN) are two very closely related conditions which are separated in definition mostly by measurement of the affected area. Skin which peels—often in sheets like that of a sunburn, blisters appearing on mucous membranes such as eyes, lips, and tongue, and vagina, and a telltale red rash are hallmarks of both conditions.

SJS and TEN are caused by reactions to drugs or systemic infections. Common drugs known to contribute to these conditions, according to www.merckmanuals.com, are anticonvulsant medications like lamotrigine and phenytoin, and carbamazepine.

In certain cases, frequent use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and sulfa-based antibiotic therapy can be the culprit. SJS is usually diagnosed if skin peeling is occurring on 10 percent or less of the body and TEN is usually diagnosed if skin peeling is occurring on 30 percent of the body. Both conditions can be life-threatening in that infection can enter the body through the compromised skin barrier.

What is Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH)

HLH, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), is a potentially-fatal immune system reaction that has been linked to the use of lamotrigine in a few cases. It is a rare reaction, but one that needs early detection to prevent patient mortality.

In HLH, a fever is detected along with several other symptoms such as spleen enlargement, high levels of blood triglycerides and ferritin, low blood levels of fibrinogen, and decreased or absent Natural Killer (NK) Cell activity.

If you or a loved one developed a DRESS syndrome rash, or another Lamictal side effect, you may be eligible for a Lamictal lawsuit. A Lamictal lawsuit could recover compensation for medical expenses, pain and suffering, wrongful death, and more.