ISMP Report: Lamictal Top Drug for Causing Stevens Johnson Syndrome

The report looked at data from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration from 2011 and found that there were 119 cases of severe cutaneous reactions with 86 of those claiming they suffered from SJS or TEN reported to the FDA during that year.
Lamictal was introduced to the market in 1994, however, even though it has only been available for a relatively short period of time, more cases of SJS and TEN have been linked to Lamictal from 1968 to 2009 than any other drug on the market.

Lamictal is an anticonvulsant or antiepileptic drug used to prevent and control seizures; it is also prescribed to limit extreme mood swings for those who suffer from bipolar disorder.

It is believed that Lamictal works by balancing out certain natural substances in the brain.

According to one study, the risk of contracting SJS or TEN goes up by a factor of 14 among patients who take Lamictal.

Lamictal and Stevens Johnson Syndrome

Stevens Johnson Syndrome is a severe skin rash that often starts out as hives. It may appear in the form of facial swelling, tongue swelling, and skin pain as well as a red or purple rash that spreads rapidly, within hours to days.

Blisters will begin to develop on the skin and mucous membranes, especially in the mouth, nose, and eyes. It usually culminates in the shedding of the skin — which means that the top layer of the skin has died. It is incredibly painful and can make eating, urinating, and sleeping difficult. If blisters develop on the eye — it can cause blindness.

SJS is fatal in about 5 percent of patients who contract it. Lesions can develop on internal organs such as the heart, lungs, kidneys, or liver, causing inflammation on those organs. It can also cause sepsis, a condition in which the bacteria from the infection enter the bloodstream. It can take months to recover from and can leave lasting damage.

While SJS can occur at any time after the patient has begun taking Lamictal, most Lamictal SJS reactions develop within 2 to 8 weeks after beginning a Lamictal regimen.

New York actress Josephine Ganner recently came down with SJS while visiting her brother in Colorado 10 days after her New York physician had increased her dose.

According to Ganner, the blisters spread inside and out of her body. She also developed blisters on her eyes. While the blisters on her skin recovered without a problem, the blisters on her eyes did leave scar tissue, which did cause blindness.

Thankfully she was at the University of Colorado Hospital in Aurora, Colorado where Dr. Darren Gregory, who specializes in recovering the eyesight in patients who contract SJS. Dr. Gregory uses amniotic membrane from a placenta to replace the infected tissue.

Ganner has not yet fully recovered from her Lamictal SJS reaction, but has been told by doctors and other SJS patients that she will.

If you or someone you know has suffered from Stevens Johnson Syndrome as the result of taking the Lamictal anticonvulsant medication, legal options are available. Learn more and get a free consultation regarding a claim’s eligibility at the Stevens Johnson (SJS) & Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN) Class Action Lawsuit Investigation. Experienced legal professionals have access to medical experts to assess whether or not Lamictal played a role in your allergic reaction, so act now.