Over 900 Dilantin Users Claim Stevens Johnson Syndrome

Patients taking Dilantin often have ailments such as epilepsy, and it’s an effective drug to prevent seizures — but it came at a high cost for some users. While nearly 1,000 people are claiming Dilantin caused Stevens Johnson Syndrome, there are likely many more that have yet to come forward or were misdiagnosed.

Side Effects and Symptoms of SJS

Stevens Johnson Syndrome can start out innocently enough with a fever and sore throat, and most people won’t see a physician for that. However, once SJS begins to set in, the window for taking action quickly decreases.

After the initial symptoms of Stevens Johnson Syndrome set in, the tell-tale rash and skin blisters begin to form. Blisters start appearing after the fever is in full force and it quickly leads to the death and peeling away of the top skin layers. If a patient is misdiagnosed or chooses to go untreated, by this point the only option is to be rushed to a hospital’s burn unit.

SJS can often lead to more serious progression of the disorder, called toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), which occurs when the top layer of skin detaches from the lower layers.

With the top layers of skin dead and the Dilantin victim completely vulnerable, it’s easy to get a number of infections. SJS can lead to permanent blindness (eye tissue isn’t immune to SJS), photophobia, damage to the lungs, loss of nail beds permanently, asthma, photophobia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and esophagus scarring.

SJS can also lead to a host of additional problems including arthritis and chronic fatigue syndrome. When SJS leads to TEN, over 30 percent of the body is infected and that’s when the disease can become lethal. While the majority of SJS and TEN victims are between 20 and 40 years old, children are also at risk.

Stevens Johnson Syndrome and Young Victims

Many times, epilepsy and seizures are identified at a young age, and Dilantin isn’t prescribed only to adults. SJS can cause lifelong disabilities. Along with Dilantin, seemingly harmless children’s pain medication such as Children’s Motrin and Advil have been linked to SJS, such as the case of a three-year-old in Indiana who was given two Children’s Advil and died of SJS injuries in less than one week. SJS has been diagnosed in children as young as three months old.

Sabrina Johnson, only six years old, is another young victim of Stevens Johnson Syndrome. In December of 2003, SJS quickly overtook the young girl and she developed serious symptoms overnight. Her SJS led to permanent blindness.

Samantha Reckis is yet another SJS victim, and the terrifying disease claimed 90 percent of her skin, causing permanent blindness, brain damage and leaving her with 20 percent lung capacity. In 2013, she was awarded a $63 million Stevens Johnson Syndrome lawsuit settlement by a Boston jury.

Did You Take Dilantin and Suffer a Rash?

Dilantin Stevens Johnsons Syndrome lawsuits have a solid foundation because victims claim they weren’t properly warned of the risks, neither by their physician or the manufacturer. If you’ve taken Dilantin and been diagnosed with SJS, you may have a legal claim. No matter how damaging the side effects, it’s time to take action.

Learn more by visiting the Dilantin Stevens Johnson Syndrome Class Action Lawsuit Investigation today. You can submit your information and receive a free SJS claim review from an attorney specializing in Stevens Johnson Syndrome lawsuits. If you have a case, you will be contacted to discuss your legal options.