SJS/TENS Causes Unspeakable Horror for Medication Users
By Christina Drury
When we take medications, we fully expect that drugs prescribed by our doctors – or even taken over the counter (OTC) – will help us feel better. In some instances, though, people experience serious, albeit rare, side effects that lead to the development of Stevens Johnson Syndrome, also commonly known as SJS. If left untreated, SJS can rapidly advance to the Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN) stage, which can prove to be fatal in only a matter of days. Knowing how to recognize the signs of Stevens Johnson Syndrome can prove to be the difference between life and death, but it does not eliminate the suffering that the patients go through.
Seven-year-old Arkansas Boy Suffered SJS
In 2011, a 7-year-old boy in Fort Smith, Arkansas, came down with pneumonia and as a result was prescribed antibiotics. After taking the antibiotics, he suffered an allergic reaction that was linked to the sulfur in the drug. As a result of the allergic reaction, the boy not only developed SJS, it went even further.
During the process of fighting SJS, the boy also developed bronchiolitis obliterans, which is a rare, yet irreversible condition that takes a toll on the lungs and damages them.
Currently, the child is not only confined to a wheelchair, but is too weak to attend school so he is home-schooled. He also requires extensive physical therapy and oxygen to breathe. In addition to undergoing several expensive treatments in both Little Rock, Arkansas, and Houston, Texas, it is a very real possibility that the boy will have to have a double-lung transplant in order to survive the effects of Stevens Johnson Syndrome and his resulting condition.
Manufacturers Failed to List SJS Side Effects
There are many patients who develop SJS or TEN as a result of not being fully aware of the symptoms that signify the existence of the condition. Manufacturers regularly drop the ball in labeling practices and those who choose to take these medications unaware of the possibility of developing SJS or TEN are the ones who suffer.
The side effects of Stevens Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis can be as simply as a sudden onset rash that within a matter of days develops into excruciating lesions that appear to be blisters on the surface of the skin. The lesions can also develop internally, causing the necessity for a medically-induced coma to lessen the pain while undergoing treatment.
While listing the possibility of SJS and TEN side effects on the medications may not prevent the condition from occurring, it can help to warn potential victims towards the possibility.
There is Legal Help Available for SJS Victims
If you have suffered from the development of SJS or TEN or you know of someone who has, there is legal help that is available. By visiting our Stevens Johnson (SJS) & Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN) Class Action Lawsuit Investigation page, you can read up on the ongoing litigations for SJS lawsuits or become more familiar with SJS/TEN side effects. Here, you will also be able to send your information in confidentiality to attorneys who are working hard to ensure that SJS/TEN victims receive the compensation they deserve by holding the manufacturers responsible in Stevens Johnson Syndrome lawsuits.
Updated January 10th, 2013
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