A WOMAN claims taking ibuprofen to ease menstrual cramps left her in a 17-day coma with blisters and peeling skin all over her body.
Jaqueline Gmack says she took the medication without a prescription as usual, but began to feel a slight itch in her eyes 48 hours later.
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When she woke up with blood blisters in her mouth the next day, the 31-year-old went to hospital, where her condition continued to worsen.
Soon, her entire face was covered in blisters and she could barely see.
The next thing Jaqueline remembers is waking up from a 17-day induced coma – the result of a rare condition triggered by the body’s reaction to the drug.
“It was like I was burned from the inside out,” said Jaqueline, from Papanduva, Brazil.
“I didn’t know what had happened to me.
“I realized that my whole body was bandaged, my vision was completely blurred and I had a tube in my throat, but I didn’t feel any pain.
“It was only then that it started to sink in and I realized that I was very weak and that something very serious had happened to me.”
Jaqueline suffered from Stevens-Johnson syndrome – an incredibly rare condition caused by the body overreacting to medications, especially epilepsy medications, antibiotics and anti-inflammatory painkillers.
Essentially, the body attacks its own skin, causing agonizing blistering and peeling.
Without treatment, it can be fatal.
The syndrome left Jaqueline with scars and seriously damaged her eyes.
She said, “They [doctors] He told me it was a miracle that I survived.
“My family didn’t let me see myself in the mirror for a few days.
“When I finally looked in the mirror, I saw someone I didn’t recognize.”
She immediately began eye treatment in an attempt to save her vision, which she will have to continue for the rest of her life.
She added: “The ophthalmologist also said I needed to have surgery as soon as possible otherwise I would lose my eye organ.
“I left the office crying.”
Since her first operation in 2011, Jaqueline has undergone more than 24 procedures, including cornea transplants, amniotic membrane transplants and stem cell transplants.
She currently has about 40% vision and continues to have biweekly check-ups to monitor her eyes.
Jaqueline said: “The hardest obstacle to overcome is knowing that I will never be able to have the vision I had before.
“I’d like to find a cure to see again. But I feel like a warrior.”
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What is Stevens-Johnson syndrome?
Stevens-Johnson syndrome is a rare but serious skin reaction often caused by the use of certain medications—usually epilepsy medications, antibiotics, and anti-inflammatory pain relievers.
It is named after the two doctors who described it in the early 20th century.
It can be fatal, so it requires immediate hospital treatment.
Symptoms often begin with flu-like symptoms such as a high temperature, sore throat, cough, and joint pain.
A rash usually appears a few days later – spreading from the upper body to the face, arms, legs, and genitals.
You may also have blisters and sores on your lips, inside your mouth, and in your eyes.
Hospital treatment usually involves fluids to prevent dehydration, creams and bandages to moisturize the skin, strong painkillers to ease discomfort, and medications to control inflammation and prevent infection.
Full recovery may take several weeks or months.
Source: National Health Service
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
