Rashes: Caution for Stevens-Johnson Syndrome

Hey ya'll,

I wanted to write something about this due to some posts about rashes.  An opportune time to bring it up and I think it is very useful not only for us here at arthritis but other forums as well.

Many of us are on a LAUNDRY LIST of medications.

Common medications that can cause skin rashes are:

Aspirin

Relafen

Ketoprofen

Morphine

Imuran

These rashes are typically benign and go away on there own.

 

Anticonvulsive treatments for pain like Depakote, Lamictal...have an increased risk for a systemic rash called Stevens-Johnson Syndrome.

 

For anyone who notices a rash on their body that is to them, a bit abnormal!!!...report it to your doc immediately. 

Warning signs that tell you a rash is a serious one that needs attention STAT:

 

• the rash develops within a short time after taking a new medication.
• 2-8 weeks into therapy of a new drug.
• the rash is widespread and has a bright red blotchy color.
• swelling.
• fever.
• difficulty breathing.
• lesions that spread in your mouth and eyes.

When in doubt check it out.  Read medication bottles carefully.  When we are heavy into a medication regime it's tough to keep up with what may interact with what...and sometimes pharmacies don't catch EVERYTHING.

Out of all the side effects, rashes should be taken into careful consideration.

Steven-Johnson Syndrome is very distinct looking, I'm sure if you google it one can find lots of photos.  It's just a very good thing to be aware of.

Again, most times small little itchy rashes are normal and go away...but do be mindful of them!

Be well & take care. 

 

 

Thanks for that information Erin.  That validates my theories about what happened when I was taking sulfasalazine.  I did have an overall body rash, red and splotchy, and it went into my mouth.  It was disgusting.  Consequently, that same week I also had a high fever (102 F)that kept spiking, blood in my urine, and increased joint and muscular pain (above and beyond what is normal).  My dh is the only one who saw the c omplete rash, and he freaked out.  It was a Friday night, and he begged me to go to the ER.  But I had been to ER the previous night due to massive joint pain, so I wasn't about to go again.  I started a regimen of prednisone Saturday morning.  By Monday, my primary saw the tail end of the rash on my stomach and that was it.  When I described the rash to my rheumatologist all he told me was that it was a severe allergic reaction to the sulfa in the sulfasalazine and that I should never touch a sulfa drug again.  When I got on the internet, and saw all the literature on stevens-johnson syndrome I got a bit creeped out.  I think that's what compelled me to start taking the prednisone, which I wasn't real thrilled about taking.  I'm 100% positive I had a mild steven-johnson reaction and if I hadn't started taking the prednisone, it would have been much much worse.  If I had gone to the ER, they would have hospitalized me.

Steven-Johnson syndrome is real, and not all that uncommon.

Elcamino

by the way, provigil can cause this rash also. it was being tested for use with kids who had adhd and aa few kids came down with the ras taht can affect your mouth lips and urinary tract sytem. i developed some bad blisters that i thought looked very suscipious and stopped the provigil. my skin literally rubbed off after using a clipper for 2 min to prune a small bush. not normal at all for me.

very true, very true elcamino.

one thing i am sure of is that it WILL BE POSTED ON THE BACK OF THE MEDICATION BOX & IN DIRECTIONS of meds that cause SJS.  just look at a bottle of aspirin and it's packaging...it should be there.  most times it'll say something like..."do not take this medication if you have a fever or a virus because Stevens Johnson Syndrome can arise...etc..."

 

but yeah, there are a number of drugs that are more apt to cause this. and they are listed and do have warnings.    BIG WARNINGS.   but this is for safety.  it shouldn't scare people away from anything.  it is a wonderful thing to be aware of this.

 

ooh, OK now ya got me on my toes. LOL. here we go:

an allergic reaction: COULD RANGE FROM ANNOYING TO LIFE THREATENING.  pretty broad.  it still is an immune response. usually from a foreign antigen. this is what people are going through now with pollen and dust and trees and all. 2 other allergic reactions are CONTACT=poison ivy and INJECTION=bee stings.

LATEX although is very serious. beestings can be as well.

 

hypersensitivity: are subgrouped into types. Types I through IV i think? (now i'm boiling my brain!) type I is hypersensitivity to drugs and foods; Type IV is from following direct contactwith an allergen. SO BASICALLY: hypersensitivity is an ABNORMALLY or EXCESSIVELY suscebtibility to a given agent.

 

alright, i'm exhausted. LOL. you better not be one of my old nursing instructors! LOL. testing me! hah!

oh how cool! a professor of psychology!
my favorite professor in college was Dr. Donald Patrick Thornly Williams!!! he was GREAT. and HARD! but what an innovative thinker. he was in Marymount Manhattan College. you know those off the wall types? but too genius for his own good! i realy enjoyed his classes. if ya got a C you were really lucky! that's how difficult the courses were. we had a final, open book, and nearly everyone failed! hah...i got a C! liked him so much i took 2 of his courses, didn't care if iwould fail...you just learned so much that grades didn't even matter.
psych professors ROCK!