I was burned from the inside out and temporarily blinded after taking drugs to ease my anxiety
A WOMAN suffered a one in a million allergic reaction to medication, which caused her to ‘burn from the inside out’.
Sara Fakhry, 30, was given just 30 per cent chance of survival after developing rare and life-threatening condition, Stevens Johnson syndrome (SJS).
SJS is a severe and potentially life-threatening skin disorder associated with certain drugs, including epilepsy medications, antibiotics and some painkillers.
The rare condition is caused by the immune system over-reacting to a trigger like a mild infection or medication, leading to blistering and peeling of the skin and surfaces of the eyes, mouth and throat.
Sometimes called toxic epidermal necrolysis, it needs to be treated immediately in hospital.
A red rash and angry blisters formed all over Sara’s body after taking an anti-epileptic medication she was prescribed to treat her anxiety,
She spent three months in hospital fighting for her life and was left temporarily blind.
Now, nearly two years on, she cannot cry tears due to her ducts and glands being destroyed.
Sara, an area manager for Amazon, says: “After my terrifying experience, I want others to know the risks of the medication.
“I was never told about the possible side effects. If I had, I would never have taken it.
“It was the worse time of my life.”
In late 2021, Sara, from Cairo, Egypt, was under a great deal of stress at work.
She began to experience anxiety attacks and palpitations and soon she was finding it hard to get up in the mornings.
Eventually she visited her doctor, who, after performing blood tests, confirmed there wasn’t anything physically wrong with her and put the symptoms down to a mental health issue.
Sara explains: “I saw a therapist who put me on lamotrigine.
“Typically given to epilepsy sufferers but is also used as a mood stabiliser.”
Yet after three weeks of taking the medication, Sara developed a runny nose and itchy eyes.
By this time it was autumn 2022 and Sara put her symptoms down to the stormy weather.
A few days later, she woke up with blurred vision.
She went to work as usual, but on her drive home, she could barely see.
I felt like I was being burnt alive. I kept passing out from the pain, it was so bad
Sara Fakhry
The next day she took herself to A&E, where a doctor suspected she’d suffered an allergy – he gave her eye-drops and sent her home.
Sara says: “The following morning, I woke up swollen lips and my eyes were worse.
“I returned to the doctor, who prescribed me with antibiotics.”
But when her sister, a then medical student, saw her puffy face, she immediately took her to the Airforce General Hospital in Cairo.
There she was put on an IV cortisol drip and her sister insisted she been seen by an allergy specialist.
Sara says: “The minute the specialist saw me, she told me I had Stevens Johnson syndrome, a deadly condition, and I needed to go to ICU immediately.
“I had no idea what it was but started to panic.”
HORROR SYMPTOMS
By this point, Sara felt tingling in her body and started to develop an angry rash all over.
Hours later she was in and out of consciousness.
Sara’s diagnosis was confirmed and she was given three doses of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), along with immunosuppressants and steroids.
Within two hours, burn blisters had spread all over her body, including her lips, hands, feet, eyes and even her genital area.
She remembers: “I felt like I was being burnt alive. I kept passing out from the pain, it was so bad.”
Doctors warned her family she had only a 30 per cent chance of survival.
The pain was so bad, I felt ready to die
Sara Fakhry
Over the next month, her hair burnt off and finger and toe nails fell off.
Her eyes developed fractures on the corneas, so she had to keep them shut so as not to damage them.
She was unable to eat due to the blisters on her tongue so was fed with through an IV drip.
Sara also endured burn cream application three to four times a day which left her in agony.
Sara says: “The pain was so bad, I felt ready to die.”
Yet, Sara battled bravely and would even make jokes about her condition to get her through.
KNOW THE SIGNS
After three months in hospital, Sara slowly began to get better and was finally discharged.
Back at home she was cared for by her sister and mother and underwent physiotherapy to help her walk again.
But Sara still couldn’t see and was forced to wear sunglasses to protect her eyes.
An optometrist informed her during an examination that her she had ulcers on her eyes and needed to keep them closed for another month.
After that time, she opened them and could finally see.
Nearly two years on, her scars are fading, but she’s still unable to drive due to her damaged vision.
What is Stevens-Johnson syndrome?
Stevens-Johnson syndrome is a rare but serious skin reaction, usually caused by taking certain medicines - often epilepsy drugs, antibiotics and anti-inflammatory painkillers.
It is named after the two doctors who described it in the early 20th century.
It can be life-threatening so requires immediate hospital treatment.
Symptoms usually start with flu-like symptoms, such as a high temperature, sore throat, cough and joint pain.
A rash usually then appears a few days later – spreading from the upper body to the face, arms, legs and genitals.
You can also get blisters and sores on your lips, inside your mouth and on your eyes.
Hospital treatment usually involves fluids to prevent dehydration, creams and dressings to moisturise the skin, strong painkillers to ease discomfort and medicines to control inflammation and prevent infection.
It can take several weeks or months to fully recover.
Source: NHS
Sara also cannot cry tears, after the reaction destroyed her tear ducts and glands.
She says: “My eyes don’t produce natural oils anymore. So I have to use eye drops constantly.”
Now she’s raising awareness so others know the signs.
She adds: “I want others to know the symptoms so they get treatment before it’s too late.
“I’m forever grateful to the specialist, Shaimaa Hani, who offered round the clock care. If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t be here today.
“She saved my life.”
SJS begins with flu-like symptoms following by a rash that blisters and spreads.
The condition is fatal in 10 per cent of patients.
