Young woman's skin sheds after near fatal reaction to anxiety meds
A woman was left fighting for her life after having a near fatal reaction to her anxiety medication causing her skin to detach.
Red blisters erupted all over the body of Kayla Nelson, 23, after taking Lamotrigine, a drug meant to treat depression and anxiety.
Alarmed by the symptoms, Kayla, from Utah, US, took herself to her local emergency room and is still in hospital weeks later.
She was diagnosed with Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, a rare disorder that causes the skin to burn from the inside out.
It could leave her blind.
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It has left her in extreme pain and she now needs to be fed using a feeding tube.
Kayla Nelson in happier times (gofundme)Kayla has undergone surgery on her eyelids to stop her losing her vision, her family have said.
She is expected to remain in the burn unit, where she is undergoing treatment for the burn-like reactions covering 30 per cent of her body, for another two weeks.
Her mum Lindsey Ewing said: "It's a lot on a 23-year-old because she's just getting going with her life.
"She has her life in front of her but now we have to deal with this, just because she wanted to get her mental health stabilised."
The concerned mum wanted to warn others about the potential risks associated with this anxiety medication.
She added: "Why have this chance of a family member or a friend or anyone go through this?"
Kayla recovering in hospital (gofundme)Friends of Kayla set up a GoFundMe to help with the sheer cost of medical bills.
It read: "Kayla enjoys fishing, driving around with friends, her cat Spyro, and she loves life as a whole."
It also explained: "Less than 0.1 per cent of the users of this drug ever experience this reaction, and Kayla is one of only three patients in the state of Utah to experience this horrible reaction.
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"SJS is incredibly painful, and Kayla has lost her ability to work, sleep, eat, or do anything that she enjoys, and it has left her with a very dire financial situation, which is why we are here."
Kayla getting treatment for her extremely rare syndrome (gofundme)Severe Stevens-Johnson Syndrome is sometimes called toxic epidermal necrolysis.
It starts as a small rash, and develops into blisters, before the blisters begin to peel. The exposed tissue leaves patients likely to pick up infections and can leave them in unimaginable pain.
An update on May 15 from the GoFundMe read: "Today Kayla remained on her incredibly slow, but steady path to recovery, and spent the majority of her day with her family."
It continued: "Kayla also mentioned today, that she is beginning to regain clarity in her vision after only a few days! Her pain is being managed well, and she is in overall good spirits.
"As always, we are incredibly grateful for you all for the support that you have shown for Kayla so far."
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