Detecting Symtoms of Stenven Johnson Syndrome (SJS)

After reading the summary of SJS and the cause of it, we should, especially younger generations, know and detect the simple possible outbreaks of SJS, before it is too late.

Both Steven Johnson Syndrome, and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN) can start with non-specific symptoms such as:

  •   Cough
  •   Aching
  •   Headaches
  •   Feverishness

    • Then it is follwed by more severe signs like:

  •   Red rashes, starts with the face and the trunk of body
  •   Blisters, form in areas such as eyes, mouth and vaginal area

    • For blisters, the mucous membranes can become inflamed, and with TEN the layers of the skin can also come away in some cases, and sufferers can become cold and feverish

  •   Keratitis
  •   Uveitis
  •   Perforation of the globe of the eye

    • The above are severe signs that effect the eyes, which may result of permenent visual imparment.

    Other causes:

  •   Arthritis
  •   Arthralgia
  •   Severe muscle pain

    • Personal note:
    The rashes looked starts with looking like little red spots, it is like tiny chicken pox but they give the impression that the patient is just rather "heaty" (Chinese likes to say that). Some doctors may detect measles if there aren't any signs of blisters in the mouth. That's what happen to my mom where the panel doctor thought it was normal rash, because my mom's kind of allergic to certain seafood.

    In my mom's case, besides having fever, and because she had gastric history, her gastric pain doubled, and whatever she ate, she vomitted and purged.

    My mom also suffered servere muscle ache, and joint pain during the process of recovery, and it is so painful that we all have to take turns to massage her back and her both legs. Many times, my mom was so in pain (plus gastric) I kept seeing her crying.

    Please be alert with further updates on how the entire family helped out to ease some pain during my mother's hospitalization, and also with the help of many people's prayers, my mom was quite in speed of recovery, except we had to overcome her gastric history and uric acid as well during her hospitalization.

    The above meterial was extracted and simplified from skinassn.org and medicinenet.com