A 23-year-old woman from Utah is fighting for her life after experiencing a severe reaction to her anxiety medication. Kayla Nelson had been taking Lamotrigine, a drug meant to treat depression and anxiety, for just three weeks when she started to notice symptoms that led her to the emergency room on May 4.
She was diagnosed with Stevens-Johnson syndrome, a rare and serious disorder that causes the skin to burn from the inside out and can lead to blindness. Nelson is currently being treated at the University of Utah Burn Center for severe burn-like reactions on 30 percent of her body.
She has also undergone surgery on her eyelids to prevent the risk of losing her vision and is suffering from panic attacks about her future. She is expected to remain in the burn unit for several weeks and will require physical and mental therapy before she is able to work again told Katv.
Her mother, Lindsey Ewing, expressed gratitude for the medication’s positive impact on mental health but also warned others about the potential risks associated with Lamotrigine. She advised patients to stop taking the drug immediately if they notice a rash.
The National Library of Medicine describes Stevens-Johnson syndrome as a rare, acute, serious, and potentially fatal skin reaction in which the skin detaches from the body in painful blisters and rashes on the inside and surface of the body.
A GoFundMe campaign has been set up by Nelson’s friends to help cover the cost of medical bills. The campaign highlights the severity of the disease, stating that the reaction affects the mouth, throat, eyes, ears, and liver, and causes unimaginable pain.
In the latest update, it was revealed that Nelson had received placental tissue grafts in each of her eyes to protect her vision. Despite the successful surgery, Nelson still has a long road to recovery ahead of her.
Her mother expressed concern about the impact that this experience will have on her daughter’s life. 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 stabilized.”
