People taking phenytoin to control seizures, whether as Dilantin®, Phenytek®, Cerebyx®, or a generic alternative, are at an elevated risk for some dangerous, even deadly, skin reactions. The most serious of these are Stevens-Johnson Syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis.

 

Stevens-Johnson Syndrome

 

Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS) is a serious disorder of the skin and mucous membranes most often caused by a reaction to dangerous pharmaceuticals. The result of Stevens-Johnson Syndrome is that your skin dies and sloughs off. Stevens-Johnson Syndrome begins with fairly innocuous flu-like symptoms including:

• Fever
• Burning eyes
• Sore throat and cough
• Headache

 

After several days of this, you may begin to experience some or all of the following:

• Swelling of the face and tongue
• Hives
• Painful red or purple skin rash that spreads
• Blisters on your skin and mucous membranes, including the mouth, nose, and eyes
• Blisters on the skin and shedding skin

 

If your flu-like symptoms develop into any of the above, you should seek immediate medical attention. Because Stevens-Johnson Syndrome is potentially fatal, it requires emergency medical care. Although most cases of Stevens-Johnson Syndrome occur as an allergic reaction to drugs, some also occur in response to severe infections.

 

Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis

 

Toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) is similar to SJS, and sometimes people have both conditions simultaneously. It normally begins with flu-like symptoms as described above. This may then be followed by:

• Severe sore throat that may prevent you from eating or drinking
• Painful urination
• Inflammation of the eyes that may be accompanied by pus-filled discharge
• Sore or burning sensation in the lungs and/or intestine
• Painful, ill-defined red rashes with purple centers that enlarge, coalesce and form sheet-like, flaccid blisters
• Peeling and shedding of the blisters

 

Over 95 % of cases of toxic epidermal necrolysis are related to medications. They normally begin within the first 4 weeks of drug exposure.

 

The risk of SJS/TEN following Dilantin® use is significant, occurring in about 3 out of every 1000 Dilantin users. In people with the HLA-B*1502 gene--most common in persons of Chinese, Thai, Malay, Indonesian, and Filipino descent--the risk may be up to 10 times higher, about 3%, based on preliminary studies.

 

Purple Glove Syndrome

 

Purple glove syndrome is a potentially serious complication of phenytoin use. It normally only occurs with intravenous treatment, but it has been reported as a result of oral phenytoin overdose. Proponents of phenytoin use describe it as an "infrequent and mild adverse effect" of intravenous phenytoin use. The rate of occurrence seems to be between 2-6 %, with older patients who are given multiple, large doses more likely to suffer this complication. Purple glove syndrome is characterized by:

• Swelling of the limb or limbs affected
• Discoloration of the limbs
• Pain

 

Although dismissed by phenytoin proponents as "mild," cases of purple glove syndrome often require three weeks or more of recovery time and may require surgical intervention. It results in significant pain, longer hospital stays, and expensive additional treatments.

 

Birth Deformities Related to Phenytoin

 

Women who are taking the phenytoin drugs Dilantin®, Phenytek®, or Cerebyx® should seriously consider the risks and benefits of continuing treatment if they are considering pregnancy or know they have become pregnant. Insufficient study has been performed to determine whether Dilantin® is worse than other antiepileptic drugs, but data indicates that women who are taking antiepileptics during pregnancy are two or three times more likely to give birth to a child with malformations such as:

• Cardiac defects (also caused by Prozac and Paxil)
• Cleft lip and palate
• Facial malformations
• Underdeveloped fingers, toes, and nails
• Microcephaly--in which the head of a child is small for age and body size
• Mental deficiency
• Infant cancers

 

In addition, women using phenytoin and their newborns should have vitamin K supplements to prevent a potentially deadly bleeding disorder during the immediate postpartum period.

 

Compensation for Phenytoin Injuries

 

If you have suffered the frightening, painful, even irreversible damage of Dilantin®, Phenytek®, or Cerebyx® use, you deserve compensation for your drug-related injuries. Whether your damages are limited to real economic costs and personal pain or they extend to permanent disability, disfigurement, or the loss of a loved one, you may receive a full measure of compensation. To obtain the maximum compensation possible for your injuries, you need to work with experienced pharmaceutical liability lawyers with knowledge, recognized leadership, and a track record of success. Work with Schlichter, Bogard & Denton, attorneys who fight for the rights of pharmaceutical injury victims in all 50 states. Schedule a free, no-obligation consultation about your phenytoin injury today.