- Leanne Howes took 150mg dose of Zantac Ranitidine to treat her IBS
- But shortly afterwards a rash and large blisters spread across her body
- Given 10% chance of survival after developing Stevens-Johnson syndrome
- Lost most of her face and parts of her chest, arms and back fell away
- Her hair, nails, eyelashes and eyebrows fell out and weight fell to 5st 10lbs
- Says: ‘I looked like a monster from a Halloween movie – I’m lucky to be alive’
By
Anna Hodgekiss
04:36 EST, 20 February 2014
|
07:07 EST, 20 February 2014
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A teenage girl suffered a horrific allergic reaction to heartburn tablets that left her skin falling off ‘in chunks’.
Leanne Howes, 17, was given just 10 per cent chance of survival after suffering a one-in-a-million allergic reaction to widely available Zantac tablets.
The potentially fatal condition – Stevens-Johnson syndrome – gripped her entire body, causing her skin to burn up, scab over and fall off.
Leanne Howes, 17, was given just 10 per cent chance of survival after suffering a one-in-a-million allergic reaction to Zantac heartburn tablets
The trainee hairdresser took a 150mg dose of Zantac Ranitidine prescribed by her doctor to treat Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
The trainee hairdresser, from Hoveton, Norwich, developed the syndrome after taking a 150mg dose of Zantac Ranitidine prescribed by her doctor to treat Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).
The illness left her in hospital for weeks while it ran its devastating course.
Zantac Ranitidine is available in tablet,
injection and syrup form. It is widely available to buy off the shelf
in supermarkets and chemists across the UK.
Miss Howes’ nightmare began in September 2013 when she suddenly fell ill.
Initially, she believed she was suffering from heat rash, but became worried as an itchy, red rash spread across her entire body and her skin broke out in blisters the size of tennis balls.
Miss Howes developed the potentially fatal condition Stevens-Johnson syndrome. The condition gripped her entire body, causing her skin to burn up, scab over and fall off
Miss Howes had initially believed she was suffering from heat rash, but was horrified as an itchy, red rash spread across her entire body and her skin broke out in blisters the size of tennis balls
She said: ‘I’d not felt very well at work, so I went to the chemist to pick up some tablets.
‘Once I got home, I was fine, but when I woke up the next morning, I was tired and nauseous.
‘And then when I looked in the mirror, I saw that I had a terrible rash.’
Worried, Miss Howes and her boyfriend, car salesman Jake Round, 25, drove to her mother’s house, where her condition rapidly worsened.
WHAT IS STEVENS JOHNSON SYNDROME?
Stevens
Johnson Syndrome (SJS) is a severe adverse reaction to a medication. It
was named after two U.S paediatricians who described it in 1922.
It affects around two people per million and is more common among women.
Symptoms include skin rashes, blisters in the mouth, ears and nose and swelling of the eyelids.
If left untreated the condition can result in death. Possible complications include permanent blindness and lung damage.
Once diagnosed doctors will immediately stop the patient taking the offending drug.
Treatment
includes IV fluids and high calorie formulas to promote healing.
Antibiotics are given when necessary to prevent secondary infections
such as sepsis.
Pain medications such as morphine can make the patient
more comfortable.
During the night, blisters formed inside her throat and on her tongue and she woke up the next morning struggling to breathe.
With blisters covering the soles of her feet, Miss Howes was forced to crawl to the bathroom and attempt to call for help.
Her terrified mother, retail manager Amanda Corley, 38, found her lying on the bathroom floor and the teenager was rushed to Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.
Doctors immediately gave her morphine and applied soothing cream to her face and chest.
But her skin began to fall off on a doctor’s fingertips as he examined her.
Over the next few days, she lost most of the surface of her face.
Parts of her chest, arms, back and stomach also fell away.
Miss Howes said: ‘I thought I was going to die.
‘I couldn’t move, and my face was so swollen that my eyes had fused shut.
‘Everywhere was itching, and my skin was weeping a thick, yellow pus.
‘I had agonising blisters the size of tennis balls, and was slipping in and out of consciousness.
‘When I came round the next day, my mum told me that doctors had said if I got through the night, it would be a miracle. I was just so happy to be alive.’
Once it strikes, there is no way to stop Stevens-Johnson syndrome, so Miss Howes had to fight for her life as the condition ran its course.
Sufferers are treated in the same way as burns victims and are given pain relief and fluid replacement. Doctors worked around the clock to make her skin function normally again.
She spent the next four weeks on a morphine drip in hospital, unable to walk or talk properly. She was so weak that she had to use a wheelchair.
Her hair, nails, eyelashes and eyebrows fell out and at 5ft tall, her weight plummeted from 7st to a dangerous 5st 10lbs.
Miss Howes spent the next four weeks on a morphine drip in hospital, unable to walk or talk properly. Her hair, nails, eyelashes and eyebrows fell out and at 5ft tall, her weight plummeted from 7st to a dangerous 5st 10lbs
She had to be fed through a tube, and doctors covered her entire body in petroleum jelly up to three times a day.
Her mother, Amanda, and boyfriend Jake took it in turns to stay by her bedside as she recovered.
Miss Howes was finally discharged in October 2013, but back at home she was forced to come to terms with her new appearance.
She said: ‘I’d always been proud of the way I looked.
Miss Howes with her grandfather, Lesley before the allergic reaction. She said: ‘I now realise how lucky I am to be alive’
‘I liked taking care of myself, and I followed all of the latest fashion trends
‘Losing my hair, eyelashes and nails was devastating, but Jake tells me that I am beautiful all of the time, which really helps.
‘When I look back at the pictures of me in hospital I can’t believe it’s me. I look like a monster from a Halloween movie.
‘I now realise how lucky I am to be alive.’
Leanne Howes with her mother Amanda, having recovered from the horrific allergic reaction
Today Miss Howes suffers from dry, bumpy skin and has to take eye drops twice a day as the condition scarred her tear ducts, leaving her with watery eyes
Today Miss Howes suffers from dry, bumpy skin and has to take eye drops twice a day as the condition scarred her tear ducts, leaving her with watery eyes.
Stevens-Johnson syndrome is incurable and 40 per cent of people who contract the condition do not survive.
Doctors say it is likely that Miss Howes will have another severe reaction if she ever takes Ranitidine again.
The terrifying incident has left Miss Howes (pictured with boyfriend Jake, mother Amanda and her boyfriend) too frightened to take other medication such as paracetamol in fear of another reaction
The terrifying incident has even left her too frightened to take other medication such as paracetamol in fear of another reaction.
She said: ‘I’m absolutely terrified to take any more medication now.
‘I’m so scared it will happen again and I might not be as lucky.’
Dr Clive Grattan, an expert Dermatology consultant at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, said: ‘At its worst, the condition can be lethal. And the reaction is often completely unexpected.
Stevens-Johnson syndrome is an extremely rare condition – around one in a million people will experience this kind of reaction.
Doctors say it’s likely that Miss Howes will have another severe reaction if she ever takes Ranitidine again
‘Scientists are still trying to confirm how it happens, but it is believed that the immune system releases chemicals in reaction to the triggering medication, and this causes damage to the outer layer of the skin.’
A spokesperson for GSK Pharmaceuticals which produces Zantac said: ‘We deeply sympathise with anyone suffering from SJS.
‘We are committed to the highest standards of patient safety, and as such take reports of side effects very seriously. We have a robust and ongoing safety monitoring system for all of our medicines.
‘If a patient has concerns or experiences side effects relating to any medicines, they should talk to their doctor, pharmacist or nurse as soon as possible.’
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The comments below have been moderated in advance.
notsurprised,
Great Britain,
10 hours ago
Oh god bless her the poor girl, what a horrible thing to happen.
jolene05,
London, United Kingdom,
10 hours ago
Oh bless her, that must have been horrific
KAB,
Valletta,
10 hours ago
How terrible. She must have been so frightened and in such pain. What a lovely boyfriend she has too, standing by her through all of this. Plenty of lads that age would and scidaddled!
MrsK,
Essex,
10 hours ago
Poor girl, so glad she survives. Good on you!
Daft-owd-bat,
Somewhere over the Rainbow, United States,
10 hours ago
Ranitadine is also found in some over-the-counter anti-histamine tablets too so be sure to read labels carefully!
About twenty years ago, after some odd symptoms and a process of elimination, I came to the conclusion that Ranitadine was the cause of the problem. My Doctor agreed and although my reaction to the drug was not as devastating as this young woman’s, ever since that time my medical records note I am allergic to it. Non of this was ever reported “officially†to the company that makes Ranitadine so there may be many other people who have had similar experiences. There is no knowing how many people out there may have had such reactions to it.
nicolam3374,
Nottingham, United Kingdom,
10 hours ago
Good grief that poor young woman, so glad that she has made a recovery. You wouldn’t believe all the heartache and worry over a tiny tablet. I’m just going to get on with my HB and not complain.
madam swish,
kempton,
10 hours ago
Brave lady! You are very beautiful,
The_Mutts_Nuts,
Got-Chopped-Off, United Kingdom,
10 hours ago
The damage looked horrific and no one can imagine the amount of pain this poor girl was in. Amazed that she survived such a devastating side effect and wish her all the very best for the future.
irishbird,
somewhere over the rainbow,
10 hours ago
The poor child, it looks absolutely horrible
jaffacakefuel,
London,
10 hours ago
There’s a lot these drug companies are accountable for along with the processed muck we call food causing massive problems in our world. Corporate cover ups. Get well soon young lady
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