“I hope this story will help remind people of the serious nature of medication…”
In May of this year (1999), I went to a minor emergency clinic for a sore throat. The Nurse-Practitioner gave me a Rx for a Z-Pak which I filled at the nearest pharmacy. At the time I was taking 400mg of Lamictal per day. It may have been the combination, but the day after I took the first dose of the Z-Pak, I was taken to the hospital with a Stephen-Johnson’s reaction. I was having problems breathing and swallowing, so I could take nothing by mouth for the first two days (not even water). I was, also ordered to complete bed rest. I did manage to talk them into a potty chair so I didn’t have to use a bed pan, but complete bed rest is the pits.
I had severe burns, like chemical burns over much of my body. My face and neck were so bad I was hard to recognize. I looked like a photo negative almost.
The burns attacked the linings in my lungs which did not help my Asthma, but the breathing treatments helped. The insides of my mouth and throat were burned as well. I was in the hospital for 7 days, and lost 40 lbs. I was on IVs but could not eat for a while.
My eyes came out OK except I must take eyedrops for diminished tear production.
I have a residual light rash, and some discoloration in places. The dark spots will probably be permanent. But I am still alive.
I hope this story will help remind people of the serious nature of medication, even for common items like antibiotics. If you need more information, please contact me. Thank you.
Ron Cole
RSCole1@prodigy.net
Years 2000 and Prior
This is Survivor Story number 93.
Total number of stories in current database is 96
