My body was burning from the inside out due to a rare medical disorder
A young mom’s rare reaction to a prescription medication left her body burning from the inside out.
Nicole Donald, 26, was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2020 and was prescribed a range of pills to help level out her moods.
Two weeks later, however, the New Zealand native started to feel feverish and her lips began to bleed. Soon after, a red rash spread across her entire body.
A doctor declared that Donald had developed Stevens-Johnson syndrome — a serious disorder of the skin and mucous membranes usually triggered by medication.
The rare and potentially fatal disease starts with flu-like symptoms, followed by the appearance of a painful rash that spreads and blisters.
Donald was hospitalized after her symptoms quickly worsened, with every mucus membrane in her body blistering and burning, including her genitalia.
“It was so excruciatingly painful,” she told Jam Press. “My skin felt like it was sunburnt all over, my lips and the inside of my mouth were bleeding and my eyes were burning.”
“My vision started to become so blurry, I couldn’t use my phone or see my family,” she recalled. “I couldn’t eat or drink as my mouth was full of ulcers and my tummy hurt so much.”
Serious complications from Stevens-Johnson syndrome include pneumonia, sepsis and multiple organ failure. About 10% of people who develop the syndrome die from it, according to Mayo Clinic.
For Donald, who had a 6-month daughter at the time of her hospitalization, the ordeal was terrifying.
“I was very nervous and it was such a scary time, but all I could do was try to be brave and fight for my little girl,” she stated. “It was the scariest health battle of my life, as no one could tell me what was going to happen.”
According to Mayo Clinic, Stevens-Johnson syndrome usually requires hospitalization. Treatment focuses on removing the cause, caring for wounds, controlling pain and minimizing complications as skin regrows. It can take weeks to months to recover.
After two weeks of steroids and pain relief, Donald thankfully started to make a recovery. Two months later, doctors declared that she had beat the disease.
However, the mom says she still bears some scars from the terrifying medical episode, stating, “I’ve lost some pigment in my lips and my left eye has a permanent obvious red vein, but that’s all, so I’m very lucky.”
The Kiwi is now trying to raise awareness about Stevens-Johnson syndrome, saying some doctors hadn’t even heard of the disease.
While it can be “unpredictable” — with different people reacting to different medications —Donald told Jam Press it’s important to recognize the signs and symptoms.
“My advice to anyone is to be cautious with any medication and call a doctor immediately if you have any side effects, even minor ones,” she stated.
“At the end of the day, a doctor prescribes medication to make you feel better, not worse, and I was so fortunate the doctor had seen this before, as I may not be here today.”
“I have had a lot of health battles in my life, but I have never had anything quite like Stevens-Johnson syndrome,” Donald declared. “I wouldn’t wish it upon anyone.”
