Like millions of women around the world, Jaqueline Gmack used to take ibuprofen to relieve menstrual pain. In 2011, this innocuous gesture turned into a nightmare. 48 hours after taking the medication, she felt a slight itching in her eye, says The Sun. The next day, when he woke up, blood blisters had appeared in his mouth. Panicked, she went to the hospital.
There, his condition quickly worsened. Her face was completely covered in blisters and she lost much of her vision. We then plunged it into an artificial coma for 17 days to try to stop his body’s reaction.
She is the victim of an extremely rare syndrome
The diagnosis finally came: Jaqueline suffered from Stevens-Johnson syndrome. This extremely rare disease is an excessive reaction of the body to certain medicationsespecially antiepileptics, antibiotics and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen.
In Jaqueline’s case, his body violently rejected the ibuprofen by attacking his own skin. This reaction is manifested by excruciating pain and blistering all over the body. Without prompt treatment, Stevens-Johnson syndrome can be fatal.
A long battle to hope to regain sight
Fortunately, Jaqueline survived this ordeal. But the road to recovery was long and painful. She has significant after-effects from her ordeal. His body is scarred and his vision has been severely damaged. “The doctors told me it was a miracle that I survived“, she says. “My family wouldn’t let me look in a mirror for several days. When I finally did, I didn’t recognize the person I was seeing“.
To save her eyesight, Jaqueline had to undergo a series of surgical interventions. Cornea, amniotic membrane and even stem cell transplants, she has undergone more than 24 operations. Currently, his vision is reduced to 40% and she must see an ophthalmologist every two weeks for follow-up.
She must now live with the after-effects
Despite the trials she has gone through, Jaqueline considers herself a warrior. “The hardest thing to overcome is knowing that I will never get back the sight I had before“, she confides. “I dream of finding a cure to see again“.
His story is a strong message about the importance of vigilance regarding medications, even over-the-counter ones. In case of doubt or unusual side effects, do not hesitate to consult a doctor.
