Ibuprofen is considered one of safest and most commonly taken medications out there, but it turns out that the painkiller has the capacity to melt your face off if you happen to suffer an adverse reaction to it.
Aleshia Rogers, 27, was taking ibuprofen twice a day after giving birth to her third child Jaxon in August 2020 via C-section.
Three weeks later, she began developing flu-like symptoms including a high fever, swollen face and rash on her chest.
The mum, from Lincoln, Nebraska, was told by doctors that it was either a case of scarlet fever or pink eye and was told to continue taking Ibuprofen. Big mistake – but the last thing anyone would have expected was that it was the pill that was supposed to be taking her pain away that was responsible for all these symptoms.
Just hours after she’d visited hospital for the second time about the issue, Aleshia’s face was engulfed in painful blisters and her skin started peeling off, to the point that she was left unrecognisable to family members.
She was rushed back to A&E where this time she was diagnosed with Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS), a rare and serious disorder where the immune system sparks widespread inflammation in response to a medication.
Aleshia was transferred to a burns intensive care unit where she was placed into a medically-induced coma while fighting sepsis and multi-organ failure.
She was given just a 5 – 10% chance of survival after 95 per cent of the skin ‘fell off’ her body. Amazingly though, Aleshia woke from her coma three weeks later and was told she’d suffered a rare and life-threatening reaction to ibuprofen.
Five years on, Aleshia is still recovering from complications associated with SJS but is on a mission to raise awareness for this rare and devastating disorder.
She said:
“We believe it was all triggered by taking ibuprofen. I took it twice a day for the c-section recovery pain then continued taking it to ease my pain and swelling [when I developed flu-like symptoms].
“Ibuprofen was my go-to med. I’d basically taken it my whole life since I was 14 to help with period pains.
“They don’t know why I had this reaction to it. Doctors don’t really have an explanation for it.
“They just said my body decided it didn’t like it one day. It’s very upsetting and confusing.
“There’s no prevention and once it starts, there’s nothing you can do to stop it. And there’s definitely a chance I can get it again at any time.”
Terrifying how your body can just decide one day that it does not want ibuprofen but instead of merely rejecting it, allows it to start destroying you.
“My eyes started swelling. They were bloodshot and burning and I got a small rash on my chest so I went to the ER and they told me I had pink eye and sent me home.
“The next day, my whole face was swollen and both eyes were swollen shut. I went back to the ER and they told me I had scarlet fever and to go home.”
Following her coma:
“The doctors said 90 to 95 per cent of the skin came off my body.
“Since your skin is your biggest organ, this caused me to get sepsis and multi-organ failure.
“I had absolutely no idea what had happened to me. I forgot that I had given birth. I lost a lot of memories.
“My family told me it really was touch or go as to whether I’d make it through. I’ve been told so many times that I’m a miracle.
“It’s always a thought but I live my life like tomorrow isn’t promised and try not to live in fear.
“I don’t want people to be afraid of medicines, but I want people to be aware and mindful of what can happen.”
Incredible. Obviously, this shouldn’t put you off taking ibuprofen as it’s unbelievably rare and can happen with any medication, so you may as well just keep living your life and if it happens you… c’est la vie? At least after reading this you’ll keep the story in mind for when the doctors start faffing about and misdiagnose you with pink eye and scarlet fever.
All the best to Aleisha on her continued recovery!
For the Pretty Little Thing shopper who was left with ‘burns on her b00bs’ after wearing a £15 top once, click HERE.
