Beware of the medications you buy over the counter: Beware of the "CHEMIST"

Before and After's

I read up a news in one of my associate bloggers... lol, and I taught I should explain this situation better with a lot more than a few points of mine.

A 14 year old girl dies of Steven Johnsons syndrome...wandering what that is ? I'll tell you shortly.

You see in my few years of medical experience, very close to a decade I have only seen this case once in my whole life and had never heard about it before till that day at the General Hospital Lagos meaning that it doesnt happen all the time but it does happen. 

I was posted to the burns unit male ward A.

You might also be wandering what a person with a syndrome will be doing in a burns ward when there was no history of fire outbreak or acid ingestion???

Well, any one with Steven Johnson will end up in the burns unit as a matter of fact, that is the only place you can be under intensive care - it is a medical emergency and life threatening.

*This condition was named after Mason Stevens and Frank Johnson who first discovered it in 1922. Sorry not here for history...*

This condition begins with a flu like symptoms followed by a painful rash that spreads and causes blisters and the skin cells begins to die. Steven Johnsons syndrome is most times triggered by a medication.

Now back to my story, Amina as called by her parents had an infection. As a teen one would most likely assume it was an upper respiratory infection or a yeast infection-candidasis. 

Indeed, she may not have told her mother of the illness. 

Perhaps she did, but Nonchalantly, the mother asked her to go to the "Chemist".  "Shebi baba takwalatu has open shop, go and complain to him"

Amina walks into the store and makes her complaints, trust me the first line of anti biotics the chemist will prescribe is Septrin.

I remember growing up, every little cough, you hear 'take septrin', your neighbor sneezes, "take septrin" Your classmate have unprotected intercourse, another classmate echoes "take Septrin And lime" *If only septrin could speak* 

Amina, take this, e go kill any infection wey you get. Take it 2 tablet in the morning and at night and if you dont feel better increase your dose....(Ofcos they would most times not disclose the name of the drug, so that you see them as magician and not spoil business for them)

It was in my 2nd year in school after all chemistry and physics classes were over that we were taught on how to always ask for history before you prescribe even analgesics because some people might just react to it- Do you react to Sulphur? the chemist should have asked...but does he know???

Poor Amina takes the medicine...Still feeling unwell and hopes to get better, started to develop more runny nose, facial swelling, burning eyes, burning mouth, internal heat, shouting, screaming, skin peeling , lands in the intensive care unit, burns ward, infusion set in and the next thing, DEATH.

Dont just take any medication, dont just recommend. the fact that you got well with a particular substance does not mean I can tolerate the same...Try to at least Physically see your health provider. Am sure that's one of the reasons why the government has got the health centers. If they dont ask you find out what you typically react to and always remember to scream it out loud....

Phot credit:Lindaikeji