She takes ibuprofen to relieve painful periods and spends 17 days in a coma.

Like millions of women around the world, Jacqueline Gmak before take ibuprofen to relieve menstrual pain. In 2011, this harmless gesture turned into a nightmare. She said she experienced mild itching in her eye 48 hours after taking the medication. Sun. The next day, when he woke up, he had bloody blisters in his mouth. In a panic, she went to the hospital.

There his condition quickly deteriorated. Her face was completely blistered and she had lost most of her vision. Then we loaded it into induced coma for 17 days try to stop your body’s reaction.

She is a victim of an extremely rare syndrome.

Finally the diagnosis came: Jacqueline suffered from Stevens-Johnson syndrome.. This is an extremely rare disease an overreaction of the body to certain medicationsespecially antiepileptic drugs, antibiotics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen.

In the case of Jacqueline his body violently rejected ibuprofen attacking your own skin. This reaction manifests itself excruciating pain and blisters all over the body. Without timely treatment, Stevens-Johnson syndrome can be fatal.

The long battle for hope of regaining sight

Luckily, Jacqueline survived the ordeal. But the road to recovery was long and painful. She has serious consequences from her ordeal. His body is covered with scars and his vision is seriously damaged. “The doctors told me it was a miracle that I survived.“, she says. “My family wouldn’t let me look in the mirror for days. When I finally did, I didn’t recognize the man I saw.“.

To save her eyesight, Jacqueline had to undergo a series of surgical procedures. Transplantation of the cornea, amniotic membrane and even stem cells. she has undergone more than 24 surgeries. Currently, his vision is reduced to 40% and she should visit an ophthalmologist every two weeks for follow-up.

Now she has to live with the consequences

Despite her ordeal, Jacqueline considers herself a warrior. “The hardest thing to overcome is realizing that I will never get back to the vision I had before.“, she admits. “I dream of finding a cure so I can see again“.

His story is a powerful message about the importance of vigilance regarding medications, even those sold without a prescription. If in doubt or unusual side effects, do not hesitate to contact your doctor.