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I Used To Be A Swimsuit Model — Then I Had A Near-fatal Allergic Reaction That Burned My Skin
A gorgeous Thai swimsuit model developed rashes and blisters all over her face and body after she was given antibiotics she was allergic to — three times.
"The pain was so bad that I really felt like I was going to die. It was intense. My entire body was burning and sore. There are no words strong enough to describe how it felt," Sasinan Chuenlosang, 31, told Viral Press.
Sasinan Chuenlosang, 31, has Stevens-Johnson syndrome, a rare but potentially deadly reaction to medications or infections. ViralPressChuenlosang, whose day job was in IT, complained of a sore throat and red eyes when she visited a Bangkok hospital on June 18.
Doctors diagnosed her with tonsillitis and administered Ceftriaxone, an antibiotic used to treat bacterial infections.
But it didn't help and actually made things worse. The online model returned to the hospital three days later after experiencing chest tightness, a rash, blurred vision, a swollen mouth and an inability to walk properly.
"My entire body was burning and sore. There are no words strong enough to describe how it felt," Chuenlosang said. ViralPressChuenlosang said she was given another dose of the same medicine and diagnosed with chicken pox.
She reports that her rash worsened, causing blindness in her left eye.
She was sent to the ICU, where the medics gave her a third shot of Ceftriaxone.
Chuenlosang felt dizzy, and her right eye became blurry and numb. She stayed in the ICU for seven days.
She said she was given Ceftriaxone three times after initially seeking treatment for red eyes and a sore throat. ViralPressShe was later transferred to another hospital, where she was diagnosed with severe Stevens-Johnson syndrome, a rare but potentially deadly reaction to medications or infections.
It usually starts with flu-like symptoms, followed by a painful rash, causing the top layer of skin to die and peel off.
Chuenlosang was still bedridden as of Monday and had to cut her long hair to let her rashes heal.
"Before this, I was employed at an IT company, and I was [an] online model in my spare time," Chuenlosang lamented. "This condition has shattered my dreams. It's destroyed the life I had before." ViralPressShe has wounds around her eyes and mouth and on her forehead and cheeks. Her neck is covered in gauze to seep the blood and pus that trickled down her face.
"Before this, I was employed at an IT company, and I was [an] online model in my spare time," Chuenlosang recalled. "This condition has shattered my dreams. It's destroyed the life I had before."
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Thanks for signing up! She hopes to get her vision back, so she can go back to work. ViralPress
She is seeking an ophthalmologist to help restore her vision, so she can return to work.
In the meantime, Thanakrit Jitareerat, Thailand's vice-minister for public health, said the government is investigating if Chuenlosang's treatment "adhered to medical practices."
If You Notice This Kind Of Rash On Your Skin, Seek Medical Care ASAP
Some viruses, like COVID and the flu, are talked about frequently enough that you likely know their symptoms and what to do if you experience them. Then there are the viruses that don't get as much attention but are still important to know about. Shingles is definitely one of the latter.
Also known as herpes zoster (yet different from genital or oral herpes), shingles is a virus caused by a reactivation of the chickenpox virus, which means only people who have had chickenpox at some point in their lives can get it. Similar to chickenpox, its symptoms can include changes to your skin as well as other symptoms. It's important to know what these symptoms are so you can seek treatment ASAP.
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How To Know if You Have Shingles"Shingles is a viral infection that causes a painful rash," explains Dr. Roger Kapoor, MD, FAAD, a Harvard-trained dermatologist and the senior executive vice president of Beloit Health System in Beloit, Wisconsin.
Dr. Kapoor explains that shingles usually look like a stripe of blisters on the left or right side of the body, around the rib cage or waist. "It can also appear on one side of the face, around one eye or on the neck. The rash often looks like a 'belt' or 'half belt,' which is sometimes called a 'shingles band' or 'shingles girdle,'" he says. He adds that the rash usually starts as red patches and develops into fluid-filled blisters.
"The rash typically scabs over in seven to 10 days and clears up within two to four weeks. It's often painfully itchy and, to compound the person's misery, the skin in the affected area may become extremely sensitive, making even light touch painful," Dr. Kapoor says.
Related: Here's Exactly What a Monkeypox Wash Looks Like, According to Dermatologists
While this type of rash is a strong indicator of shingles, Dr. David Canaday, MD, a professor in the Division of Infectious Disease at Case Western Reserve University, says that the first symptom is typically pain or itchiness, before the rash develops. Dr. Kapoor adds to this, saying that localized pain is often the first symptom of shingles. "This pain may be severe and is often described as burning, throbbing or stabbing," he says, explaining that the rash tends to develop a few days after the pain starts. In addition to these symptoms, Dr. Kapoor says that some people may experience fever, chills, fatigue and headache.
In general, Dr. Canaday says that people who are older than 50 are at greatest risk for shingles. However, anyone who has a compromised immune system is also at increased risk for the virus.
Related: Pregnant and Dealing with a Rash? It Might Be PUPP—Here's Everything You Need to Know
Why You Should Seek Treatment as Soon as PossibleIf you are experiencing any symptoms of shingles, it's important to see your healthcare provider as soon as you can. "If the blisters from the shingles rash are not properly cared for, they can become infected with bacteria, leading to skin infections," Dr. Kapoor says.
There is no cure for shingles, but there are several treatments available that can help manage symptoms and speed up recovery. Both doctors explain that antiviral drugs (such as acyclovir, valacyclovir, and famciclovir) can help reduce shingles' symptoms and shorten how long the symptoms last. Additionally, they say that over-the-counter pain relievers (like acetaminophen or ibuprofen) can help minimize pain and topical treatments (such as calamine lotion, cool compresses, and oatmeal baths) can help with the itchiness. "In severe cases, prescription pain medications, numbing agents or corticosteroids may be necessary," Dr. Kapoor says.
If shingles aren't properly treated, Dr. Kapoor says it can potentially lead to severe complications, including painful eye infections, vision loss, brain inflammation, facial paralysis, hearing problems or problems with balance. Dr. Canaday says that another potential complication is lingering nerve pain, which can last months or even years.
Both doctors say that the best way to avoid getting shingles is to get the shingles vaccine. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, getting the shingles vaccine is more than 90% effective at preventing shingles in adults 50 and older with healthy immune systems. Dr. Canaday says that since healthy adults in their 20s, 30s or 40s, rarely get shingles, the vaccine is recommended for adults 50 and older. However, if you have a compromised immune system due to an underlying health condition and are worried about getting shingles, you can ask your healthcare provider about getting the vaccine.
What's most important when it comes to shingles is to know the symptoms and seek treatment as soon as possible if you start experiencing them. If you do get it, hopefully, you'll bounce back quickly and it will become a distant memory—like that childhood bout of chickenpox.
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Related: A Rash Can Be a Symptom of Breast Cancer—Here Are the Top Signs to Look Out for if You're Worried You Have One, and When to See a Doctor
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