Woman Left ‘Burning From Inside Out’ In 17-day Coma After Taking Ibuprofen For Stomach Cramps

A woman took ibuprofen to relieve her menstrual cramps but suffered a severe reaction that left her in a coma for 17 days, with her skin peeling off during that time.

Jacqueline Gmack recalled the harrowing experience, saying it was "a miracle I survived." 

She had taken the medication and a few days later, she noticed an itch in her eye.

By the following day, Jacqueline woke up with blood blisters in her mouth and knew she needed to seek medical help, so she went to the hospital. 

She had to go to hospital and spent 17 days in a coma after taking ibuprofen. Jam Press / @jaque_gmack

However, her condition rapidly worsened. Before long, blisters covered her entire face, and her vision became extremely poor.

The last thing she remembered before losing consciousness was the severe condition of her face.

She then woke up from a coma 17 days later.

The coma had been induced due to a rare reaction to the over-the-counter medication she had taken.

"It was like I'd been burned from the inside out," Jacqueline described her frightening ordeal.

She has a very rare reaction. Jam Press / @jaque_gmack

She continued: "I didn't know what had happened to me.

"I noticed my entire body was bandaged, my vision was completely blurred, and I had a tube down my throat, but I wasn't in any pain.

"Only then did the penny start to drop and I realized that I was very weak, and that something very serious had happened to me."

She later found out that she was suffering from Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, an extremely rare condition triggered by an overreaction of the body to certain medications, which can include drugs like those for epilepsy, antibiotics, and anti-inflammatory pain relievers like the ibuprofen she had taken.

Jaqueline was suffering from the very rare condition of Stevens-Johnson Syndrome. Jam Press / @jaque_gmack

This syndrome causes the body to attack its own skin, leading to severe blistering and peeling.

Without prompt and appropriate treatment, this condition can be fatal. 

Following her ordeal, Jacqueline was left with scars and significant damage to her eyes.

"They told me it was a miracle I'd survived," she recounted the doctors' comments on her miraculous recovery after coming out of the coma.

"My family didn't let me see myself in the mirror for a few days. When I did finally look in the mirror, I saw someone I didn't recognize," Jacqueline shared about the emotional impact of her experience.

She says it's a 'miracle' she's alive. Jam Press / @jaque_gmack

She immediately sought treatment from an ophthalmologist in an effort to preserve her vision and was told she 'needed to have surgery as quickly as possible otherwise I would lose the eye organ.'

Since her first operation in 2011, Jaqueline has undergone more than 24 surgical procedures, including cornea transplants, amniotic membrane transplants, and stem cell treatments.

Currently, she retains about 40 percent of her vision and must have regular fortnightly check-ups to monitor the condition of her eyes.

Jacqueline expressed the challenges she faces: "The most difficult obstacle to overcome is knowing I can never have the vision that I once had. 

"I wish I could find a cure to see again. But I feel like a warrior."