Mum’s Nightmare: Rare Reaction to Ibuprofen Nearly Took Her Life

What began as routine postpartum recovery for Nebraska mum-of-three Aleshia Rogers turned into a life-or-death fight after a terrifying reaction to ibuprofen.

Three weeks after an emergency C-section, Aleshia noticed swelling in her face, a burning throat, and a rash on her chest. Doctors initially dismissed it as pink eye or scarlet fever, advising her to keep taking the painkiller. Hours later, her skin erupted into painful blisters, leaving her unrecognisable.

The culprit? Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS) – a rare but severe immune reaction to medication. Within days, Aleshia’s condition worsened into Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis, where 90–95% of her skin died and peeled away.

Placed in a medically induced coma, she battled sepsis and multi-organ failure, with doctors giving her just a 5–10% chance of survival. For three agonising weeks, her family feared the worst.

Aleshia underwent full-body skin grafts and an eye membrane transplant before slowly beginning her recovery. “I’d taken ibuprofen since I was 14 with no issues,” she said. “One day, my body just decided it didn’t like it. There’s no prevention, and it can happen again.”

Now living with lasting complications, she calls herself a miracle. Her message: “Don’t live in fear, but be mindful of what medicines can do.”