Elle Dunn took Minocycline for acne at 15, but a rare reaction left her fighting for her life
After coding for almost 30 minutes, she was diagnosed with DRESS syndrome, a severe drug-induced reaction
Now 27, she’s using TikTok to spread awareness about the dangers of the hidden drug allergy
For Elle Dunn, what started as a seemingly minor health issue quickly spiraled into a life-threatening medical ordeal.
At 15, Dunn was like many teenagers — dealing with acne and prescribed Minocycline, a common antibiotic. But what was meant to be a simple treatment turned into a nightmare that almost took her life.
As she shares in a now-viral TikTok video, Dunn began experiencing symptoms such as jaw pain and rashes, which quickly spiraled into a full-body reaction that went undiagnosed for weeks.
Dunn’s symptoms worsened while attending her sister’s wedding, where she broke out in severe hives and spiked a dangerously high 106-degree fever.
She was rushed to the hospital, where doctors struggled to pinpoint the cause of her deteriorating condition. At one point, she even coded for almost 30 minutes — a terrifying moment that her family will never forget.
“I remember just feeling like my body was shutting down,” Dunn exclusively tells PEOPLE. “I had no idea what was happening to me, and neither did the doctors at first.”
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She remembers slipping in and out of consciousness as doctors rushed to keep her alive. “The last thing I remember is just hearing the beeping. Everything goes black, and then I just lift out of my body,” she shares.
“I see myself lying there,” she continues. “I see all the doctors, nurses rushing in. They’re rushing my parents out.”
Elle Dunn
Elle Dunn days after briefly dying from DRESS syndrome
Despite the chaos in the room, she wasn’t afraid. “Honestly, it wasn’t scary. It was like, ‘Oh my gosh.’ It almost seemed like a dream. You start getting memories. You start feeling kind of warm, like this warm sensation. And then it just all went away. And then I just woke up the next day,” she reflects.
Initially, doctors misdiagnosed Dunn with Parvovirus and sent home. But her symptoms continued to escalate over six to eight weeks, leaving her weak and in immense pain. Eventually, she was correctly diagnosed with Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DRESS) syndrome.
According to the National Organization for Rare Disorders, “Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) is a rare disorder that can affect the skin, blood and any internal organs, most commonly the liver, kidney, lungs and heart.”
“When they finally told me it was DRESS syndrome, I had never heard of it before,” Dunn shares. “I had no idea an antibiotic for acne could do this to me.”
The severity of Dunn’s condition required weeks of steroid treatments to suppress her immune system and stop the reaction. The high doses of medication took a toll on her body, but ultimately saved her life. Even after leaving the hospital, she faced a long recovery.
Elle Dunn
Elle Dunn now at 27 years old
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Looking back, she acknowledges how fortunate she was, despite the severity of her reaction. “Yes, I did ‘die,’ but everything that happened after was really the best-case scenario,” she shares. “Some people develop alopecia and lose all their hair. Some have irreversible damage. I was lucky.”
Now 27, Dunn has learned to be extremely cautious with medication. Even more than a decade later, the experience has left a lasting impact on her health and mindset. “I always check with doctors before taking anything new,” Dunn notes. “I don’t want to go through anything like that again.”
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Her journey has also inspired her to spread awareness about DRESS syndrome, using social media to educate others about the dangers of severe drug reactions. She says, “If my story can help even one person recognize signs early and get the right diagnosis, then it’s worth sharing.”
Read the original article on People
