Allergic reactions- outcome of sertraline and escitalopram treatments

The treatment of dysthymia in itself poses a problem in the everyday psychiatric practice and it can be further hindered when accompanied by pronounced personality traits (which are indicative of disorder). Due to its pathology and duration dysthymia interferes with the patient’s quality of life and the ability to function in some segments of everyday life. These interferences enticed our patient to opt for psychiatric treatment. During a three-year period, despite all the efforts made by psychiatrists in this comprehensive and challenging dysthymia treatment (psychotherapy, group psychotherapy, psychopharmacotherapy), the expected outcomes of the treatment did not occur. The patient’s goals and expectations included lifestyle change, achieving life satisfaction and mood improvement. The patient was refusing suggested psychopharmaca until confronted, in psychotherapy, with the fact that she is the one prolonging her own helplessness and directing her passive agression at the members of the group. In the end the patent agreed to take psychopharmaca. Therefore, sertraline was introduced in the treatment, but the patient experienced a severe allergic reaction (Qiuncke’s oedema). After four months the second attempt was made and escitaloptam was introduced, which resulted in urticaria. Due to these allergic reactions to antidepressants, the patient decided not to pursue the psychopharmacological treatment.