A patient being treated for depression has taken sertraline daily for a year. The patient calls the clinic nurse and says, "I stopped taking my antidepressant 2 days ago. Now I am having nausea, nervous feelings, and I can't sleep." The nurse will advise the patient to:

A) "Go to the nearest emergency department immediately."
B) "Do not to be alarmed. Take two aspirin and drink plenty of fluids."
C) "Take a dose of your antidepressant now and come to the clinic to see the health care provider."
D) "Resume taking your antidepressants for 2 more weeks and then discontinue them again."

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Underground Monkey · Accepted Answer

Final Answer : C, Explanation :  The patient has symptoms associated with abrupt withdrawal of the antidepressant. Taking a dose of the drug will ameliorate the symptoms. Seeing the health care provider will allow the patient to discuss the advisability of going off the medication and to be given a gradual withdrawal schedule if discontinuation is the decision. This situation is not a medical emergency, although it calls for medical advice. Resuming taking the antidepressant for 2 more weeks and then discontinuing again would produce the same symptoms the patient is experiencing.

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