A patient being treated for depression has taken 300 mg amitriptyline (Elavil) daily for a year. The patient calls the case manager at the clinic and says, "I stopped taking my antidepressant 2 days ago
Now I am having cold sweats, nausea, a rapid heartbeat, and nightmares." 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."
ANS: C
The patient has symptoms associated with abrupt withdrawal of the tricyclic 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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