A 28-year-old patient reports anxiety, headaches with dizziness, and abdominal bloating occurring before her menstrual periods. Which action is best for the nurse to take at this time?
a. Ask the patient to keep track of her symptoms in a diary for 3 months.
b. Suggest that the patient try aerobic exercise to decrease her symptoms.
c. Teach the patient about appropriate lifestyle changes to reduce premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms.
d. Advise the patient to use nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen (Advil) to control symptoms.
ANS: A
The patient's symptoms indicate possible PMS, but they also may be associated with other diagnoses. Having the patient keep a symptom diary for 2 or 3 months will help in confirming a diagnosis of PMS. The nurse should not implement interventions for PMS until a diagnosis is made.
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