Question

A nurse is teaching a client who has a depressive disorder about fluoxetine. Which of the following information should the nurse include in the teaching?

A) You may experience immediate improvement in your mood.
B) Avoid abruptly stopping this medication.
C) Take the medication on an empty stomach for better absorption.
D) This medication may cause weight gain.

Answer 1

A nurse should teach the client that they should not abruptly stop taking fluoxetine, that it can be taken with or without food, and they may experience weight gain among other side effects. An immediate improvement in mood is not typical as it may take several weeks for the full effects of the medication to be apparent.

Step-by-step explanation:

A nurse teaching a client who has a depressive disorder about fluoxetine should include several key pieces of information for proper medication management and patient safety:

• Avoid abruptly stopping this medication, as it can lead to withdrawal symptoms or a resurgence of depression symptoms.
• It is not necessary to take the medication on an empty stomach for better absorption; this medication can be taken with or without food.
• Common side effects of SSRIs like fluoxetine can include weight gain, among others.
• It typically takes several weeks for the full therapeutic effects to be felt, so you should not expect an immediate improvement in mood.

Furthermore, fluoxetine, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), works by preventing the reuptake of serotonin, thereby increasing its availability in the brain, which can help alleviate symptoms of depression.