Depression has become a major issue nowadays. It entails stress that could be caused by work exertions, pressure from media outlets, and other factors that you cannot simply pinpoint or determine the root cause. Many people are resorting to anti-depressants as the perfect remedy for this unique condition.
This medication cannot be purchased over the counter hence many people are not sure of how they can obtain them. It is very important for you to be fully aware of these distinctions for clarity and to avoid any kinds of incorrect assumptions or misunderstandings. This article discusses if it is possible to acquire antidepressants from urgent care centers.
- Can Antidepressants Be Prescribed At An Urgent Care Facility?
It is in the nature of urgent care facilities to prescribe medication occasionally. Unfortunately, urgent care doctors cannot observe, take care of, or even monitor patients for an extended period. This implies that antidepressants cannot be prescribed at these centers. However, there is an exception where the urgent care doctors can decide to prescribe a short term or limited dose of antidepressants for patients who are taking this kind of medication under the care and prescription of another physician.
Just to highlight, there are other few classes of medication which cannot be prescribed by urgent care doctors such as birth control pills, long-term medication for chronic illnesses and drugs used for the management of long term pain.
- Why are Antidepressants Not Provided at Urgent Care Clinics?
Antidepressants are not offered at urgent care clinics because some medication requires a lot of follow up and proper monitoring, which cannot be possible at an urgent care clinic hence necessitating a referral to a psychiatrist or psychologist. Anti-depressants can therefore not be prescribed at urgent care centers as they are properly equipped to adequately provide this kind of care.
- Which Prescription Can Be Made By An Urgent Care Doctor?
There is specific medication that can be prescribed at an urgent care facility. This includes antibiotics that are used for the treatment of bacterial infections. Emergency limited doses are also prescribed for patients who have hypertension or diabetes. This is simply referred to as maintenance medication. However, this only relates to a single dose and not a complete refill. Your usual doctor is the only one that can prescribe a refill. More so, urgent care doctors can also prescribe eye drops for the treatment of eye infections and medication for stomach issues such as food poisoning, diarrhea, and constipation. Short-term prescriptions are also made for the relief of minor or less severe pain emanating from spasms and inflammation. Urgent care facilities can prescribe these types of medication but are still barred from prescribing anti-depressants and narcotics as mentioned above. This is done to ensure that your health and safety is paramount.
- What is Advisable for People Suffering from Depression?
It is therefore advisable for you to consult a qualified and experienced specialist. This could be a psychologist or a psychiatrist who is well positioned to aid you to know the most fitting medication for your depression. This will help you revert to a better and reduced state of depression.
As seen in this article, not all medications can be prescribed at all medical facilities. To elucidate further, they are not all similar or uniform. You might find that some kinds of medication may be prescribed at some facilities and not in others. As illustrated above, antidepressants are not provided at urgent care centers. Even if the primary goal of urgent care clinics is to ensure that the patients receive proper and utmost care by treating them accordingly, they cannot prescribe anti-depressants. Therefore, they refer you to a primary care physician who can assess and monitor you accordingly. This is because they will be able to diagnose your afflictions and remedy them accordingly by giving you the requisite treatment. It is meant to ensure that you get a permanent solution for your condition before it spirals out of control. In conclusion, you cannot visit an urgent care facility with the view or hope of obtaining antidepressants.