A nurse is collecting data from a client who has bipolar disorder. Which of the following findings should the nurse expect?

• Hoarseness: Mild hoarseness is a common temporary effect after thyroid surgery due to irritation or swelling near the recurrent laryngeal nerve. While it needs monitoring, slight hoarseness alone is not necessarily a sign of a serious complication if it is not worsening or associated with airway compromise.
• Drainage: A moderate amount of serosanguineous drainage from the incision site is expected after surgery. Although the drainage should continue to be monitored for increase or color change, the amount described here is not immediately concerning for a postoperative complication.
• Sensation: The client reports tingling in the fingers, which suggests hypocalcemia due to accidental removal or damage to the parathyroid glands during surgery. Hypocalcemia is a serious complication of thyroidectomy that can progress to muscle cramps, tetany, and seizures if untreated.
• Vital signs: The client’s rising temperature, tachycardia, hypertension, and increased respiratory rate are concerning for a developing thyroid storm, a rare but life-threatening complication after thyroid surgery. These vital signs warrant immediate intervention to prevent rapid deterioration.
• Pain assessment: A pain score of 3 out of 10 is mild and expected following surgery. This level of discomfort is manageable and not indicative of a major complication, provided it does not rapidly escalate or localize severely around the surgical site.

A. "I should limit my intake of leafy green vegetables.": Limiting leafy green vegetables is associated with warfarin therapy because of their vitamin K content. It is not relevant to metoprolol, which primarily affects the cardiovascular system and does not interact significantly with dietary vitamin K.

B. "I may experience loss of taste.": Loss of taste is not a common side effect of metoprolol. Metoprolol is more associated with cardiovascular side effects such as bradycardia, hypotension, and dizziness rather than alterations in taste perception.

C. "I need to be careful when standing up from bed.": This is correct because metoprolol can cause orthostatic hypotension, leading to dizziness or lightheadedness upon standing. Clients are advised to rise slowly from a lying or seated position to reduce the risk of falls and fainting.

D. "I should expect some weight loss.": Metoprolol is more commonly associated with weight gain or no significant weight change rather than weight loss. Clients taking beta-blockers sometimes experience fluid retention or a slowed metabolism, leading to modest weight gain.