PREPARATION FOR SURGERY

Two Weeks Before Surgery

Before surgery, your doctor may order a general exam with blood work. If you have a chronic condition such as heart problems, diabetes, or high blood pressure, be sure to advise your doctor of that.

You will need to significantly reduce the use of pain medications, or stop altogether as your doctor recommends, in order to enhance the effectiveness of pain medications after surgery. If, however, you are taking Oxycontin, continue to take it until the day of surgery. (Do not take it the morning of surgery.)

There are a number of medications that are important to monitor before surgery. Your doctor will discuss this with you. The major medicine that needs to be discontinued includes blood thinners such as Coumadin, Heparin, and any kind of aspirin containing product or anti-inflammatory medication which is labeled as a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication (NSAID). NSAIDs include aspirin, ibuprofen, Advil, Motrin, Daypro, and Naprosyn. These medications have been associated with an increased incidence of blood clots after surgery, and we recommend that the medication be discontinued for a period of 7 days prior to surgery. There is a new class of NSAIDS, including Vioxx and Celebrex, that may be taken until 2 days before surgery. (Stop two days before your surgery day.) This will be discussed with the doctor who prescribes those medications.

If you take herbs or alternative prescriptions, please advise your doctor. Some of these can cause odd interactions with common drugs.

Your doctor will discuss the importance of stopping smoking; however, it will be important not to smoke for at least 24 hours before surgery in preparation for anesthesia.

The Night Before Surgery

Eat or drink nothing after midnight-this includes food, water, coffee, chewing gum, etc. If you take a medication regularly, you may take it with a small sip of water.