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The following instructions should be followed except when overruled by specific procedural instructions. Make sure our doctors are aware of ALL medications you’re currently taking, including over-the-counter and prescription drugs.
Do’s & Don’ts Two Weeks Prior To Surgery
DO's:
- Start taking a high-quality multivitamin one time each day to help prepare your body for surgery. We ask that you continue taking your multivitamin for at least one month after surgery as well. The more nutrients your body has, the healthier you will be, and your healing process will be faster.
- You may take Tylenol or generic forms of this drug (acetaminophen) if needed. It is safe for pain relief after surgery and do not interfere with blood clotting or healing.
- Stop taking SSRI’s which include Prozac, Luvox, Paxil, Celexa, Zoloft, and Lexapro. But only if given permission from your prescribing doctor.
- Stop taking other prescription medications which include Wellbutrin, Effexor, Cymbalta. But only if given permission from your prescribing doctor.
- Stop taking TCA’s which include Amitriptyline and Nortriptyline. But only if given permission from your prescribing doctor.
- Stop taking all diet pills regardless if they are prescription, over-the-counter or herbal because many will adversely affect anesthesia and can even cause blood clotting, heart rate, respiratory, or blood pressure concerns.
DON'Ts:
- Do not take any Aspirin or medication that contains aspirin (salicylic acid) or derivatives of aspirin such as Alka-Seltzer, Aleve, Excedrin or Excedrin Migraine, Darvon, Dristan, Aspirin Ascription, Emprin, and Percodan since they can impede the body’s ability for normal blood clotting.
- Do not take any Ibuprofen containing medications either prescription or over-the-counter such as Midol, Motrin, and Advil because ibuprofen impedes blood clotting.
- Do not take megadoses of Vitamin E. Instead, see above; take a multivitamin once per day that contains vitamin E in reasonable doses.
- Do not take any Aleve or medications containing naproxen or naproxen sodium as it also interferes with the blood’s ability to clot. These are a list of medications that have naproxen and should not be taken: Aleve, Naproxen and Naprosyn.
- Do not smoke as nicotine reduces the flow of blood to the skin and can cause substantial complications during the healing process.
- Discontinue all herbal medications as many of these “natural” substances can have serious side effects and could complicate your surgical procedure by: interfering with blood clotting, adversely affecting your blood pressure, or could interfere with anesthetics used during your procedure. The following herbal medications should be discontinued at least two weeks prior to surgery: Ginko Biloba, Garlic, and Ginger.